My New fish is a Senegal bichir

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Gill

Store Manager Coalville Aquatics
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I found out that the fish I got Labelled as an Eel.

Is a Senegal Birchir. I called Him Hiss, as he reminds me of a snake.

Anyway, He/She has Eaten all my Blue/Green Neons and All my Glolights.

These are the only fish he can eat.

My Black Neons are too big for him and so are the Rainbows.

So what shoud I Do, I Really Like him and now there aren't many small Fish Left in the Tank.

As He Grows will he eat the other neons.
 
As it grows it will eat any fish up to around 3" in length and maybe larger if they are on the thin side so you can say goodbye to most of the fish in your signature, bichirs are excellent predators which take their prey at night while the other fish are sleaping. Bichirs also grow very fast, i would say you have less than a year before your bichir hits 12".
 
I am afraid as he grows other fish are likely to become food, mine has grown every fast so far and is now capable of eating a whole cube of bloodworm in one bite.
 
I guess he goes then.

I do know someone who can have him/her.

They have 5 ft tank, with fish all over 5 inches.

Pl*cos
Synodon thingy's
3 Balas
and some other large fish.
 
Arg... So the store labled them as "eels?" Did they have any other information? I hate it when stores misidentify/mislabel fish. :angry:
 
Hmmm birchirs as eels? well i guess i can see the resemblence but the shaping of the scales (come to think of it the presense of scales) is enough to give him away. I must say rehoming him with these other large fish is the most sensible course of action,

Happy travels Hiss
 
Arg... So the store labled them as "eels?" Did they have any other information? I hate it when stores misidentify/mislabel fish.

Nope, no other info. I asked the guy, Is he a Eel or a Snake Fish.

"Ummmm He came in the bag labelled eels from our supplier. I ain't seen these b4."

I must say rehoming him with these other large fish is the most sensible course of action,

Happy travels Hiss

I hope He/She has a good Home. I know the Guy from Pets at Home near me. He works in the fish bit.

Just remembered, he has some young ottos. Will they Be Ok. I don't want them to end up as dinner, they are over 3".
 
now then buddy just to let you no i have two birchers and they both eat 3" goldfish greedy fish as everyone else has said if you need a good home for him i have a nice tank available hope all goes well
 
I agree with bichirkeeper it is so annoying to see fish miss sold, I am sure that most bichirs are wild caught and how many just get disposed of when they show their less cute side, as for what they will tackle one of my bigger ones has attacked my garfish which is 9" in the night resulting in severly shortened tail.
 
Ok, The Guy who was going to take him can't. He has had alot of deaths. He's lost 3 Big Fish. His water was all wrong.

Now what is the best way to catch a Birchir. As, As soon as I approach the tank he is off behind the caves. If I do catch him, he will spend his time in a Tomato Box floating in the Tank. You know those Plastic ones, I have used them for ages and they are really good. They fit exactly in the tank.

For Now he has stopped eating any more fish, I have been feeding Bloodworms and Tubifex to keep him busy and some Mosquito Larvae.

Will he be Ok in a floating box untill I find a house for him. Do not want to give him away as it is the closest to a snake I am ever Likely to have. But don't wanna lose anymore fish.


The Odd thing is he has not tried to eat the BumbleBee Gobies or the Sparkling Gourami's. He just Ignores them totally.
 
BichirKeeper said:
Arg... So the store labled them as "eels?" Did they have any other information? I hate it when stores misidentify/mislabel fish. :angry:
I usually see them labels dragon gobies around here. Even ropefish at some places. I always have to let them know they are wrong, but they still don't change the name. :< :angry:
 
You haven't said how big he is but I would try some chunkier food to keep him full up for now, Try putting 1 or 2 prawns in late at night. Bloodworm and the like is a lightweight for a bichir which is probably why he's gone off and helped himself.

The other thing is that you seem quite fond of the bichir why not change direction towards oddballs, your remaining fish will be easier to sell on than the bichir?

David :fish:
 
You haven't said how big he is

Sorry haven't checked this thread for afew days.

He is 10cm Long.

I will get some Prawns and try those. Frozen prawns OK??, Supermarket ones.

Ohhh and I saw some more today when i went to get some new sponges.

I asked the guy about it and he says they are also known as Polypt.........something aswell.
He said if he is about 10cm, then he isn't going to grow much more than that.

It is proving very difficult to catch him, HE is VERY fast and always hides.
I have taken out the Caves I made just so I could catch him but it hasn't worked. He hides behind the Plants now. I only See him coming to the surface for a gulp of air every so often and even that is really fast.

I still find it strange that he has not eaten my Bumble Bee Gobies. I thought they would be the 1st fish he would have gobbled.


The other thing is that you seem quite fond of the bichir why not change direction towards oddballs, your remaining fish will be easier to sell on than the bichir?

I am still hoping to find a home for him. If I do not manage to find a home for him I may switch to Larger Fish. I am Tempted to go In FreshMikes Direction, The LFS I got the Sponges from has lots of Cichlids and they are Very Reasonably priced and they are all still small, about 2.5 inches ATM.

Can I Still Keep My Gouramis, Algae Eaters, Kuhlis, Banjos,LoachesPl*co in with Him. He does not bother them.
 
I asked the guy about it and he says they are also known as Polypt.........something aswell.

There are 15 known species of Polypterus which range in size from 11 to 38 inches (28 to 97 cm) in length, it is important that you know which one you are getting so you dont end up with a giant you cannot house.

He said if he is about 10cm, then he isn't going to grow much more than that.

Thats rubbish! Polypterus senegalus can reach lengths of 20 inches (50cm) though captive sizes are generally smaller, even so your bichir will still easily reach 12" (30 cm).
 
Ok, so he still has some growing to do.

I am gonna try an LFS in Town, and see if he is willing to take him, He could go in the Angels' Tank, or the Large Cichlids' Tank.
 

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