Zebrina - 1st Day Behavior

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Great stuff pond and foam.. could probably make a thread of all the dos & do nots lol bichirs loved the upper ledges. I read they liked very shallow water as babies for cover and air. Even the bigger one loves it but all in all won’t do it on the next tank. Will have to find another way to make a shelf
 
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Becoming extremely territorial.. not as “laid back” as everyone claims ?. That Endi is probably 7-8 inches and that pike grabbed his tail about .6 seconds after that photo. Doesn’t like anyone near his cave(s).

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Laid back... for a pike cichlid.
Bichirs will probably eventually learn not to go there.
 
Deadeye said:
Laid back... for a pike cichlid.
Bichirs will probably eventually learn not to go there.
Click to expand...

This. Compared to something like marmorata they’re very relaxed, but most large pikes are predatory piscivores so their instinct will be to hunt anything they can get in their mouth.

Also, if you follow people who are keeping zebrina long-term, they don’t always stay mild. I’ve read reports from hobbyists who’ve had established tanks with zebrina who eventually snapped and turned very aggressive.
 
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A bit of an update:

About 3 weeks ago the zebrina came down with velvet disease and from what I can tell, the cupramine/salt treatment was successful. Colors and personality are back but I have noticed it’s a little picky with food. And not that it only eats one food, but that it will only eat 1 type of food for 2-3 days until it wants something else and will go on a hunger strike. I have to cycle pellets, shrimp, and worms to keep him actively eating. Just wondering if others have experienced this.
 
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Man I don’t get this pike. Leaving all the bichirs alone, even smaller ones I reintroduced. Leaving smaller peacocks alone, one that could even fit in his mouth. But the 6 inch jardini? He shredded it mannnn the thing is traumatized now. He was barely swimming around and stopped eating, I moved him to a separate tank and instantly he started swimming around again he was happy to be out. Maybe it was the size and shape of the jardini. Maybe the pike only viewed the jardini as the only real threat but god damn that fish is mean.
 
Tell me how my only WC fish is the only one who accepts pellets lol becoming quite the pig and starting to associate me with food. Just happy he/she isn’t always hiding when I walk in now.

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Well bichirs do tend to be slower eaters, therefore a slower reaction time. And since the pellets don’t seem to last that long, they aren’t given the chance to try.
 
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