Advice: Dinosaur Bichir and Giant Danios?

[Magicfan1423]

Hi all,

Have a new 55 gallon aquarium that I was finally able to add fish to last week. Have:
Common Pleco (6")
10 Giant Danios (about 2 inches now)
2 Swordtails (3 inches)
Senegal Bichir (3.5 inches)
African Clawed Frog

I know the Bichir will get larger, up to 12", but I added the Danios because they grow to 4-4.5inches and they school. Would you agree that they should be okay as adults with the Bichir? I've heard not to keep any fish less than 3 inches with the Bichir (fully grown), which is why I am hoping my tank is balanced well. The swordtails seem content and even join the Danios in schooling at times. The Pleco has a nice hiding spot and doesn't bother anyone. The frog also hides during the day and eats shrimp pellets and ghost shrimp. The Bichir has spent equal time hiding and swimming freely across the tank, only eating shrimp pellets to this point. I'm hoping they maintain this long-term, and all get along. I am planning on adding feeder fish after the frog and Bichir get larger. I am thinking that if. At least a couple of feeders are in there at all times, they won't bother larger fish.

Sorry about the length of the post!

Thanks!

 

[Magicfan1423]

Anyone have any experience with these two types of fish?

 

[abstract373]

well ok i have a dino bichir and he was about 4 inches at the time when he ate a 5 inch red tail shark...he was the bully of the tank so it didnt faze me that bad kinda funny cause the wife freaked out...lol as for those danios its going to be risky i feed mine zebra danios guppys worms ghost shrimp and black worms ....it sticks to the feeders and has not bugged anything else in the tank but weekly stock of feeders...they can eat dont be surprised if it goes from 3 to 8 inches in 2 to 3 months mine is 10 inches and about 1 and a half thick...good luck and your going to have fun watching em eat they love schooling fish better odds of getting 1

 

[vanimal]

well ok i have a dino bichir and he was about 4 inches at the time when he ate a 5 inch red tail shark...he was the bully of the tank so it didnt faze me that bad kinda funny cause the wife freaked out...lol as for those danios its going to be risky i feed mine zebra danios guppys worms ghost shrimp and black worms ....it sticks to the feeders and has not bugged anything else in the tank but weekly stock of feeders...they can eat dont be surprised if it goes from 3 to 8 inches in 2 to 3 months mine is 10 inches and about 1 and a half thick...good luck and your going to have fun watching em eat they love schooling fish better odds of getting 1

I have a Dinosaur bichir too! But I feed mine Earth Worms and Blood worms. I have a few guppies in with him but he is still small so hasn't tried to eat them yet. Just keep him well fed and hope for the best! Good luck

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Don't call the Dinosaur Bichirs! Haha sorry, an avid Polypterus keeper here and it bugs me to no end when people call them that. I suppose it's better than when people call them Eels -_-

Your Polypterus Senegalus will grow more likely to be 10ish inches. And will eat anything it can get its mouth on or at least that had been my experience (kept 3 of them). They prey upon fish when they come to the bottom to go into sleep-mode. During the day, they are definitely more active Bichirs. Giant Danios should be fine when they are fully grown. My only worry is that Bichirs can grow rapidly, I don't know if I can say the same for the Danios.

As far as ACF and Polypterus, I've never kept them together. Personally I fear for the Bichirs! I know that ACF can become voracious predators.

 

[Magicfan1423]

Thanks for the replies!

I am excited to see the Bichir grow. I hope he can get along with all of his tank mates. I hope that it I keep a constant supply of feeder fish in the tank, he won't bother the fish he'd be capable of eating.. Guess I'll just have to wait it out a couple of months and see.

As for the ACF, I haven't been able to find much information beyond their profile (size, habitat, care, etc.).
Have you had experience keeping an ACF? Wondering how they are perceived by people and if I should worry about him in the future..

 

[emerald76]

You need a bigger tank for the pleco, just saying. But it's an excuse for something in the 150 range lol
I don't know much about bichirs but I dont trust your clawed frog

 

[Aski247]

I actually have kept these two fish together for quite some time with no problems at all. Both fish were at adult size. Bichir at about 9" and danios at 2+" I hade the danios with both my red devil and Trimac as target fish to keep them off my bichir.

When I sold my Trimac, my bichir lived with roughly 15-20 GD's for a few months (5 or more). He never could catch them.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I wouldn't be getting a constant supply of feeders:

1. They can carry disease (they live in stressful/poor conditions that lead to it).
2. Teaching him to eat feeders will reinforce the hunting behavior on your other fish (it won't really go away anyways, they are predators after all).
3. Getting some nice sinking pellets will provide better nutrition. I went with Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets and they loved them. I've also done some or the larger NLS pellets for them.

I'm not saying never get feeders, it is fun to watch predatory instincts. Just let it be a snack that you have QTed before hand.

That being said, I never QTed mine, and I just got lucky that my Bichirs didn't get ill from feeders.

 

[vanimal]

I wouldn't be getting a constant supply of feeders:

1. They can carry disease (they live in stressful/poor conditions that lead to it).
2. Teaching him to eat feeders will reinforce the hunting behavior on your other fish (it won't really go away anyways, they are predators after all).
3. Getting some nice sinking pellets will provide better nutrition. I went with Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets and they loved them. I've also done some or the larger NLS pellets for them.

I'm not saying never get feeders, it is fun to watch predatory instincts. Just let it be a snack that you have QTed before hand.

That being said, I never QTed mine, and I just got lucky that my Bichirs didn't get ill from feeders.

You could set up a 10 gallon and breed some guppies right? Those are healthier I think

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Oh for sure. Homemade feeders are generally better than bought because you can control what happens to them.

 

[Magicfan1423]

Thanks guys. Yeah, that's what I was thinking..I'd get a 10 gallon or similar and have the feeders quarantined and possibly breed.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Thanks guys. Yeah, that's what I was thinking..I'd get a 10 gallon or similar and have the feeders quarantined and possibly breed.

Then you should be fine. I attempted to do that by keeping some Mollys with mine...they didn't survive haha.

Keep this in mid though. Feed your feeders nutritious foods as their well being is key to your Bichirs well being.

 

[Aski247]

Thanks guys. Yeah, that's what I was thinking..I'd get a 10 gallon or similar and have the feeders quarantined and possibly breed.

If you have a 25g laying around I'd say get some cons and breed them. I used to in a 30. But got tired of scooping fry like every 3 weeks. My grow out tank couldn't keep up haha.

 

[vanimal]

If you have a 25g laying around I'd say get some cons and breed them. I used to in a 30. But got tired of scooping fry like every 3 weeks. My grow out tank couldn't keep up haha.

Cons???

 

[Aski247]

Convict cichlids. They spawn like crazy.

 

[vanimal]

Convict cichlids. They spawn like crazy.

Ok that's what I thought