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FAQs on Bichirs, Family Polypteridae 1
Related Articles: Bichirs,
Related FAQs: Ropefish 1,
Polypterid Identification,
Polypterid Behavior,
Polypterid Compatibility,
Polypterid Selection,
Polypterid Systems,
Polypterid Feeding,
Polypterid Disease,
Polypterid Reproduction, & FAQs on:
Ropefish 1, &
Ropefish ID, Ropefish Behavior,
Ropefish Compatibility,
Ropefish Selection,
Ropefish Systems,
Ropefish Feeding,
Ropefish Health,
Ropefish Reproduction,
The most common/popular Bichir species,
Polypterus senegalus
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My dinosaur eel (Bichir), ID, gen.
11/12/07
Hi I bought a "Dinosaur eel" from my local pet store and it is doing great
eats readily etc.... but I wondering if it can match up with any other fish
because he seems a bit aggressive and I want to have more variety in that tank.
Whenever I feed him blood worms he grabs onto them and thrashes around crazily
until its all down. Also I was wondering if a small convict cichlid (1.5 inch)
could go with him. Or any other fish that could make a pair. Also it is only a
baby, (4 inches) and I realize it will get much bigger. I was also wondering if
I should feed it anything else besides high quality flakes, brine shrimp, and
bloodworms. Maybe some feeder guppies? thank you.
<I'm curious precisely what fish you have. Dinosaur Eels are typically
Polypterus species, also known as Bichirs (a word for which the correct
pronunciation has been lost in the mists of time). The most common species in
the trade is Polypterus senegalus, a uniform grey-pink fish with a whitish
underbelly. It gets to about 30 cm in length. The other common species is
normally called Polypterus palmas by hobbyists but may in fact be any one of a
handful of similar species. It's mottled grey above with a yellowy-white
underbelly. Again, maximum size is around 30 cm. The only other fish I can
imagine this is would be Erpetoichthys calabaricus, the Ropefish or Reedfish.
This is a very eel-like animal with a green body and orangey underbelly. Maximum
size in aquaria seems to be around 60 cm, but wild fish approach one metre in
length. Unlike the Polypterus species already mentioned, this is a "schooling"
fish of sorts, and rarely does well kept singly. Keep in groups of three or more
specimens. By contrast, Polypterus species tend to be snappy, and in some case
outright hostile towards one another. All three of these fish are good community
fish when kept with animals too large to eat. Cichlids, catfish and medium sized
barbs and tetras will work well. Anything too small (guppy-sized) will be eaten.
Erpetoichthys calabaricus is very peaceful and shouldn't be kept with anything
aggressive, or it becomes shy. There are some other species of Polypterus in the
trade, include some very mean and aggressive ones that are normally kept alone
(e.g., Polypterus Bichir and Polypterus ornatipinnis). But those species are
relatively uncommon. Fishbase is a good site to visit if you are having problems
identifying Bichirs. Do a search for "Polypterus" and look them over. The
Polypteridae is a small family, so this won't take long. All three species
mentioned here feed primarily on invertebrates, particularly insect larvae.
Bloodworms and mosquito larvae make excellent staples. None needs feeder fish,
and for all the usual reasons you shouldn't use feeder fish unless you are
breeding them yourself. If you want to give them live foods, then the correct
food items for these fish are earthworms, mealworms, river shrimps, Gammarus,
and the like. But since they hunt by smell, live food is redundant. Anything
that smells right will be eaten. These fish adore frozen prawns and other
seafood, chopped into smallish chunks. As usual with nocturnal hunters, only put
small amounts in the tank each night; too much food makes it difficult for these
practically blind fish to locate the food because the smell will be everywhere.
A 15 cm Polypterus only needs a two or three chunks of prawn about the size of
your fingernail, or a single cube of bloodworms. Hope this helps, Neale.>
My dinosaur eel... Polypterid gen.
– 11/14/2007 Marco's go
Hello,
<Hi.>
I am an experienced fish keeper with 4 tanks of my own. And in one tank
I have a "dinosaur eel" and that is what the store I bought it from said
it was. The problem is I can not find a Latin name for the little guy
and need to find out more.
<Have a look here:
http://www.fishbase.org/identification/specieslist.cfm?famcode=31&areacode=&spines=&fins=
Each picture will lead you to a description and more pictures. Should be
possible to find the scientific name and give us something to work with.
