Spiny Eel Versus Bichir?

[Laticauda]

Call me lazy...I've researched a little about both of these, but am wondering which would be the more rewarding fish? A bichir or a spiny eel?

Pros? Cons? of each?

I'll be housing an adult angelfish in a 56g tall aquarium. Measurements are 36"L-18"W-22"T

Right now I have yoyo loaches, peacock gudgeons, BN plecos and otos (forgot to mention those guys on a previous post.) I'm able to move them around in order to keep a bichir or spiny eel if I have to (I believe either one would require the small guys to go!)

I find both of these types of fish fascinating/neat looking, so personal experiences/preferences are welcome here! My husband is no help: he says they all look the same and are "boring."

Oh, and...Should the decision come down to which ever one looks healthier in the LFS store?

 

[benzjamin13]

I've had both. I still keep Polys. I find Polys more interesting. Eels will bury themselves and disappear. Polys will lay there without a care in the world. And if you get an upper jaw species like a Senegalus or Delhezi, they are fairly active. Eels are one of those fish that you have to look for to make sure they're still alive.

 

[Nighttouch]

I've had both. I still keep Polys. I find Polys more interesting. Eels will bury themselves and disappear. Polys will lay there without a care in the world. And if you get an upper jaw species like a Senegalus or Delhezi, they are fairly active. Eels are one of those fish that you have to look for to make sure they're still alive.

I agree. I'll go a week or 2 at a time without seeing my eel, but my polys are always out exploring.

+1 for polys!

 

[Laticauda]

So, since it's a planted tank, a Bichir would win hands down, I take it? I don't want anything digging up all the dirt under the gravel!

 

[Nighttouch]

Yea, spinys will knock plants about when burrowing around.

 

[benzjamin13]

My Delhezi will burrow once in awhile, so plants may get rooted, but they don't do it as much or at all if you have plenty of hiding spots. I've never seen my Albino Sen dig. And I would still go for a Poly before an Eel in a planted tank. Eels will more likely burrow around the tank.

 

[NCStateFisher]

POLYS! BYAHHHH!!!!!

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

My bichirs doesn't even bury as I keep the tank sparely stocked

 

[Laticauda]

So, am I pronouncing it right? Like..."bicker" "bih-sheer" or if I say that will I sound like a total n00bcake?

 

[benzjamin13]

A lot of people pronounce it differently. A couple of guys at my lfs says, "biker" I say, "bi-cheer"