Feeding Delhezi Bichir

[snowflake311]

I just got this awesome bichir.

Here is the question. How do I make sure he gets enough food? He is in a 100gal I have two pictus one 5" the other 6". These are food hogs and clean up the tank well.

I tried to feed at night so the cichlids don't get it. But the pictus cats are always ready to eat.

Should I worry? Will my bichir get enough food? I am going to chop up cocktail shrimp for him and find some earthworms.

 

[simonas]

Nice fish, I have a Delhezi about 13 inch but hes got markings totally different to yours???

Ive never had a bichir not feed, in my experience the find food if they want it, mine competes with a very greedy giraffe cat and still gets enough cos both he and the ornatapinnis both have thick bodies

Mines generally takes the catfish pellet food as its usally too slow for prawn or silversides but they are eagerly munched as well if given and massivore goes down a treat

 

[snowflake311]

Problem is he is only 4.5". Sure when he gets bigger the pictus cats will not be a big problem. Right now with him being small i worrie. and this photo was taken right after adding him to the tank so stress could be why his color looks differant.

I put bloodworms right at his face and he did not seem to be interested. So I am freaking out. I have only had him 2 days.

 

[snowflake311]

After filling up my pictus cats they look like they will pop. My Cichilds too were all well fed. This gave me a better chance at feeding my Del. He has his safe spot where other fish don't bother him. I use long tweezers to get the food down close to him. He eat it and a lot I am so happy. I really like this fish and would be crushed if I lost him.

I bought some cheap seafood mix from the grocery store. It has shrimp, crap, muscles, squid, fish, and crab. He loves it it's cheap and will last a long time better then buying frozen food I think.

This little guy was stressing me out for a while there. He is a slow eater but at least he eats.

 

[simonas]

i once had an ornate from young and I never saw it really eat for about 6 months then it just fed non stop with all the othe rfish

 

[snowflake311]

i once had an ornate from young and I never saw it really eat for about 6 months then it just fed non stop with all the othe rfish

Yup I fed sinking pellets today and he took them fast. They were a bit big for him but he made them fit. He seems to likes them.

I was getting scared because I got a senegal bichir cheap from a big chain pet store a week ago. I kept him in QT. But he died after 3 days. Then I found this Del and he was not cheap. So I was afraid I would lose him too. But this guy came from a much better source then the other one.

I am so happy he is eating everything I throw at him.

The pictus cats do make him mad. He was going for a pellet and took to long and the catfish got it. So he is learning grab food fast. The next pellet he found he got it fast.

 

[simonas]

cool good luck with him bichirs look better the bigger they get, stick a side on pic on cos he doesnt look like a delhezi to me on that pic

 

[snowflake311]

cool good luck with him bichirs look better the bigger they get, stick a side on pic on cos he doesnt look like a delhezi to me on that pic

I have posted his photo on monster fish keepers and everyone there thinks he is a Del. There is a person I know who keeps bichir he too has a del and his looks just like mine. All the photos I have seen of young ones look like him. He came from a good source to I am 99% sure it's a Delhezi.

Do you have photos of yours ?

 

[snowflake311]

Side shot.

Getting ready for his new home

 

[snowflake311]

I got it. Wild caught delhezi will have more or darker bands and might look a bit differant from captive bred ones. Mine is most likely a farm raised Del yours might be wild.

 

[simonas]

it was the tail i couldnt see properly , yeah hes a delhezi beautiful as they get bigger , enjoy him/her