PolypCompFAQs

Featured
Sponsor:

FAQs on Bichirs and Ropefish, Family Polypteridae Compatibility

Related Articles: Bichirs,

Dwarf Puffer/Polypterus Compatibility 2/3/08
What a wonderful site you have! I learned so much from browsing! Y'all are doing a wonderful thing!
<Thanks.>
I'm not new with aquariums but I am expanding my knowledge base and experience. Do you think a single dwarf puffer would get along in a thickly planted cave-filled 55-gallon tank with one of the smaller species of Polypterus?
<Absolutely not. Dwarf Puffers -- if by that you mean Carinotetraodon travancoricus -- are persistent fin-nippers. Bichirs are easily targeted by fin-nippers because they are slow, clumsy, and rather docile. The other day I came across a retailer with some Polypterus senegalus with various Mbuna cichlids, and the poor bichirs had their fins bitten down to the bone. On the other hand, an adult Bichir might simply view a small puffer as food, with unfortunately consequences for both. Don't do it!>
I plan to have ghost shrimp, Asian clams, the ubiquitous snail, and not much else. If the puffer will eat pieces of the Polypterus, then I'll just have to give him his own tank and put somebody else with the Polypterus.
<Indeed.>
And can the puffer eat Asian clams or are their shells too hard?
<Puffers might not eat the clams outright, but they will attack the siphons, which would equally certainly assure the death of the clam. Besides, Asian clams -- Corbicula fluminea -- are extremely difficult to maintain in anything other than an aquarium set up to their specific needs. They AREN'T scavengers and the THEY WILL NOT survive just by taking "stuff" out of the water. They need feeding every day with some sort of filter feeder food of the type used for corals and the like. In 99.999999% of the cases where people buy these clams, they're dead in a few months. Sure, they die slowly, but die they do.>
Not that I drink too much or anything, but people who drink too much alcohol and want to cut back might find that the aquarium addiction is SOOOOOOO fun ... my beer goes flat because I'm talking to all my creatures.
<Indeed?>
Thank you for any advice you can offer. Take care --
Randi in Ohio
<Cheers, Neale.>

Gray Bichir (Senegal Bichir) – 11/19/2007
I have a 5 inch Gray Bichir all by himself in a fairly large tank.
<When considering tank mates, it would be good to know the specific tank size.>
Would it be possible to mix some exotic fish in with him?
<Yes, most Senegal Bichirs accept large tankmates, only exceptionally there are specimens that take chunks out of fish of a similar size.>
I was thinking maybe a black ghost knife fish?
<Could work, but success cannot be guaranteed. Something more robust would be preferable.>
Or maybe even a needle fish?
<Likely food.>
I really want something exotic and unboring.
<I guess by unboring you mean you want a fish with an unusual shape, an oddball so to say. Larger cichlids would be compatible. Although they do not have a spectacular shape, they are more active and often have brighter colours than most of the fish generally called oddballs. Another Gray Bichir would likely work, too. A more unusual shape would be represented by a large spiny eel, a tire track or fire eel. Given the specimens have an appropriate size, they are robust enough to compete with this smaller Bichir species. They will grow much larger than the Bichir, but cannot seriously hurt him. Be sure to thoroughly research any possible tank mates and provide enough space. We are talking about more than 100 gallons for an adult large spiny eel in the long run. See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm and the linked files above, especially the one on compatibility. Cheers, Marco.>

