Small Senegal Bichir - Tank Mates

kno4te

MFK Moderator
Staff member
Global Moderator
MFK Member
Dec 24, 2005
18,436
20,876
480
USA
Welcome aboard

Definitely not with crabs and the other fish with the exception of the Pleco prefer cooler water.
Agree with Tom. They aren’t a good mix.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey

Fishflyer

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2018
588
231
51
Hey guys,

This is my first adventure into the world of MFK!

Have been in and out of the hobby for the better part of two decades.

I just picked up two Senegal bichirs about 5" each. In the process of getting their 75 gallon but in the meantime I have them in my 55 gallon community tank with fancy tail guppies, multiple kinds of platies, redeye tetras, American flag fish, and more.

I put them in there for for the time being to help with crowd control as I am overrun with live bears in the tank.

My Bichirs are actually the ones getting picked on! The red eye tetras & platies are having standoffs with the Bichir and them nipping at them to chase them away. EVEN THE SMALL FRY ARE DOING THIS!

There have not been many posts on here or around the internet in the past few years about the Bichir. Have they been captive-bred for so many years now they lost thir predatory instinct?

They are much happier eating the pellet food and earthworms I give them.

Thoughts?

View attachment 1337868
Hello, Very nice aquarium. My Bichirs like sitting and resting in or on foilage.
They like being in floating water wisteria.

I have a large black marble angelfish as a roommate to my 2 dragons. They get along fine. The Bichirs are 5 inches as is the angelfish.
There used to be large Tiger Barbs in there also. I had read they were compatible with bichirs.
Even though my bichirs were not raised to predate other fish, the Barbs started disappearing. Then I saw them tearing apart a dead tiger Barb.

I am waiting for my Yo-yo loaches to grow to the correct size for placement with my Bichirs. Yo-yos are a fish with beautiful markings and rival cories as far as busy bottom cleaners. They are also playful and grow to 6 inches or more.

Whatever fish you fancy and is the same size or bigger than your bichirs and nonaggressive should be fine. Keep an eye to the future of your Bichir and potential growth of prospective new roomates. Look up the fish you choose and see if they are a match or more especially; not a match for your Bichirs. Bye
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey

Fishflyer

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2018
588
231
51
Hello, Very nice aquarium. My Bichirs like sitting and resting in or on foilage.
They like being in floating water wisteria.

I have a large black marble angelfish as a roommate to my 2 dragons. They get along fine. The Bichirs are 5 inches as is the angelfish.
There used to be large Tiger Barbs in there also. I had read they were compatible with bichirs.
Even though my bichirs were not raised to predate other fish, the Barbs started disappearing. Then I saw them tearing apart a dead tiger Barb.

I am waiting for my Yo-yo loaches to grow to the correct size for placement with my Bichirs. Yo-yos are a fish with beautiful markings and rival cories as far as busy bottom cleaners. They are also playful and grow to 6 inches or more.

Whatever fish you fancy and is the same size or bigger than your bichirs and nonaggressive should be fine. Keep an eye to the future of your Bichir and potential growth of prospective new roomates. Look up the fish you choose and see if they are a match or more especially; not a match for your Bichirs. Bye
PS: I used to have another large angelfish in there. It got along with the the Bichirs fine and fine with the other angelfish since they were small. Suddenly one started picking on the other angelfish continually. I had to remove it to a different tank. I will soon reintroduce the aggresser (smaller) angelfish into the (unfamiliar) new tank. It is not aggressive in it's present tank.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store