Parachanna Obscura in a Polypterus tank ?

[Andri Pogo]

I kept a few small Parachanna Obscura for a short time a year ago and now I have been daydreaming about adding an Obscura to my 200G planted Polypterus tank..
The Polypterus are around 25 at the moment but will probably get a few more. I also have 3 other fish in the 200G that i want to keep there for as long as i can; an African Tiger Fish (9"), a Clown knife (15") and a Black Ghost knife (9").
The Polypterus range from 6-12"

I do know that keeping channas with tankmates is not popular around here, but on the other hand I have read that Polypteres have been kept with channas with good results.
The Obscuras that are available now are a little bigger than the ones i kept, they are around 4-5" and look bulky and healthy.

So does anyone here have experience with keeping the Obscura species with Polypterus ?
A few sound better then one, but if i get a breeding pair i know they could get aggressive.

All thought and comments welcome

 

[gigas12]

Hi,nice setup you got there,as to adding channas to the tank I would keep it the way it is now,they may feel a bit crowded,snakeheads are much more aggressive than polys and might make life hard for them.

 

[Brucki]

Hi,

obscura and Polypterus are imho the only way to keep a community tank with channa instead of a species tank.
Polys and obscura come from the same regions, and are quite similar in charackter and habit.
I have never tried this, but I have heard a lot that this should work great, and in Berlin Zoo there was a community tank like that you're planning.
HUGE obscuras and I think Polypterus ornatipinnis (but not sure, all polys look the same for me ;-) )

Cheers

 

[King-eL]

I'll say go for it. It would be a nice monster comm tank!

 

[AU_Arowana-RG]

I suggest you try it yourself and see how it goes for you.

 

[Cohazard]

I know a couple guys keeping obscura with polypterus and it works out fine.


I've seen 6" obscura with 12" polypterus, and 18" obscura with 10" polypterus

 

[jlnguyen74]

I know a couple guys keeping obscura with polypterus and it works out fine.


I've seen 6" obscura with 12" polypterus, and 18" obscura with 10" polypterus

Where could you see such cool combo?

 

[Cohazard]

Where could you see such cool combo?

Oh you know brutha.... back in the old country

 

[ettfettbranamn]

that could absolutely work!

 

[Dragon Hunter]

not a bichir but its worth a try.