Bichir stocking! Help!

[mikeISright]

Im looking for a polypterus buddy for my 55 with a GT.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

Green terror?

 

[mikeISright]

Yes. Please help!

 

[bettaowner]

I am thinking about a sengal or nile bichir. I don't really have acess to these fish so I hope I don't make a mistake.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

IMO I would start off with the Senegal
It's cheaper than most polys & very hardy....well they are all hardy lol

 

[mikeISright]

Ok thanks guys!

 

[Aski247]

Senegal gets my vote, IMO they are the most active and will stay at a proper size to be housed in a 55 for life.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

IME, and I have a lot of it with the polypterus species. I wouldn't add one with a green terror. I had a GT with my Senegal and Delhezi. He, for lack of a less punny term, terrorized my Delhezi but left the Senegal alone. I suppose if the GT and bichir are both young it may work out.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Stick with what are called upper jaw bichirs. They tend to be smaller (with the exception of the ornatapinnis or teugelsi). A Nile Bichir is a lower jaw specie and will definitely out grow a 55. Upper jaw species that may be suitable are Senegalus, Delhezi, Palmas variants, and perhaps a few I can't think of (but those are usually impossible to find unless you special order).

Bichirs are excellent fish to keep and I wish I still had mine. Let me know if you need anything else regarding them.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

I had 2 Senegal, 2 Delhezi & 2 ornate with a breeding pair of GT
& everyone got along
But if you start seeing any aggression remove right away, always have a back up plan

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

Stick with what are called upper jaw bichirs. They tend to be smaller (with the exception of the ornatapinnis or teugelsi). A Nile Bichir is a lower jaw specie and will definitely out grow a 55. Upper jaw species that may be suitable are Senegalus, Delhezi, Palmas variants, and perhaps a few I can't think of (but those are usually impossible to find unless you special order).

Bichirs are excellent fish to keep and I wish I still had mine. Let me know if you need anything else regarding them.

My first Delhezi got 14+ inches they can get pretty big >.<

 

[mikeISright]

Stick with what are called upper jaw bichirs. They tend to be smaller (with the exception of the ornatapinnis or teugelsi). A Nile Bichir is a lower jaw specie and will definitely out grow a 55. Upper jaw species that may be suitable are Senegalus, Delhezi, Palmas variants, and perhaps a few I can't think of (but those are usually impossible to find unless you special order).

Bichirs are excellent fish to keep and I wish I still had mine. Let me know if you need anything else regarding them.

Ok thats a lot of helpful stuff! Do delhezis only get to 14+ if they are wild caught? Because that is what i learned

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

No they can definitely get that long even if not wild caught. Usually, or at least its been my understanding, wild caught just seem to have better stripes. They seem to quickly reach around 8ish inches before slowing down their growth. But the thing that you have to remember is that unlike Senegalus, Delhezi is usually not active.

With you 55 it may not grow to a full 14+ inches but having a fish not reach potential is never a good thing.

It's good to know that GT and bichirs can indeed get along! I only tried that one time and vowed to not do it ever again.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I had 2 Senegal, 2 Delhezi & 2 ornate with a breeding pair of GT
& everyone got along
But if you start seeing any aggression remove right away, always have a back up plan

Holy poop! What size aquarium did you for them!

 

[mikeISright]

Ok yes i no how bad it is for a fishes health to stunt its growth. What about two senegals ?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

All you have is a GT in there right now? I don't see a problem personally. Senegals get to be like 8ish inches and are active during the day. I wouldn't expect too much nipping from bichir to bichir especially if they are similar sized.

 

[mikeISright]

Ok thank you very much. No i have nothing in there now because it is finishing cycling. That is what i want to have in there though.

 

[OBEYtheFISH]

I had them in a 100 then 150 then 180 now they're sold off :/

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I figured it had to be a large, large tank. Yeah, I don't have my Teugelsi, Delhezi, and Senegalus. I had to move across states and into an apartment.

 

[Aski247]

I would only try and do 1 bichir. Cichlids are hogs and it will be difficult to get food to 1, even harder to get food to two. And over feeding with messy fish will lead to poor water quality more times then not.