Polypterus Senegalus Tankmates

[Kangadrew]

Hey guys, I have a 55 gallon cycled and ready for some fish to move into it. It's god some driftwood, large rocks, live plants, and gravel/fluorite subsrate - pretty much a basic setup, just got nice-looking plants and threw everything together. I'm moving my senegal bichir into it, as she's outgrown her grow-out tank (20 gallons). So, I have a list of other fish that I'm interested in, and I'd like you guys to help decide my list. Basically just suggest what combinations of these would work nicely in my 55 gallon with a female senegal bichir.
-Firemouth cichlid
-Cherry Barb
-Congo Tetra
-Demasoni Barb
-African Knifefish
-Oscar
-Leopard Ctenopoma
-Severum Cichlid
-Green Terror
-Jack Dempsey Cichlid
-Angelfish
-Blood Parrot Cichlid
-Needlefish
-African Butterflyfish
-Bala Shark
-Tinfoil Barb
-Ropefish
-Giant Danio
-Any of the Ancistrus Plecos
-Snowball Pleco
-Thomasi Pleco
-Blockhead Cichlid
-Kribensis Cichlid
-Other bichirs maybe (delhezi bichir, marbled bichir, polli bichir)

Also, I like the idea of including some cheap fish and inverts to keep algae levels as well as control a little bit of the waste problem. If you don't mind, please suggest a combination of some of these guys (I don't really care if they get eaten, but it's preferred they don't):
-Julii Cories
-Otocinclus
-Ghost Shrimp
-Red Cherry Shrimp
-Malaysian Trumpet Snails
-Mystery Snails
-Ramshorn Snails

Thanks a bunch guys! I'll try and post pics after it gets stocked.

 

[Champagne Papi]

Hey guys, I have a 55 gallon cycled and ready for some fish to move into it. It's god some driftwood, large rocks, live plants, and gravel/fluorite subsrate - pretty much a basic setup, just got nice-looking plants and threw everything together. I'm moving my senegal bichir into it, as she's outgrown her grow-out tank (20 gallons). So, I have a list of other fish that I'm interested in, and I'd like you guys to help decide my list. Basically just suggest what combinations of these would work nicely in my 55 gallon with a female senegal bichir.
-Firemouth cichlid
-Cherry Barb
-Congo Tetra
-Demasoni Barb
-African Knifefish
-Oscar
-Leopard Ctenopoma
-Severum Cichlid
-Green Terror
-Jack Dempsey Cichlid
-Angelfish
-Blood Parrot Cichlid
-Needlefish
-African Butterflyfish
-Bala Shark
-Tinfoil Barb
-Ropefish
-Giant Danio
-Any of the Ancistrus Plecos
-Snowball Pleco
-Thomasi Pleco
-Blockhead Cichlid
-Kribensis Cichlid
-Other bichirs maybe (delhezi bichir, marbled bichir, polli bichir)

Also, I like the idea of including some cheap fish and inverts to keep algae levels as well as control a little bit of the waste problem. If you don't mind, please suggest a combination of some of these guys (I don't really care if they get eaten, but it's preferred they don't):
-Julii Cories
-Otocinclus
-Ghost Shrimp
-Red Cherry Shrimp
-Malaysian Trumpet Snails
-Mystery Snails
-Ramshorn Snails

Thanks a bunch guys! I'll try and post pics after it gets stocked.

Most of the bottom list will probably get eaten if it gets hungry. All the top list are pretty much a safe bet except the danios, green terror and barbs. If you get them bigger than the bichirs mouth radius the bichir might understand it's not food if it grows bigger with the fish in there. On the other hand I have an albino that's a little more predatory than the others. It killed a Jack Dempsey that it couldn't eat

 

[kno4te]

I think the Oscar is can be a bit of a problem. Plecos if not fed properly may chew on the senegalus. The barbs and tetras are also a potential meal. Other than that it should be ok with the others.

 

[Kangadrew]

So it sounds like there are some smaller fish on my list that probably aren't a good choice (except as feeders) because she regularly eats any type of tetra or livebearer, and some of them are pretty big. I've updates the list of possible fish. If someone wants to recommend an interesting combination of them, feel free.
-Senegal Bichir (obviously)
-Firemouth Cichlid
-African Knifefish
-Leopard Ctenopoma
-Severum Cichlid
-Angelfish
-Blood Parrot Cichlid
-Needlefish
-African Butterfly Fish
-Bala Shark
-Ropefish
-Blockhead Cichlid
-Kribensis Cichlid
-Polli Bichir
-Marbled Bichir
-Delhezi Bichir
-Senegal Bichir (definitely one of them, but maybe some more).

And then for the inverts, etc:
-Otocinclus
-Ghost Shrimp
-Malaysian Trumpet Snails
-Mystery Snails
-Ramshorn Snails

 

[Champagne Papi]

In my opinion bichirs tend to be more active and personal if they have another bichir in the tank with them

 

[kno4te]

The list looks fine. Sometimes cichlids can be nippy with polys but seems most members are able to keep together.