Dinosaur eel is just a general name that may be used for any of the
Bichir species and others. Also read
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm and
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/taxonomy.htm >
Right now he is only 4 inches and I know he will get to about 12 inches.
<How do you know if you do not know the species?>
He is in a small little 5 gallon eclipse and is as happy as a clam.
<Tank too small… produces lots of nitrogenous waste and will be
poisoning itself.>
When it comes time to upgrade the little fellow I am going to purchase a
15 gallon.
<Still too small… for any Bichir.>
And since he only roams around the bottom I was wondering if there are
any compatible fish for the little guy.
<Depends on the species and personality of the fish. Cichlids and
catfish of adequate size can work, but you will need a larger tank
first.>
I know he is aggressive because when I feed him his favourite foods
(blood worms) he goes crazy and attacks it and thrashes around. If you
don’t know what this "dinosaur eel" is I don't blame you.
<I’m glad to hear that.>
I can give you some description. It is a Bichir and has a white under
belly and a fanned out tail. Its head also looks kind of like a lizard.
the back colour is sort of whitish brownish.
<Please have a look at the site linked to above and properly identify
your eel. If it is mottled white and brown compare it to pictures of
Polypterus ornatipinnis.>
Thanks for your support and I love your site it has helped me a lot.
<Good to hear. Thanks, Dinosaur Marco.> |
Polypterids 5/8/06
Thank you or your informative article on Polypterids. I recently purchased
one from the LFS who didn't know all too much about them. With a bit of my own
research I decided to get one of the Senegal Bichirs for my Jack Dempsey tank.
<Mmmm, not a good mix potentially... do keep your eyes open here>
I was very worried they'd eat him up, he's the most expensive fish I own lol.
Either way, Your article had great insight to its behavior, dietary needs and
what I should expect from it in the future as it crawls the bottom of my tank.
Thanks again, Great article!
//Blair
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Marbled Bichir repro. 7/22/06
Hi, this is Kiel speaking and I have a breeding question. In the near
future I'm getting a 55 gallon tank, and I'm planning to try to breed
my Marbled Bichir pair. I have learned everything I need to know
about breeding them, except what size they breed at. I really need your help
on this.
<Likely at eight inches (20 cm.) or so... Please see here:
http://fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2386
see the linked topics below, the reference to Baensch and Riehl?... Bob Fenner>
Ravenous Ropefish, or Sick Cichlid? - 06/01/2006
I sent you the picture of the Ropefish last week, and I was wondering if
they are aggressive towards their tankmates.
<Mm, no, not typically.... Though they will be capable of consuming slow,
small, or bottom-dwelling critters that are not too big to consider as food.>
I had two African Cichlids in a 40 Gal, and I introduced the Ropefish about a
week ago. I woke up this morning and one of the Cichlids (about 2"), was dead,
and the Ropefish was chewing on him. I was just trying to figure out if he
could have killed him, or if something else caused the death of the cichlid.
<Likely something else, unless this Ropefish is quite large.>
The cichlid seemed a little listless for a couple of days, then seemed to be a
lot more energetic, was eating more, and then suddenly he was dead. He had
started staying in the same area as the Ropefish for the last day or so. Just
trying to figure out what is going on, as if there is something wrong with the
water, I want to fix it before I subject others to it.
<Definitely test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Also remember that
African cichlids are territorial and can be aggressive to one another. One last
thing to keep in mind, African (Malawi/Tanganyikan) cichlids and Polypterids
have quite different requirements for water. I would not consider keeping this
mix; Polypterids tend to prefer water with a pH of 7.0 or below, whereas Malawi
and Tanganyikan cichlids require a pH closer to 8.3 or so, which is just too
high for Polypterids.>
Thanks you so much! Nick
<I hope all goes well! -Sabrina>
Mixing Crayfish And Bichirs 4/09/06
Hi, thx in advance for answering my question. I have a 40 gallon tank with
(1) 4 ½” Australian blue crayfish, (2) gold Gouramis, (2) pearl Gouramis, (1)
Bala shark, (1) Pleco. I would like to make a Bichir the final addition to my
tank, but of obvious reasons there may be a clash between my crayfish and the
Bichir. Do you have any thoughts on how this setup will work? Sincerely Chad
< The crayfish will try to eat the Bichir at first depending on the size of
each. As the Bichir gets bigger there will come a time when the crayfish will
molt and the soft new shell will leave the crayfish vulnerable to attack by the
Bichir.-Chuck>
Ornate Bichir 1/31/06
Hi Robert,
I'm a big fan, your website has served me very well and kept all the fish I've
ever had alive and well. I'm going to purchase an Ornate Bichir to put in my 55
gal. I plan on putting it into my QT tank for at least a month before adding him
to the larger tank. The 55 gal has been up and running for several months now,
it's planted and uses a Fluval 304 and a Penguin 350 BIO-wheel for filtration.
