Polleni with Polypterus?

[Experiment397]

good combo? bad combo? anyone have any input? Noticed a few decent looking ones at my lfs last time i was there and ive been craving another large cichlid that shouldn't completely destroy my planted tank. biggest concern is will it get along with my polys and datnoids.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I would do it, I had a Polleni in with my Polys. Literally 0 aggression. Polleni always chill at the top half of the tank most of the time. Feeding may be a problem but if your Polleni turns out anything like mine it'll just stuff its self instantly, leaving all the rest of the food for the taking.

I never had one bother plants either.

 

[Experiment397]

well one of the stores by me just brought in some 1.5" bleekeri, might need to pick one or two up and throw them in the growout for a while

Anyone know the growth rate for these guys?

 

[magpie]

DO IT! It is THE combo I want when I upgrade. If you do it I can spy on your tank and live vicariously through you in the meantime.

They are supposed to be relatively slow growing.

 

[kno4te]

1-1.5 in per month till about 6in and then slows down i believe. In general slow like magpie said. But I'm not a cichlid guy.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

1-1.5 in per month till about 6in and then slows down i believe. In general slow like magpie said. But I'm not a cichlid guy.

That's pretty accurate, maybe even slower but that could just be because mine had a lot of tank mates. But yeah they're not the fastest growing cichlids.

magpie I did a cichlid/poly experiment recently. While I believe that one Polleni with Polys that are already steadily eating would be okay, I wouldn't do any more than that. The competition for food is real. I was stupid and just put some new polys right into my tank with several cichlids and I would have to put in way more pellets than I wanted to to ensure everyone got their share.

I should have QT'd the new polys to make sure they're eating and had some size on them before attempting this. But obviously all your polys are a bit bigger and eating great, so I don't think you'll have a problem. BTW my one Polleni was a complete ******* and he STILL didn't give two hoots about the polys.

 

[magpie]

I don't plan on doing more than one Polleni as they are supposedly aggressive to their own kind.

Thanks for the tip - yeah, I can see how it would be an extra challenge with a new poly.

How do you make it work with the established polys? Try to stuff him first? Target feed him and drop stuff on the other side of the tank for the polys? Use tongs?

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I don't plan on doing more than one Polleni as they are supposedly aggressive to their own kind.

Thanks for the tip - yeah, I can see how it would be an extra challenge with a new poly.

How do you make it work with the established polys? Try to stuff him first? Target feed him and drop stuff on the other side of the tank for the polys? Use tongs?

I meant I would only do one cichlid, but if all yours are eating really well then I suppose you could do other peaceful species. My sens are such pigs that they have no problem competing for food.

I have my four sens in with a Regani, two cryptoheros panamensis, a JD of which I'm not even sure the exact morph, and a 7" JD. The sens have absolutely no problem competing for food. My one aggressive Polleni died unfortunately.

 

[Experiment397]

I picked one up! Little 2" already showing good speckling and some nice looking fins. Put him in my planted growout with my lj hybrid, teug and bumble bee cats. I'll get some pics up after he settles in and quits hiding behind the sponge filter

 

[magpie]

Nice!