polypterus senegalus - any experience?

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unicorn2tears

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Sep 8, 2004
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51
Location
Washington
My tank has been settled for nearly two years now and I'm probably going to upgrade from 29 gal to 55 gal in a month or so. I was looking in my lfs and found a beautiful albino polypterus senegalus, also called senegal bicher. I've never heard of or seen this fish before. I did some google searches so I have some basic info but I'm worried how it will do in my tank.

The tank has
3 angels
1 ghost knife (7")
2 swordtails (possibly at end of life span)
2 aldolfi cories that may not go into the larger tank.

The polypterus in the store was about 4 inches so he has plenty of time to grow. I won't have the new tank set up for about a month or two, but I'd like to buy him before someone else does. So, do people think it will work? Any advice or stories about this fish?
 

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i have no experiences, but am also setting up a tank about this size soon and definatley want one of these guys
 
I have the regular kind and he's really cool, only about 5 inches though. As for food, I feed guppy feeders, bloodworms and very small rosy red feeders (not often). My bicher goes crazy when I place any kind of food in there. Oh and make sure his tank mates are quick enough to get away or they may become food. Just because one of your fish doesn't look bite size he may still be able to eat it. A 3 inch SAE, a 1 and half inch Oto, and a 2 inch krib became a snack for him, so just because they don't look bite size you should keep an eye out. Don't mean to scare you off though lol. My bicher usually hangs around on the bottom of the tank, but they do come up for air. Not really sure what would happen with the ghost knife. I would get it, but wait for other people's opinions. HTH
 
The swordtails and cories would probably be lunch for it, but sounds like you won't be moving them, so that's ok. The knife fish should be ok with it. But unsufe with the angels. How big are the angels?

If the angels are bigger, then I don't see why not getting it. Should be ok. I was looking at one myself, but then my loaches would be lunch for him, lol.

Let's see what others have to say as well before you make the final decidion. :)
 
Been keeping them for decades...even wrote a book on them....I currently have about 65 bichirs, 12 of them Senegals, two of those albinos. :D

Firstly, make sure you have a secure top that covers your entire tank...bichirs are infamous for jumping out...especially when they are most active, at night.

Secondly, the swords will be lunch before long, as may the corys, if they are anything under a full 2"....the angels, if they are smallish, may suffer a few ragged fins from time to time, but this will be minimised if the bichir is kept well-fed. The ghost knife should be fine, but may be a bit irritated at the bichir's activity at night.

Food is just about anything meaty, although worms and shrimp seem particularly relished.

Fruitbat's profile on Polypterus senegalus can be found here:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=21833
 
Thanks for the replies. The angels are either adult size or close to it. I decided to get the bicher. He's in quarentine right now and taking food readily. I'll put an update when I add him to the main tank.
 
if that's the fish you got, he's gorgeous! that's my next project--a bichir tank! just waiting for the scratch...
 
I was about to get an albino one to keep wiht my other bichir but i got a BGK insted...I think because ur BGK is so large he would be fine. I currently have my little 3in guy in the QT, because i believe my bichir bit off the tip of his tail :(
Other than that my bichir is my favorite fish. He is super active with tons of personality. I love em. Hope you have fun. The albino's are soo pretty :D
 
Update -

I've added the bichir to the 29 temporarily. Swordtails were moved and I'm taking a chance on the cory's (watching closely). The BGK was very interested by the new guest and kept following and swimming by the bichir for close to an hour before finally leaving her alone. The angels investigated too but didn't seem interested and neither did the bichir. The bichir seems to be ok so far but always looks hungry and is constantly active at all times of the day. The BGK has claimed two of three hiding places and the bicher seems to be ok with it but she just never seems to be still.

She's taking food in the main tank but is the slowest eater so I'm not sure yet how to get her food without over feeding the angels. Also, the BGK will chase the bicher away from food if it's by any of his hiding places. I'm hoping this will all calm down in a few days.

I'm slightly delaying getting the new tank because, of course last minute, I'm trying to decide which size to get. I was going to get a 55 but now I'm thinking a 58.
 
Won't be long before the bichir has an extra 2"-4" on him and is telling the knife where to go. Try some small earthworms or frozen mysis shrimp....they should sink straight to the bottom and give the bichir a good feed.
 
I got my bichir to hand feed. Thats how i makes sure he gets enough food. I started out putting the food in a certain spot so he was trained to go there. Then I eventualy left my hand near to it so he was used to my hand. Then i kept the food in my hand. so on and so forth now he will come to the surface for food when i stick my finger in the tank. My powder blue gourami also figured it out. So the both of them will eat out of my hand its pretty neat. I have only benn bitten once, but he spat my finger right out lol. :D You can also just put the food in her hiding spot, and she will figure it out in know time. GL
 
I currently have 2 Senegal Bichers. Not the albino type. I got them both about a year ago when they were 2.5" to 3" each. I have them in a 7 gallon cylinder right now and they are quickly outgrowing it. One of my bichers is now about 8.5" long and the other is about 6". They grew very quickly in the past year. I started feeding them shrimp pellets and small rosies initially. Now I usually get comets and the largest rosies. Since the tank is so small, they really have no problems cornering and nailing the fish. I have even watched them both cooperate on taking down the larger comets. One will hit it around the tail area and the other one will come in and tackle the head. Then they both writhe around until they break it in half.

Pretty cool to watch when they do that.

Actually today, I am transferring them both to a larger 20'ish gallon tank. Not sure how they will do there but they are extremely tough and hardy fish. I have no doubts that they will be just fine.

I am debating on whether to add additional fish to the tank but am a bit leary of it. I was thinking of some Gar's as they occupy a different part of the tank yet will still eat the same food. They also have a bunch of albino bichers at PetSmart but those are around 3" each and don't know if bichers are cannibals and will have them for breakfast.
 
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