All I have in it right now is a Pictus Catfish about 5 in. The guy at the fish
store told me I cannot put anything else in a tank with an Ornate Bichir
including other Bichir/eels and catfish. In your professional opinion do think
that an Ornate Bichir and a Pictus Cat will get along or should I find the
Pictus a new home?
Thanks a million,
>> Hello Phil,
There are hundreds of species of fish you could keep with an ornate Bichir. They
are not aggressive fish, so the only think you have to keep in mind is that they
are predators. They will swallow any fish that fits in their mouth, including
your pictus cat if he is too small. Good Luck, Oliver
Polypterus predation 1/31/06
I just stumbled across your site today. Very informative! I have dabbled
in aquaria for many years, had a fledgling maintenance business (more like a
hobby playing with other people's money as I knew nothing of business at the
time and learned a great deal about aquaria and business at my expense).
I have often thought of having a good sized aquarium (2-300 gal) well planted,
and stocked with feeder white clouds and Neons in large quantities. I wasn't
sure if the Polypterid would be able to easily capture these small quick fish or
not. I guess it's the evil side of me that likes the idea of the normal
response of "Gee, look at the pretty fish" followed by "What the heck is that
thing?" as the Polypterid eats one of their pretty little fish. That and I
just love the primitive look of the Polypterids and lungfish. Any suggestions
(that don't include psychiatric help)? I noticed don't recommend UG filters for
Polypterids. What is the reasoning behind that? I have typically used UG's
with penguin powerheads and have had good results. Would that create too much
current for them to surface and breathe?
>> Dear Allen, These fish eat at night when the barbs and tetras sleep. so they
will have no problem eating them at all. Except you will not see it eat most of
the time. Other than that it will work fine. Lungfish especially also eat some
snails in nature, so you may want to consider that as well. UG filters are not
ideal because these fish may uncover part of them, and that would make them
useless, I would recommend a strong powerfilter instead.
Good Luck, Oliver
Polypterids 10/3/05
Hi there,
I'm Rohaizat from Malaysia, which country are you from ?
<The U.S., in Hawai'i currently, but have visited your country... Pulau Redang,
KL, various places in Saba>
Your article was very informative as I found from wet web media.com. How many
species of these kind do you have.
<None currently, but have had four I believe>
I have 4 of them just like those in the pictures. But a friend of mine had a
foot long ornate Bichir
<Wow, big>
where mine is only 5 inches. Where can I find more info regarding this fishes,
if you could help.
<Mainly large, public/college libraries>
I would like to send you their pictures later if you like.
Have a nice day, anyway.
Bye...
Rohaizat Roosley
<Thank you for writing, sharing. Bob Fenner>
Packin' In The Polypterids - 08/24/2005
Hi
<Hello.>
I've just acquired the two fish above,
<Polypterus ornatipinnis and P. lapradei>
both are approximately 9" and healthy looking specimens. They are in a 48 x 15 x
18 tank
<I assume this is in inches? This is FAR too small a tank for multiple
Polypterus, even small, without severe territoriality/aggression....>
with a few catfish and a school of 8 convict cichlids as well as 2 small (4-5")
senegalus.
<Four Polypterids.... in 55 gallons.... Not a great plan.
All the fish are healthy, greedy eaters, apart from the two new Polys. I've not
seen them eat yet after being in the tank for almost a week,
<Were these two quarantined prior to introduction?>
the senegalus are greedy eaters, constantly looking like a bag of marbles and I
was assured the ornate and lap where greedy too.