My gray Bichir, comp. 11/19/07
Hello WWM,
I bought a gray Bichir about a month ago.
<Polypterus senegalus, also known as the Senegal Bichir.>
He is doing great growing and eating great. I was wondering what would be a good companion for him (he is aggressive towards his food so I suspect he is aggressive)
<This particular Bichir isn't at all aggressive. He hunts by smell, and to localise the food rocks his head from side to side. Because his jaws are quite simple, he can't chew, so to swallow food he has to "worry" it a bit to break it into small chunks. So a lot of what looks like aggression is more likely just plain eating.>
A worker at my LFS said he would be good with catfish and cichlids.
<Indeed. This is a good species that mixes with anything of comparable size that will leave it alone.>
Would a san Rafael catfish do ok?
<Not sure what this is. Do you mean the Raphael Catfish, Platydoras costatus? If so, yes, they'd get on fine. But Platydoras costatus is a *sociable* animal and should be kept in groups, not singly or in pairs. When kept alone it is incredibly shy, and you won't EVER see it. It's also unhappy, which is not nice.>
Or maybe a upside down catfish with some floating plants.
<A school of Synodontis nigriventris would be ideal. Besides being the right size, they're also from Africa, so make sense "geographically". A trio would provide lots of fun without overloading the tank. Floating plants like Indian fern and lily pads make all the difference with these fish, encouraging them to swim about during the day.>
Or maybe just a Pleco?
<Again, another good choice.>
Another thing for you that have gray Bichirs (dinosaur eel as they sell them at pet stores) I found a great new "toy" for them. what I did is I made a decoration just by stacking rocks in a pile and I put an ornament type thing on top. I thought he would just lay on it or avoid it. To my surprise I found him wiggling through the cracks and having a great time.
<Absolutely! Fish need to interact with their environment, and in many cases giving them things to explore helps them settle in. Bichirs are basically nocturnal or at least crepuscular fish, and the more hidey holes they have, the more outgoing they will be. Trapped in a bright, open tank they tend to sulk.>
Thanks
<A great fish. Enjoy! Neale.>

Compatible Ornate Bichir and African bumblebee cichlid 4/21/07
We have a Ornate Bichir (dinosaur eel) in one tank and we are thinking of getting rid of that tank. I have a African bumblebee cichlid in a really large tank all by himself.
<Not sure what an "African bumblebee cichlid" is. Do you mean Pseudotropheus crabro, http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2359 ? Always a good idea to use Latin names, saves confusion.>
I was wondering if they can be in the same tank??? I think we are just tired of having two tanks.
<If the cichlid is Pseudotropheus crabro (maximum length ~9 cm), and given that the bichir is Polypterus ornatipinnis (maximum length 60 cm) then absolutely not. The bichir is a piscivore, and sooner or later will view the much smaller cichlid as a snack. Bichirs hunt at night, when cichlids are (generally) at their most vulnerable. If the cichlid is something else entirely, then provided it is ~30 cm or so on length, i.e., big enough not to be viewed as prey, then non-territorial cichlids and bichirs can be kept together without problems.>
Thank you
Lisa Brooks
<Cheers, Neale>

Re: Columbian Shark help!! (follow-up question). Ropefish fdg., comp. 3/16/2007
<<Hi, again, Andy.>>
Great idea, thank you for your assistance!  I did as you suggested last night and it already appears to be helping. They ate last night for the first time in 3 days!!
<<Glad to hear it, Andy.>>
One more question for you.  In this tank (55gal in the process of being transferred to brackish), there are also 2 spotted puffers, 2 Dalmatian mollies, and one ropefish (Yes, they all get along!).
<<Still a good idea to keep a watchful eye here.>>
The sharks, mollies, and puffers gobble EVERYTHING I put in there for food rather quickly.  I'm afraid the ropefish won't be able to get any food and will eventually starve as he doesn't seem to come out at all during feeding (I know he's nocturnal).  My question is this: Is there any foods that are specific to ropefish or anything I can put on the bottom that he'll find when he comes out at night?
<<Unfortunately, Andy, the Columbians are going to be every bit as interested in whatever foods you select as your Ropefish would be so, it might be more a matter of “when” than “what”. Live foods are preferred by both but I would offer that you should stay away from small feeder fish of any description with your current stocking arrangement. (We almost universally advise against this anyway from a nutritional standpoint, however, it can/will “trigger” predatory responses in both of these fish that the other fish, particularly the Mollies, don’t need awakened.) You might try a food like sinking shrimp pellets later in the evening. These make it to the bottom rather quickly and might not get “picked off” on the way down by the others. The Sharks, as you know, are scavengers but changing up feeding times may give the Ropefish a chance to feed while the others are less active.>>
Thank you again for your assistance, I love this website and you guys are a HUGE help!
Andy
<<Thanks, Andy. We certainly appreciate that. If I may, while you’ve just recently “upgraded” your tank, you’ll need to keep in mind that your Columbians will need even more room down the road. These guys grow very large and the typical recommendation is about 50 gallons per fish. I suspect you are already aware of this but I like to point this out when the opportunity presents itself for our other readers. Keep up the good work and good luck with your new tank. Tom>>

