Sengal Bichir Compatability

[bshockstubb]

I was really planning on getting a Sengal Bichir sometime this week.
He will be moving into a 40+ tank.

I was wondering what other fish I could put with him?
Here are some of my thoughts

African Cichlids(mbumas labs ect)
African Butterfly Fish
Larger Cats(donno on type though)
Plecostomus

would these work? What about another Sengal Bichir or perhaps another species (ornate?)

Would sand or gravel be better? and what kind of landscape do they perfer(rocks, plants ect)

 

[Dwarfs]

Bichirs and african lake cichlids need different water requirements, but a few senegals would do well with
Synodontis catfish
African butterfly fish
Smaller knife fish (African brown knives are fairly hardy, and max out at 8")
ctenopoma
There are more, but I can't list them all

 

[bshockstubb]

alrighty. thanks.

im still not sure about him though.

 

[bshockstubb]

Okay. Well I finish setting up the tank last night and now im going to the LFS.

i ordered 3 Senegalus Bichirs.

My list is now:

3 bichirs
1 African Butterfly Fish
1 (? most likely common) Plecostomus

and perhaps 2 kribs. will they be okay in there?

 

[Dwarfs]

The kribs may be ok while the bichirs are small, but when the bichirs reach a large size they will be in danger

 

[Fishy412]

3 senegals in a 40 gallon tank? thats a lot. or do i have the tank size wrong. if its a 40 than a common pleco wont fit either

 

[bshockstubb]

just got back.
[the tank is like a 47 or 51 gallon tank]

MY HAUL:

3 teeny baby bichirs(3" sooo cute )
1 African Butterfly Fish (he jumped from the tank and the owner caught him in her net she Guaranteed that he survives and live healthful )
2 lace syno
1 Black Ghost (turns out hes from S.A. but I still hopes he can hold his own and not eat my bichirs)

what do ya'll think?

 

[Fishy412]

just got back.
[the tank is like a 47 or 51 gallon tank]

MY HAUL:

3 teeny baby bichirs(3" sooo cute )
1 African Butterfly Fish (he jumped from the tank and the owner caught him in her net she Guaranteed that he survives and live healthful )
2 lace syno
1 Black Ghost (turns out hes from S.A. but I still hopes he can hold his own and not eat my bichirs)

what do ya'll think?

i think you're gonna need a bigger tank. BGK's can get to around 2 feet.

 

[Xcric]

i think you'll need a bigger tank too

not only does the bgk get big, but you've got a lot of bottom dwellers now, large ones, so they're going to need a lot of room to stretch out and not bump into each other, not to mention a lot of places to hide to get away from each other which your size tank might not be able to offer

 

[Fishy412]

i think you'll need a bigger tank too

not only does the bgk get big, but you've got a lot of bottom dwellers now, large ones, so they're going to need a lot of room to stretch out and not bump into each other, not to mention a lot of places to hide to get away from each other which your size tank might not be able to offer

bichirs arent that territorial towards each other so i think hes ok in that respect but the BGK just gets way to big.

where in upstate NY are you? im in albany

 

[bshockstubb]

they will eventually.

right now. everything is under 4-5" and its a big enough home for them currently.
the knife hides ALL the time. i never see him, exempt when i turn off the lights and use my cell backlight to see him.

 

[Xcric]

i think you'll need a bigger tank too

not only does the bgk get big, but you've got a lot of bottom dwellers now, large ones, so they're going to need a lot of room to stretch out and not bump into each other, not to mention a lot of places to hide to get away from each other which your size tank might not be able to offer

bichirs arent that territorial towards each other so i think hes ok in that respect but the BGK just gets way to big.

where in upstate NY are you? im in albany

its not so much the territorialness, its more being able to stretch out without bumping into other fish, although my two bichirs do nothing but fight when they see each other, and they're in a 240

oh, and i'm in rhinebeck

 

[fishfishfish]

Herkimer here

you will need a bigger tank but not like now in a few months maybe