<Likely they are being prevented food by the existing P. senegalus, despite the
difference in size.... Possibly fighting/getting stressed after dark....>
I've tried offering lance fish, live earth worms, blood worm, prawns and catfish
pellets, I've offered food in the day and at night when the lights are out as
they are nocturnal fish, but I've still not seen them eat.
<There is serious conflict here; these animals very likely will not coexist with
any semblance of peace.... One or all may end up killed as they age/grow.>
Any suggestions on what to do?
<Remove the two newcomers, and when the two P. senegalus (still quite small)
begin to grow and show aggression toward each other, remove one. The only
Polypterus species I've heard regular accounts of peaceful groups is P.
palmas.... and even still, ALL Polypterids get too large in the long run for a
55g tank. Much to think about, here, I fear.... I do hate being the bearer of
bad news. Please read here for more: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm
.>
Kind regards, Ashley Etchell
<Wishing you and your fishes well, -Sabrina>
Senegal Bichirs/s
Hi there my name is Jason from Auckland, New Zealand, the other day I bought
a couple of Senegal Bichirs and I was wondering if there is any way of telling
if they are short body Senegal or normal ones, they are about 4inch.
<Mmm, I am not aware that there is any more than just the one species:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm>
The pet shop that I bought them from told me that they were lung fish but after
searching the web for these fish I found that they are Bichirs not lung fish,
and that there are short and long body types. Are you guys able to help? Cheers.
<Please see the above link, and read about the family on Fishbase.org
Bob Fenner>
New armored Bichir
First and foremost, kudos on an amazingly informative website. Easily
navigated, well maintained, and chock-full of great ideas and tips.
I acquired a 100gal. tank with cabinet base and canopy a couple of years
ago. It was in pretty bad shape but with a lot of sandpaper, stain, acrylic
scratch remover, and elbow-grease it is an eye-catching addition to my home. I
initially started a cichlid tank but quickly realized I was way in over my
head. Unfortunately, this cost me a couple of hundred dollars and approx. 15
innocent fish their lives.
I decided to go with a semi-aggressive community tank, after a couple of
months of mourning, of course.
After establishing the tank again, I have slowly accumulated:
4 Bala sharks 2 Kuhli loaches
1 silver dollar 2 Gouramis
2 rainbow sharks 1 upside-down
catfish
1 Chaetostoma (Rubberlip) 1 mystery
fish (girlfriend)
and 1 new armored Bichir.
I love the Bichir but he doesn't seem to be eating. I have tried frozen blood
worms placed directly in front of him as he is too slow to compete with the
other quicker fish (as I'm sure you know) but that didn't take. He does seem to
like the floating cichlid pellets I had left over as long as I drop them
directly in front of him, however, I am hesitant to let him get used to these.
After perusing your website, I noticed that many offer their Bichirs beef
heart. My main questions are: 1) How often should I feed him? and 2) What
size/amount chunks are best? (He is a young'n at only about 4-5 inches)
Also, on a side note: I have two large porous lava rocks in the tank that
have been 'infested'? with a light-green covering, finding the majority of it
where there is no direct light. It doesn't seem to have any ill-effect on water
quality or the fish but I was still just wondering. <Just an algae. Nothing to
worry about.>
I'd appreciate any response and apologize in advance if I missed the answer to
these inquiries in the various FAQ's.
<Good info on this oddball here.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wetwebmedia.com/
PolypteridPIX/Polypterus_delheziAQ.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wetwebmedia.com
/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm&h=142&w=200&sz=6&tbnid=BQFcPersbSMJ:&tbnh
=70&tbnw=98&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Darmored%2Bbichir%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff
Hope this helps. Don>
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I Didn't Mean to Call You a Bichir! Another lesson in how Not
to Punctuate
Sorry to bother you but I don't know who else to ask.. I have this Bichir
who looks very swollen.. from bellow the head to the mid fin.. it has been
swollen for weeks now, I have 3 more Bichirs in the tank that are doing
fine.. I have a 55 gal thank.. it seems to be ok except for the swelling.. it
seems to have gone bigger too in the last couple of days.. I've had that Bichir
for more than a year now, at least 1.5 years.. I attached a picture so you can
see what I mean.. thanks for your help.
