Tankmates for my bichir

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V

Viper X

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 1, 2008
29
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Philippines
Hi everyone! Just like to ask for opinion regarding the behavior of my ornate. Most owners say that bichir wont touch anything that is too big to fit in their mouth. I already had two ornates, and its always the same. When I add them in the tank they take a chunk from some of my other fishes. My two inch bichir even took a chunk of the tail fin of my four inch severum! Are there any ways to quell this behavior?
 
the tankmates that i would consider would be angels, siver dollars, oscars an the cichlids, an giant danios if your doin basic tropical fish.
 
Below is a list of possible tankmates for the larger bichir species.This is not a full list of compatable fish but a general idea.
Note some are on both lists.As always research before buying .Based on adult maximum sizes.
Just a note an adult lower jaw bichir is capable of opening it mouth almost the diameter of its body.
Possible tankmate for P.endilcherii , P.bichir, P.congicus and P. Bichir lapradei P.ornatipinnis
CHARACINS
Silver dollar - Metynnis argenteus
African pike- Hepsetus odoe
Freshwater Barracuda - Ctenolucius hujeta
Distichodus notospilus- Distichodus notospilus
Distichodus fasciolatus - Distichodus fasciolatus
Nurse tetra - Alestes nurse
African tigerfish - Hydrocynus goliath
Vampire Characin-Hydrolycus scomberoides
CICHLIDS(*see note)
Oscar - Astronotus ocellatus
Umbee- Cichlasoma umbriferum
Golden Tropheops- Pseudotropheus tropheops
Black Belt Cichlid - Cichlasoma maculicauda
Blue Flash -Thorichthys aureus
Uaru - Uaru amphicanthiodes
Carpinte Cichlid - Cichlasoma carpinte
Chrysonotus Cichlid -Copadichromis chrysonotus
Chunky Hap- Protomelas annectens
Firemouth -Cichlasoma meeki
Guenther's Cichlid- Chromidotilapia guentheri guentheri
Haitian Cichlid- Cichlasoma haitiensis
Leopold's Angelfish- Pterophyllum leopoldi
Lifalili Jewel Cichlid- Hemichromis lifalili
Livingstoni's Nimbochromis-Nimbochromis livingstonii
Malawi Blue Dolphin -Cyrtocara moorii
Nicaragua Cichlid- Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
Nkata Cichlid- Copadichromis nkatae
Pasionis Cichlid- Cichlasoma pasionis
Rainbow Cichlid- Herotilapia multispinosa
Tiger Tilapia-Tilapia mariae
CATFISH
Dusky Pimelodid -Pimelodus blochii
Crystal-Eyed Catfish- Mystus wyckii
Banded Shovelnose Catfish- Brachyplatystoma juruense
Spotted Shovelnose-Hemisorubim platyrhynchos
Giraffe Catfish-Auchenoglanis occidentalis
Dwarf giraffe Catfish-Parauchenoglanis macrostoma
DATS
widebar datnoid- Datnioides pulcher 16''
Thinbar datnoid- Datnioides undecimradiatus 16''
Indonesian datnoid-Coius microlepis 18''
PLECOS
Adonis pleco-Acanthicus adonis
Black adonis-Acanthicus hystrix
GARS
Spotted gar -Lepisosteus ocula
Tropical Gar-Atractosteus tropicus
Shortnose Gar- Lepisosteus platostomus
KNIFEFISH
Clown Knifefish-Chitala chitala
African Knifefish- Xenomystus nigri
banded knifefise-Gymnotus carapo
LABYRINTHFISH
Giant Gourami- Osphronemus goramy
EELS
Tire Track Eel-Mastacembelus armatus
Peacock Eel-Macrognathus aculeatus
CYPRINIDS
Bala Shark-Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Red-Finned Cigar Shark-Leptobarbus hoevenii
Tinfoil Barb-Barbodes schwanefeldii
Chinese Algae Eater- Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Clown Loach- Botia macracantha
MISC.
Black Ghost Knifefish- Apteronotus albifrons
Elephantnose-Gnathonemus petersii
Black Devil Stingray-Potamotrygon leopoldi
Motoro Stingray-Potamotrygon motoro
(*note :to avoid agression do not have breeding pairs )
 
i recently got african brown knife and silver dollars, they are all buds haha, the knife and bichir actuallu hide in the same cave laying together
 
ymolina;3192127; said:
the tankmates that i would consider would be angels, siver dollars, oscars an the cichlids, an giant danios if your doin basic tropical fish.
Click to expand...

Lol! Gaint danois is a very poor choice for an ornate bichir's tankmates. They will end up as food as well as the angels fish if the lights are off. Bichirs will take down fish even if they are unable to swallow it. If they want it as food they will bring it down during lights off. Bichirs are unpredictable sometimes, especially at lights off.
 
really im goin off wat i read from other websites.
 
pick some of these VVV... never had a problem with my ornates bitting off fins... just with swallowing fish whole:D.

edit... My ornate has ate a 2.5" paraya, and 2.5" pbass, but he won't even consider eating the 1.25" NTT's. He sniffed one like a dog and the datnoid attacked him and he went running for his life. It was really funny. Dats are just too smart to get ate IMO.
 
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