My New Bichir

[synodontisjack]

Had another look at him tonight, and yes I agree he is a Delhezi. He looks just like the 2nd photo gasmask posted.

I am annoyed they sold him as an ornate, however I do really like this little guy and plus side is they don't get as big!

Would I be able to get another Birchir in the future to go with him?

yup and you won't be able too stop at one more either.

 

[ChilliPepper]

Oh great!

I've been googling them, and realise that they are the Amoured Bichir that I was considering alongside the Ornate before

I really like him, he's quite active and doesn't seem shy. He has a few hiding places in the temp tank setup, but will have even more in the new tank Touch wood he seems to get on OK with my plec as well, although of course it's early days.

What other birchir would you recommend for the future? The tank is 3ft squared, so quite a lot of space, and they don't always stick to the bottom either do they.

 

[synodontisjack]

you could go for senegals, palmas palmas, palmas polli, albino senegals and ropefish, there are other smaller species as well but they may be difficult too get hold of in the uk. Ornates, lapradei and endlicheri are also available but can get quite large and most would reccomend keeping them in a larger tank but i reckon they'd be fine in your tank due too the footprint.
They spend a fair but of time on the bottom but do come up too surface for air and sometimes just cruise about, you'll find the more you have the more active they become.

 

[ChilliPepper]

Cool, so I could pretty much have any other birchir with him. Is it better to get them when they are young or if I waited a bit and my Delhezi got bigger, would it then be a problem to introduce a smaller one?

So, I'd be OK to get an ornate as well if I saw one?

Thanks.

 

[synodontisjack]

I've found poly's aren't really aggresive or territorial to each other or other fish, infact they do this brilliant thing where they all pile up on top of each other if you have a large enough number of them. Your main concern is them eating each other but this highly likely won't happen unless the size difference is very large for example i have an 18" endlicheri with a senegal less than half its size and less than 10 times it weight but the endli's never made an attempt too eat it even though it very easily could.

And yes i'd say your fine too get an ornate if you see one as long as its not too much bigger than the del.

 

[ChilliPepper]

I've found poly's aren't really aggresive or territorial to each other or other fish, infact they do this brilliant thing where they all pile up on top of each other if you have a large enough number of them. Your main concern is them eating each other but this highly likely won't happen unless the size difference is very large for example i have an 18" endlicheri with a senegal less than half its size and less than 10 times it weight but the endli's never made an attempt too eat it even though it very easily could.

And yes i'd say your fine too get an ornate if you see one as long as its not too much bigger than the del.

Thanks very much!

Could you tell me what kind of birchir is the first one shown on this video please? http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhDZzNmIF-I&feature=related

Is it the Endlicherli?

 

[synodontisjack]

Yup thats an endli

 

[ChilliPepper]

Would one of those work?

 

[synodontisjack]

depends on how big it gets, if it stops growing at 16"-18" or a bit less which most do then your fine. Some get a bit bigger but they tend to be wild caught.

 

[always4lora]

I had my ornate at 3inch in with the 12inch weeksii and they were fine, the ornates now nearly caught the weeksii up.
I've not yet seen any agression at all between my bichir's. I've seen my weeksii try eating a ghost knife fish a few inches shorter than itself and my oscar had a bite out of one of it's fin's once but thats it. The ghost knife might have already been dead and the bichir's tried to eat it. The oscar spends alot of it's time at the bottom and might have been mistaken for food.

As for the endli's they're nice, the shop you get them from might be able to tell you if they're wild caught or not, if they don't know and it grow's a little big i don't think you'll have to many issues selling it on when it's bigger.

 

[ChilliPepper]

Thanks, I'll keep a look out for an Endli or an Ornate then

 

[gasmask]

Yup, Bichirs are usually pretty easy going.
That said in my 2nd collection I am building I have a 14" Ornate that is a complete A-Hole.

She is in a tank with a load more similar sized Bichirs and a formed pair of Channa Marulioides.
The Channa are about the same size length wise, but about 2 or 3 times thicker with huuuge heads and mouths. These guys are tank boss.
This doesn't stop my bully Ornate taking the odd chunks from their fins!!!

My Ornate also killed and ate a 6" Delhezi not so long ago.
She is the boss of the lower level I guess. forever taking nips at the other polys.

 

[ChilliPepper]

There are always some individuals that break the mould aren't there No matter how carefully we plan our stock, our aquatic friends always surprise us!