< You need to get some Metronidazole ASAP! This bloat situation can be cured if
it is caught early. It usually happens in cichlids mainly Tropheus and some lake
Malawian fish. I think it is stress related. Big fish are messy eaters and
generate a lot of waste. It is easy to let the wastes build up in the tank and
get out of hand unless you do some water changes. If your fish is still alive
you need to do a 30% water change now and treat the water for ich. A
Formalin-malachite green medication will work. Add a hand full of rock salt too.
Look for the Metronidazole at your local store. Check the ingredients for it. It
may not be labeled as such. Treat the entire tank with 250 mg per 10 gallons.
Use a little extra and use 6 tablets. Remove any carbon from your filters and if
you have a Marineland filter with a BioWheel then remove it and place it in a
plastic bag with some aquarium water in it. Leave it open and don't let it dry
out. Do not treat on the second day and repeat day number one on the third day
and every other day until the fish is cured. If the fish dies then watch the
others closely in case they don't eat. If they don't it means that they are sick
too and need treating. I got this cure a few months ago from another website.
The website is called JDTropheus.com. They deal strictly with cichlids in the
genus Tropheus and this cure does work. Good Luck.-Chuck>
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A Thank You
Hello WWM Crew,
within the following page, concerning to your pages, a person called Chuck gave
a very helpful answer to a question concerning a problem that now also occurred
in my tank. I successfully saved my Bichirs using the tips published on your
website. I want to say Thank You to Chuck for
his help, so I want you to give me his email address. Sorry, If I did not notice
any contact formulas of your page, but I got to your page by using a German
internet search engine, so maybe I did not get the full frameset of your page.
The URL of the page is:
www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/bichirfaqs.htm
Thanks a lot for your answer.
< I am glad you were able to save your Bichirs. The real credit should go to a
Tropheus breeder who turned me on to this treatment. You can find him on his
website at JDTropheus.com.-Chuck>
Greetings from Germany, yours
Dr. D. Groll |
Senegal Bichirs problems
Hi all, I have / had 2 Polypterus senegalus 1 may have committed suicide.
<Senegal Bichirs usually are survivors given the proper living conditions.
Though they are known for jumping out of a poorly sealed tank. They need quite a
large tank to keep them happy.>
I know they go after anything they can fit in their mouth but, would that also
include one of their own if it is smaller then the remaining 1 thanks.
<Senegal Bichirs are carnivorous critters. They feed on live foods and dead
meaty foods such as earthworms, mussels and silversides. They do show
aggression to their own species, especially if you don't give each fish a cave
or something they can hide in and call their own. It's not out of the question
for one of them to attack and kill a competitor... Though, none of the ones I
have worked with in the past had killed and eaten another Senegal Bichir.>
Dave
<Hope that helped.-Magnus>
Bichirs Breeding? 7/11/03
Hi, I have a question on how to breed Bichirs. I have two of them, one male,
and one female. my question is what size tank should I use, and is there any
"tricks" to get them to breed. also what water qualities should I have. any
other information would be much appreciated. Thank you
,regrettably, I am not aware of captive commercial propagation of these fishes
(naturally v. hormones). Will post on the daily FAQ page for feedback from our
readers though... do check back for the next couple days by reading the FAQs.
Best of luck! Anthony>
Bichir gill growths
Hi Bob,
I'm the guy that owns the 17 inches ornate with a torn left pectoral fins.
Thanks for your reply.
In between, I forgot to tell you that a juvenile ornate specimen of mine have
'red color horns' that resembles the Chinese saint animal 'dragon'. The 'horns'
grow from inside the gills and go upwards. And the 'horns' grows as the fish
grows. I had never seen anything like this before.
No doubt it is BEAUTIFUL, but I am worried that it might be some disease or
similar.
<Not likely. Especially if this fish is small/young... they have growths that
come out of their gill areas then. Bob Fenner>
Rgds, Uix
Torn Bichir fin
Dear Dr. Fenner,
<Just Bob, please>
Please help me. I own a ornate Bichir which is now currently 17 inches. I love
him dearly. Last night, the left hand side of the pectoral fin of my Bichir was
torn! Left with only the muscle part, the rest of the fin is gone! I am not sure
what happened....... Dr., will the fin grow back in time??? Please tell me.....
