Easy question about bichirs

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squirrilah fish

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So I really really want an adult bichir, I put one in my 75g tank as a baby, he was instantly eaten by my jack demosey or rainbow shark, not sure which one to be honest it could have been the Kenyi cichlids too.
Anyway I got another baby bichir and put him in my community tank until he gets large enough to move.

When do bichirs start snatching fish? He is ab 4 inches right now. I am missing a lyretail neon painted danio, and this morning I noticed I'm missing a zebra danio too.

Could the bichir already be snatching fish? Should I move him over my JD KENYIS AND RB SHARK are full grown. I don't want him to get eaten, I am willing to sacrifice a few danios to my Dino, but I'm scared hell to after my barbs, and platys too? What size a fish is safe? And at what point is he safe from my larger fish?
 
Well I guess that's the question, the Zebra danio that's missing was pretty big, I'm wondering if my platys are in danger. The bichir is only like 3 inches? So anything under 3 inches is at risk pretty much?
 
Simple answer: If he can fit it in his mouth he will eat it.

+1 to this.

Also, your Rainbow Shark did not eat the Polypterus.

In my experience (which is pretty extensive with Bichirs), anything that sleeps at night, and can fit in it's mouth, will end up in its mouth. Great fish, probably my favorite kind, but can sometimes be a pain to keep.
 
What about moving him to the bigger tank, I still have 4 or 5 fish that could easily become his dinner?
 
Well I guess that's the question, the Zebra danio that's missing was pretty big, I'm wondering if my platys are in danger. The bichir is only like 3 inches? So anything under 3 inches is at risk pretty much?

3 inches is far too small to be with adult JD. They will see him as a worm, and eat him real quick.

The Platys should be fine, they will be nipped at but at 3 inches, he won't be able to eat them. Now stressing them out until they die, that's a different question.
 
Hmm, I may just go get him his own tank then, they have a sale at PS 10g tank for $10. My GF would be pissed if I got a fourth tank though, but she would be pissed if her purple glo danios disappear too. Decisions...
 
So I talked to the GF and she is willing to sacrifice the danios, we can get more when he moves out. I don't know that he will ever be safe in that big tank, my JD is at the end if his life, possibly, I have had him for 8 years. I bought a baby tiger oscar to take his place, he will eat the bichir when he reaches his 15" for sure.
 
UPDATE, I found the Zebra Danio, he did not get eaten at all, I had added some ghost shrimp in hopes the bichir would pick on them, instead of other fish, seems to be working, there are only 3 GS left.
 
what i did is put some big female guppys in with mine and he ate the fry instead of the adults. now i breed them in there own tanks . i feed mine blood worms and and frozen shrimp
 
You breed bichirs? I have a male and female pair for most of my community fish, I have 8 Dalmatian lyre-tail molly fry, I'm sure he got a few of the ones I didn't catch and put in the "crib" I'm going to let them get a little more sustainable then out a few back in with the bichir, and the rest in with my cichlids. I really like this idea of breeding your own food. Dalmation Molly's are good ones to do it, they breed a lot. Plus it's cool when people come over, "oh cute little dalmation fish... /munch/ "ah!!" Hahaha
 
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