Senegal Bichirs

[emeraldsky]

Has anyone ever kept these?

I'm beginning to really like them and would love if anyone had any information on them besides basic care.

Like are they shy? How active can they be?
Do they like tankmates that they cant eat?
Should I only have one or can two work together?
How well do they do in planted aquariums?
Should the tank be mostly covered or do they like sparser conditions?


baaaaw that face XD



Anyhelp would be appreciated,
I've been scouring the internet for caresheets but would love to be able to talk to someone who has actually kept them ^^

[ladayen]

Well I haven't kept them. I do know that they should grow to about 18" and therefore need a large tank, prolly 90g+ Have you seen the profile on Senegal Bichir?

[emeraldsky]

Originally Posted by ladayen

Well I haven't kept them. I do know that they should grow to about 18" and therefore need a large tank, prolly 90g+ Have you seen the profile on Senegal Bichir?

I have checked it out, thank you.

Most sites say they only get about a foot long and keeping one in a 40 gallon breeder will be fine ^^

[Badjer]

It's so cute! -adds to the list of fish she's getting win she has her own house and somehow wins the lottery- XD

[Philnominal]

I had 2 of these for a little while in my 55 gallon. Great fish when they were little. I think i traded them in for 2 firemouths when they got a little bigger. From what i remember and what i have seen a 40B would probably be fine for one if its one of the only bottom dwellers. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth (trust me its bigger then it looks). What are you planning on keeping it with?

[ladayen]

Well.. a 40g is only 18" wide not much longer then the bichir itself at full grown. 36" long is 3x(or less) the body length. I suspect the growth has been stunted and causing internal deformities not allowing it to fully grow. A 75g gives another 12" in length, which these guys really need.

[emeraldsky]

Originally Posted by Badjer

It's so cute! -adds to the list of fish she's getting win she has her own house and somehow wins the lottery- XD

I KNOW
Theyre so adorable!
They made the puppy dog eyes at me at my LFS so now I need one )X

Originally Posted by Philnominal

I had 2 of these for a little while in my 55 gallon. Great fish when they were little. I think i traded them in for 2 firemouths when they got a little bigger. From what i remember and what i have seen a 40B would probably be fine for one if its one of the only bottom dwellers. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth (trust me its bigger then it looks). What are you planning on keeping it with?

Nothing else unless I get another one. I want a specimen tank of just senegals ^^

Originally Posted by ladayen

Well.. a 40g is only 18" wide not much longer then the bichir itself at full grown. 36" long is 3x(or less) the body length. I suspect the growth has been stunted and causing internal deformities not allowing it to fully grow. A 75g gives another 12" in length, which these guys really need.

They dont really get up to 18" though. Most everyone who owns them and has posted about them say they only get about 12" I think the largest Ive seen posted has been 15"

If I do end up getting them and I see that they get too big for my tank I have an LFS that can take them back and properly house them

[ladayen]

Thats what I'm trying to explain though. If housed in an aquarium thats too small the fish will appear to stop growing, however the insides will continue to grow. It will not reach it's full potential and will die well before it's expected lifespan.

[emeraldsky]

Originally Posted by ladayen

Thats what I'm trying to explain though. If housed in an aquarium thats too small the fish will appear to stop growing, however the insides will continue to grow. It will not reach it's full potential and will die well before it's expected lifespan.

ah, I see now what you were saying.

But even in larger aquariums, this species of Bichirs stay smaller.

P. senegalus senegalus ('Senegal' or 'Cuiver's' bichir)- 12"
Thats the one I'd be getting ^^

[emeraldsky]

Here, Ill just repost the info from a different forum. ^^




Species and sizes
maximum known sizes often smaller in captivity

Upper Jaw Species-Upper jaw protrudes past lower jaw
P. palmas palmas ('palmas' bichir)- 13"
(subspecies)P. palmas polli ('marbled bichir)- 14"
(subspecies) P. palmas buettikoferi ('buettikoferi' bichir)- 13"
P. ornatipinnis ('ornate' bichir)- 27"
P. delhezi ('armoured' or 'delhez's' bichir)- 14"
P. senegalus senegalus ('Senegal' or 'Cuiver's' bichir)- 12"
(possible subspecies)P. senegalus meridionalis- 12"+
There is, Also the possibility of a third member of the Polypterus senegalus
group that is found in the Nile River
P. retropinnis ('retropinnis' bichir)- 14"
P .mokelembembe
P. weeksi ('week's' bichir)- 20"
P.teugelsi (found only in the Cross river)-16.75''
E. calabaricus ('Ropefish')- 15"-30" (Closer to 15''-20'' in captivity)

Lower Jaw Species-Lower protrudes past upper jaw
P. endlicheri endlicheri ('saddled' or 'red' bichir)- 32", possibly more
(subspecies)P. endlicheri congicus ('giant' or 'congo' bichir)- 39"
P. Bichir lapradei ('Lapradei' bichir)- 24"
P. bichir bichir-30+ ''
P.ansorgii-28-30+''