Bichir vs other fish

[zenkatydid]

I have a 4 ft tank with 3 yoyo loaches, 2 SAEs, 2 bristlenoses and 6 odessa barbs. I have just found someone who will sell me a senegal bichir (they're not legal to import here so are incredibly rare).

My question is - will the bichir eat my other fish? The loaches are 7-10cm now, but are long and thin - edible? I wouldn't be terribly crushed if the barbs disappeared, but I would be very, very sad if I lost my loaches. Would you advise waiting until the loaches are full grown before adding a bichir?

Any more thoughts or advice on keeping these guys is appreciated!

Oh, one more thing - I thought bichir was pronounced bish - eer. But the people at the shop say bye - tcha. Surely that's not right??

[WaterPond]

My bichir cant catch any of my loaches if he tried!

I would be worried about the BNs, my bichir has eaten a few of my baby (about 1.5") BNs in the past... if big enough, i'm sure he could take down larger prey.

Barbs'll be fine


I pronounce it Bye-Chir, but thats probably incorrect.

[kennef]

everyone in my area that knows about them uses the scientific name, 'polyepterus' when referring to them. i pronounce it 'B*tch-er' just because i like the way my wife rolls her eyes when i do it....

[bra_van_drakh]

how long's ur new senegal ??? is they're still small [5-13cms] i think u're safe enough . ..one weird thing is that as they grow older, they'll not depend on their eyesight so much. ..IME, when they've reach > 6", they'll not see dark colours very well. . .my Animus[male senegal 8"] ate only the bright coloured feeder goldfish, and will save the darker for the last, or even left it live. . .

i dont really think that senegals would care about sizes, as long as it's catchable, then they'll eat it fr sure, e.g. my albino redtail was missing after one night without a trce eventhough it was 3"long, but my much smaller normal redtails[1.5"] are still alive till now. . .so i'd be more concerned about ur fish's colours rather than their sizes. . .HTH^^

[zenkatydid]

that's very interesting about the colours, bra_van_drakh. has anyone else observed this? in that case, i should be most worried about my albino bristlenose. the albino is about 3.5" and the peppermint is about 4".

i haven't got it yet, am just thinking and planning.

[bra_van_drakh]

an ornate bichir will be better IMO, thet's if someone sells it, coz even here in indonesia its very rare^^ but if its small enough then it shouldnt be a big problem, no ???

[Idealconcepts]

Ornates will get too big for your other tank makes, usually max out at around 2ft. So my guess in an aquarium about 18 inchs. They also get very thick so putting down a decent size fish won't be a problem, physically.

[kennef]

Polyepturus Reptopinnis its a really lovely looking Bichir... but rather large as was stated earlier. my senegals usually eats sinking pellet foods such as shrimp pellets and such. both of mine are opportunistic as it relates to other fish... so i keep a goodly swarm of guppies that i can afford to lose in the tank.

[Jarred Darque]

The bichir would more than likely take down all the fish except the bristlenose.

Mine bichirs (have 4 atm, about to get 2 more) have not messed with my bristle nose.

Other fish in the tank are
Common pleco
3 JAck Dempseys
1 black bulhlead
1 spotted raphael
1 striped raphael
1 oto? (I think they ate the other 2 already)
1 African butterfly fish
1 rainbow shark

I am sure the rainbow and the oto will disapear, the common has to be moved soon (he is starting to eat slimecoat which is not good) I am starting to breed convicts for bichir food as well

My tank will take down about 100 feeders in about 2 hours to give you an idea of their apetites