S. Bichirs And Rainbow Fish

[fry_lover]

I know, its very common, Bichir and "this" and Bichir and "that" threads, and i have read for about 30 mins on various threads before posting this, but i still feel the need to tap into some peeps experiences.

I got x4 Senegals (between 5-7") in a 48x20x20 and x4 Red Rainbows (about 2.75") in there too, no problems, been that way for a few months

I am moving them into a 5x2x2 in a few weeks and want to get x2 more Red Rainbows and another x6 as of yet un-decided Rainbows, but they will be the slightly larger Rainbows that will get just past 4" mark like the Reds will.

A tiny bit risky, moderately risky or very risky?

Only time will tell i guess, just wondered if peeps (with experience of Senegal Bichirs, NOT peeps just guessing completely please without any prior experience of this Senegals) think its a reasonable risk to take or silly?

If i cant do the Rainbows, i will go down the Barb route, really want some very active mid/upper swimmers in the 5x2x2

Another possibility is Scossortail Rasbora, get longer than the Rainbows, but are not as deep bodied.

 

[Mr._Fishy]

It shouldn't be very risky. Rainbow fish are fairly tall and quick, so a senegal bichir should be fine with them. An analogy recently posted was it would be like a dog trying to swallow a frisbee. I kept my 7" senegal with 4" Boesemani rainbow fish for a few months, so you should be fine. You really just need to be careful with torpedo shaped fish, as these are usually the ones to get eaten.

Ryan

 

[geo7x]

All bichirs are different. Personally I would have said no if you had asked me about putting the 2.75" rainbows in with them, but at the moment they are obviously ok (this doesn't rule out the danger though, the senegals could start eating those rainbows at any moment IMO)

If the new ones you get are bigger then it should be fine.

To the above the frisbee analogy was relating to angelfish, rainbow fish are torpedo shaped in relation to the kind of disc shaped fish in the discussion. Personally I wouldn't put any rainbowfish under 3" in with a senegal, just to be on the safe side.

 

[DarkEntity]

I know, its very common, Bichir and "this" and Bichir and "that" threads, and i have read for about 30 mins on various threads before posting this, but i still feel the need to tap into some peeps experiences.

I got x4 Senegals (between 5-7") in a 48x20x20 and x4 Red Rainbows (about 2.75") in there too, no problems, been that way for a few months

I am moving them into a 5x2x2 in a few weeks and want to get x2 more Red Rainbows and another x6 as of yet un-decided Rainbows, but they will be the slightly larger Rainbows that will get just past 4" mark like the Reds will.

A tiny bit risky, moderately risky or very risky?

Only time will tell i guess, just wondered if peeps (with experience of Senegal Bichirs, NOT peeps just guessing completely please without any prior experience of this Senegals) think its a reasonable risk to take or silly?

If i cant do the Rainbows, i will go down the Barb route, really want some very active mid/upper swimmers in the 5x2x2

Another possibility is Scossortail Rasbora, get longer than the Rainbows, but are not as deep bodied.

Dont underestimate the size of a Polypterus mouth when it wants to get something in there. If it "might" "possibly" "maybe" fit in the eyes of the fish, dont risk it, there is a thread on here somewhere showing Polypterus and things they have eaten/tried to eat. My own experience was with a very large Albino Cory and a rather small "at the time" Senegal (4"), there was no way on this earth she was ever going to get it in her mouth...but she tried...and failed....then the next morning, what did i find? An Albino Cory missing all its fins and tail, looks like the Polypterus tried to de fin the fish then eat it...so now i keep Congo Tetras which are much much bigger than the now 8" Poly, but she recently tried to eat one of them aswell....found her swimming around the tank with the Congo flailing from her mouth by the tail..my little "puppy dog eyed" Senegal had got the fish half way down when i interceded..

So...the moral is, make sure the fish with the Polypterus is so stupidly large they wont even attempt it.

 

[Colin_T]

feed everyone really well and the fat lil birchirs shouldn't bother the other fish. Pretty soon the other fish will be big enough not to be eaten.

 

[geo7x]

feed everyone really well and the fat lil birchirs shouldn't bother the other fish. Pretty soon the other fish will be big enough not to be eaten.

Ohhhh you'd be suprised

Fish still need to be too big not to be eaten, regardless of whether the bichir is well fed or not. A bichir would much rather eat a live fish that's swimming round than a few worms and a bunch of carnivore pellets anyway.

 

[DarkEntity]

feed everyone really well and the fat lil birchirs shouldn't bother the other fish. Pretty soon the other fish will be big enough not to be eaten.

I take it you never read my post, and my fish are well fed on good foods. yet my little darling still decided that the Congos looked better to eat.

 

[fry_lover]

i think everyone has different experiences with Senegal Bichir's.

i've had feedback from experienced Bichirs that they do generally (but not always) differentiate between the more "torpedo" shaped fish and fish that are larger / rounder bodied.

Geo, some Rainbows are more "topedo shaped" than others, i know they dont quite have the shape of angel fish, but the Rainbows i have are the least "torpedo shaped" Rainbows, ha ha, sounds weird that!!!

I've got a 48x18x24 community planted i could house the Rainbows in, if one gets bitten or worse. Then i'd have to re-think.

I've seen the pictures with a Bichir having its mouthful of a 3-4" fish, but i've also seen pictures of people getting killed by cars, but i still cross the road!

Thanks for the all the feedback though guy's.

 

[the gagsy]

i think everyone has different experiences with Senegal Bichir's.

i've had feedback from experienced Bichirs that they do generally (but not always) differentiate between the more "torpedo" shaped fish and fish that are larger / rounder bodied.

Geo, some Rainbows are more "topedo shaped" than others, i know they dont quite have the shape of angel fish, but the Rainbows i have are the least "torpedo shaped" Rainbows, ha ha, sounds weird that!!!

I've got a 48x18x24 community planted i could house the Rainbows in, if one gets bitten or worse. Then i'd have to re-think.

I've seen the pictures with a Bichir having its mouthful of a 3-4" fish, but i've also seen pictures of people getting killed by cars, but i still cross the road!

Thanks for the all the feedback though guy's.

I have my bircher in with guppys, rainbows harliquins and tetras, and while he sometimes gets the odd one he really is not a problem, just make sure he dont get hungry, I generally know when mine is getting peckish he will come out of his cave and start to roam around the tank, then i will throw in some extra prawns and silver sides. He then goes back in the cave. They are lovely fish almost primeval, and they have a personallity too mine swims through my fingers when i clean tank.