Feasibility of housing a pair of polypterus palmas in a 75 gallon   1/27/07
Hello WWM crew,
<Travis>
I will soon be buying a 75 gallon aquarium that I plan to set up as a West African planted tank.  There will be a lot of driftwood, Bolbitis and Anubias to provide multiple hiding places, and three African Tiger Lotus plants will be allowed to float their leaves on the surface to provide cover and shade.
<Sounds very nice>
  I wish to keep two Polypterus palmas in this set-up.  But, I have read on your fabulous site, which I have referred to many times over the past three or more years since I discovered it, certain things that make me cautious about doing this.  You have said Polypterus palmas requires an absolute minimum of a 20 gallon, 30” long, aquarium;
<About right>
furthermore, that Polypterus palmas is perhaps the only Polypterus that can be maintained in groups.  Yet you have also said for other Polypterus species, that a 55 gallon is too small for two,
<Mmm, not for palmas IMO/E>
and a Polypterus should best be kept in a tank that is at least four times its maximum length.
<Yes>
Interestingly, one of those old, seemingly outdated, aquarium books one finds in the library said Polypterus palmas is “best kept in pairs.”  So what do you think?
<Have seen this species kept in groups... doesn't seem antagonistic to its own kind... and a 75 should be fine>
Am I asking for trouble if I put a pair of Polypterus palmas into my future aquarium?
Thank you for your help.
Travis
<Not at all in my opinion... And I'd add some lively upper water level characoids here... likely Alestes or Phenacogrammus...
Do send along a pic please of your set-up once it's all up and going. Bob Fenner>

Bichir compatibility question 10/6/06
Hello WWM crew
I am interested in getting a Bichir and I am wondering about any compatibility issues i might have with my established tank. I am currently running a 75 gallon tank with 2 Geophagus, 3 Clown Loaches, 1 Pleco and 1 Flying Fox. The Flying Fox (3" or so) is the only one I'm concerned about the Bichir eventually consuming, but I am also wondering about general compatibility. I'm really interested in these little buggers, but would hate to have anything go wrong.
Thank you.
David
<Mmm, a Polypterus (of not too-big initial size) should go fine with the listed species... neither harming the others... You may have a feeding issue at first... due to the Bichir not being "all that sharp"... but with placing foods right in front... BobF>

Mixing Bichirs With Other Things 8/28/06
Can Bichirs and rope live together? The Bichir is about 7" long and one of my ropefish is about the same in length but the other one is about 5" in length. and is it a good idea to keep African dwarf frogs in there also?
Thank you for your time.
< They are both closely related and have similar requirements. As long as they are fairly close to each other in size and are fed often then they should get along fine. The frog on the other hand will be quickly eaten by either one of them the first chance they get.-Chuck>

Mixing Bichirs With Flounders 8/30/06
Sorry to bother you again. What about flounders? Is it ok to mix the Bichir with the flounder? It's small but not that small.
<If the Bichir gets hungry enough he may attempt to eat it but the flounder is pretty fast and it may be difficult for the Bichir to get too him. The flounder likes cool temperatures and lots of live food, a very interesting fish.-Chuck>

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

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>

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>

Reedfish, Ropefish, Social Animals
A note on your article on the Polypterus that appears at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bichirs.htm Reedfish, though Polypterids, prefer to be kept in pairs or groups.
<Agreed. Will check the piece and amend. Thank you for your input. Bob Fenner>
~Ben

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

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>

Packin' In The Polypterids - 08/24/2005
Hi
<Hello.>
I've just acquired the two fish above,
<Polypterus ornatapinnis 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>

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

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

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>

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>

Featured Sponsors:

Amazon Honor System