Senegal Bichir

[SharkWeek]

I have a slight addiction to long snake like fish such as loaches and a few days ago happen to see a senegal bichir in one of the stores I go to and just couldnt help but get it. It is still small only about 4 or 5 inches. It is with a pair of kribs, a pair of dwarfs and a baby jewel and baby convict, they all seem to be fine with each other for now even though its in a 29 gallon. Any advice or comments? Im sure I will more them into a larger tank after while but for know they have plenty of room

 

[nmonks]

Senegal bichirs are excellent fish, but you will probably want a bit more space than 29 gallons, though that could work if the tank isn't overstocked.

The convict and the jewel don't belong in this tank at all, and both can/will cause serious damage to their tankmates once sexually mature. A few years back I was visiting one of the aquarium shops in London and was shocked to see a mix of cichlids and Senegal bichirs in one 50-odd gallon tank. The cichlids had bitten the fins off virtually every bichir, down to the stumps. Kribs should be fine though.

Good tankmates for Senegals would be things like Congo tetras and swordtails.

Cheers, Neale

 

[SharkWeek]

Senegal bichirs are excellent fish, but you will probably want a bit more space than 29 gallons, though that could work if the tank isn't overstocked.

The convict and the jewel don't belong in this tank at all, and both can/will cause serious damage to their tankmates once sexually mature. A few years back I was visiting one of the aquarium shops in London and was shocked to see a mix of cichlids and Senegal bichirs in one 50-odd gallon tank. The cichlids had bitten the fins off virtually every bichir, down to the stumps. Kribs should be fine though.

Good tankmates for Senegals would be things like Congo tetras and swordtails.

Cheers, Neale

Thanks, yea tomorrow im returning to convict im still thinking about the jewel. i have bout 5 long fin danios in the tank who no one bothers. Congos dont last to long in my city cuz the water is hard. But imight do swords. do you have any other cichlids who might be ok with the bicher and kribs?

 

[nmonks]

Wouldn't keep other cichlids with the kribs. They're about as pretty as small cichlids get, and harmless for the most part. The only other things you might try would be a Julidochromis species, which work rather well in community tanks given space. They are very territorial towards each other and potential rivals though.

Instead look at surface-swimming fish that'll work as dither fish. Lots of options here, though Australian rainbows and swordtails are two obvious options in terms of size and water chemistry.

Do understand that if your pH is above 7, and it surely is, then your kribs will produce nearly 100% male broods, and pet shops won't be wild about that.

Cheers, Neale

 

[SharkWeek]

Wouldn't keep other cichlids with the kribs. They're about as pretty as small cichlids get, and harmless for the most part. The only other things you might try would be a Julidochromis species, which work rather well in community tanks given space. They are very territorial towards each other and potential rivals though.

Instead look at surface-swimming fish that'll work as dither fish. Lots of options here, though Australian rainbows and swordtails are two obvious options in terms of size and water chemistry.

Do understand that if your pH is above 7, and it surely is, then your kribs will produce nearly 100% male broods, and pet shops won't be wild about that.

Cheers, Neale

what do you mean male broods? im still slightly new to the hobby (Im in love with it though). ausie rainbows sound good how many do you think i should go after?

 

[nmonks]

Pelvicachromis species, including kribs, breed across a range of water chemistries. However, the pH of the water determines the sex of the fry. For the common krib, Pelvicachromis pulcher, you need a pH of exactly 7 to get equal numbers of male and female fry. Below pH 7 and you get mostly female fry, and above pH 7, mostly male fry. On top of this, male cichlid fry tend to grow faster than female fry, so even if you get a few females in your batch of fry, the males will hog the food, and those females could end up starving to death. End result, you have a tank of 50 male krib fry that your local pet shop doesn't want.

So while these are "easy" fish to spawn in some ways, Pelvicachromis can also be extremely frustrating for beginners who don't yet understand water chemistry. If you want to breed them, you need to soften the water and use a commercial pH buffer to steady the pH at 7. Do note that you can't just add "pH down" buffering products to hard water; you have to soften the water first! Otherwise, the result is unstable water chemistry.

Any of the rainbows should work, except of course small species like M. praecox.

Cheers, Neale

 

[SharkWeek]

Pelvicachromis species, including kribs, breed across a range of water chemistries. However, the pH of the water determines the sex of the fry. For the common krib, Pelvicachromis pulcher, you need a pH of exactly 7 to get equal numbers of male and female fry. Below pH 7 and you get mostly female fry, and above pH 7, mostly male fry. On top of this, male cichlid fry tend to grow faster than female fry, so even if you get a few females in your batch of fry, the males will hog the food, and those females could end up starving to death. End result, you have a tank of 50 male krib fry that your local pet shop doesn't want.

So while these are "easy" fish to spawn in some ways, Pelvicachromis can also be extremely frustrating for beginners who don't yet understand water chemistry. If you want to breed them, you need to soften the water and use a commercial pH buffer to steady the pH at 7. Do note that you can't just add "pH down" buffering products to hard water; you have to soften the water first! Otherwise, the result is unstable water chemistry.

Any of the rainbows should work, except of course small species like M. praecox.

Cheers, Neale

i have no intention of breeding them, if they do that will be ok, one of my stores doesnt have captive bredd kribs only wild so they might get them. hopefully the bichir would eat some of the fry, i know that would be heard since the kribs are such good parents. at any rate i dont care if they breed or not

 

[nmonks]

Adult kribs will spawn every 4-8 weeks. So it's important to have plans for the fry. Whether removing the eggs directly or selling on the fry. Hoping for the best *won't* work with kribs. Yes, they're extremely good parents. Bichirs may eat some of the fry, but your species feeds primarily on insects in the wild and isn't a particularly effective predator.

Cheers, Neale

 

[SharkWeek]

Adult kribs will spawn every 4-8 weeks. So it's important to have plans for the fry. Whether removing the eggs directly or selling on the fry. Hoping for the best *won't* work with kribs. Yes, they're extremely good parents. Bichirs may eat some of the fry, but your species feeds primarily on insects in the wild and isn't a particularly effective predator.

Cheers, Neale

would the egss be floating or in the cave, how would i know that they have had eggs.

 

[minnnt]

The female will disappear for a day or two when she has laid her eggs as she will be constantly fanning and protecting the spawn. They lay their eggs on a hard surface, either slate, stone, ornament, cave roof/walls and they will stick like glue.