<Sounds like either a tremendous injury (did the fish get stuck somehow?) or an
aggressive encounter with a tankmate. If the injury isn't too deep the fin will
regenerate. These fishes are tough. Bob Fenner>
thanks
Uix
Please help Yoshi (a Bichir)
Hello, my name is Erin. I have been active in the fish hobby for awhile,
with two 30 gallon tanks, one 10 gallon quarantine tank, a five gallon, and 12
Betta bowls. I would like to address in issue that has arisen.
<Wow!>
I have had a fire eel, Astral, a Polypterus delhezi, Yoshi, in a 30 gallon tank
for around 3 months. They seem to be accepting each other just fine and share
the same hang out spots for nocturnal fish. Astral is about 6-7 inches in
length, and Yoshi is yet a baby at only 5 inches. Both take in a several ghost
shrimp a day without hesitation, and Yoshi loves his beef heart cubes. I just
got in my ornate Bichir and was shocked to see him already close to 9 inches and
quite girthy. I have another 30 gallon set up with African cichlids, but the
tank with Astral and Yoshi is the one with the eclipse hood. Have you ever
known an ornate Bichir to prey upon an Armoured Bichir of smaller size? I would
hate to lose Yoshi in such a way, he is a great fish. Thanks for listening, and
I hope to hear back from you. Erin.
<Unfortunately, the ornate Bichirs are reputed to go after others of their
species so a mix isn’t advisable. Ronni>
Ornate Bichirs nostrils
Hi,
I would like to know does the tubular nostrils of a Bichir grows back in time it
happen to be bitten off by cichlids?
thanks
Rgds
Louis
<If not bitten too far back, yes. Bob Fenner>
Adding to Bichir Tank
Bob,
Now that I have the Bichirs in their own tank, is there any other fish that
would be compatible with them?
<Umm, yes... other African fishes from the same regions. Please see fishbase.org
are the species you already have, and WetWebMedia.com re freshwater fish groups.
Bob Fenner>
Dave Siecinski
Bichirs
Hi
I recently just found your site. I had a few questions about Bichirs before I
go out and buy them. I currently own a 20 gallon freshwater tank. The only
current resident in that tank is a freshwater moray. I have added some aquarium
salt to the tank to alleviate any problems he's had with breathing. I'm
currently interested in turning this tank into a brackish water tank and was
wondering if Bichirs can cope with brackish water. Also, what is the most
active Bichir you can recommend as I've heard the ornate Bichirs are very very
shy. Are there any other fish that would do well with these two species? Oh
and do you recommend any equipment for a brackish water tank? Thanks for your
time and I think your website is great. Peter Kim
<Hi Peter, Thank You for your comments on the site! I would encourage you to
keep fish in conditions that they are evolved to.
Bichirs are freshwater tropical African fish. FW Morays are a
Freshwater/brackish/marine species. I would also be concerned with keeping any
of these species in a 20 gallon tank. Please type in "freshwater moray" into
the Google search at WetWebMedia.com and also see:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm
to read about Bichirs. Take note of the water chemistry warning! Craig>
BICHIR
I would just like to ask on how you can tell sex in a Bichir? thank you
<Mmm, please read over the materials stored for the family (Polypteridae) posted
on fishbase.org
Bob Fenner>
Polypterus palmas
do u know where I can buy a Polypterus palmas or Polypterus delhezi? and do
u know how much they cost?
<These Bichirs ought to be available from your local livestock fish stores...
maybe as special order items. These are amongst the more commonly readily
available species. Otherwise, I would shop around the not-so local e-tailers
WITH the input of actual hobbyist users opinions. Perhaps start with our
Chatforum: http://talk.wetwebfotos.com/
(ask where, reputation...) and the annotated list of suppliers on our Links
Pages: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/links.htm
Cost for Palmas should be in the $30 U.S. range, Delhezi about ten, fifteen
dollars more... plus shipping and handling if ordered distally. Bob Fenner>
Compatibility
I've had a Bichir 4 about a year now, he's about 10" long and have recently
purchased a Amphiuma for the same tank. he's nearing 2' and seems aggressive to
everything but the Bichir. (he ate a gar already) should I be worried or might
they leave each other alone?
<I would be/am concerned... the Amphiuma (an amphibian to those out there
browsing) will indeed at least try to eat the Bichir... if it has eaten a Gar
(family Lepisosteidae)... I'd move them to separate quarters. Bob Fenner>
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Dr. Fenner:
Hi. I've had 2 Bichirs together for almost a year in a 30 gal tank.
The biggest one used to attack the small one for a while but both survived. I
also have a horn Plecos and a Gourami. Three days ago I bought a 40 gal long
tank so my Bichirs could have more space since they are getting huge. The big
Bichir is about 8" long and since I moved them to the new tank the smallest has
been attacking him to the point of bleeding. I'm very frustrated. Could you give
me any advice if there is something I could do or if I should separate them????
Juliana
<I would definitely separate these two... they are territorial in the wild and
in captivity when kept in too small a system (a forty is small)... and they do
get larger... Bob Fenner>
Re: Polypterus ornatipinnis
Thank you for answering my email. I'm in the process of setting up the
second tank.
Juliana
<Ah, good to read/hear. Have seen some great Polypterids around the world in
Public Aquariums... some that they've had for decades... and even saw a Bichir
on a cemetery wall in an ancient Pharaonic setting in Egypt years back... one of
my favorite groups of fishes. Bob Fenner>
Polypterus
I'm interested in raising Polypterus but they're one of those obscure species
the folks at the pet store aren't able to tell me much about. I've been reading
online for info and yr page has been incredibly helpful.
what I'm thinking about purchasing is either p. palmas or the armored Bichir, as
both those are available to me. (the Ropefish is a little too big for my tastes
and personally, I don't like it aesthetically...) which is the smaller of the
two and what would be the minimum tank size requirement if I were to just keep
one specimen in the tank with no other fish?
<Polypterus palmas would be/is my choice. At a foot maximum length it is amongst
the smallest of species of Bichirs. A twenty gallon long (30 inches long) would
be the smallest of systems I'd suggest.>
also, since these are able to breathe air, am I able to get away with just a
bubble stone and one of those small whisper aerators, or do I need an elaborate
set up?
<Not really elaborate, but more shallow and well-filtered nonetheless... The
former to ease aerial access, the latter to account for their meaty foods, messy
habits. I would utilize a good outside power filter (at least a large size hang
on the back power type), and take pains to cover any/all spots where the animal
might escape... The family is notorious at getting out of their glass houses.>
anything else you can tell me about the basic set up would be great. the food
information on the page was informative as well as the community/conspecific
interaction.
thanks, -Ming >
<So much to say... Get hold of Gunther Sterba's freshwater aquarium and
diversity books and read about the "many fins"...
Bob Fenner>
Polypterus
I have a few questions on the ornate Bichir. What kinds of foods do you
recommend feeding them?
How long is there lifespan? How large do they grow? What the water temperature
should be and the PH?
Thanks,
MIKE >
Meaty foods of appropriate (mouth) size. The Polypterus I used to keep I mainly
fed larval beetles (meal worms etc.), earthworms (Oligochaete), and cut meat
like cubes of beef heart.
This species (and others) live several years... the biggest ornatissimus I've
seen is about eighteen inches. Some other Polypterids grow to more than two feet
in length. Low seventies to low eighties F. is about right temperature. pH about
neutral is best in my opinion as their water tends to go acid (which it is in
the wild) with aging.
Bob Fenner
Polypterus
Dear Mr. Fenner:
I'm very interested to acquire some Polypterus but I don't know where can I
found some photos of them biotope, because I love the "biotopical aquariums". I
have a 450 Liter aquarium, a 2500 liter/hour external filter. How many
Polypterus can I breed in ??
Thank you for advanced:
Xavi
Well... if really interested... would encourage you to do something in the way
of a scientific literature search. You're welcome to the input about such
searches posted on the site: Home Page ...
Otherwise, an old, but still valuable source is Gunther Sterba's works on
freshwater fishes. Do a look-see through the "used" book sources on the net for
these.
Bob Fenner
Ornate Bichirs
Hi,
I've been planning to keep an ornate Bichir have a forty gallon tank do you
thing that would suit one. Do you know if you can keep water dogs or mud puppies
with them.
Thanks, Mike
>
I wouldn't mix amphibians with the Bichir... they're quite messy and too much
competition for bottom space...
Bob Fenner
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