Something That Might Suprise Most

[LouieLovell]

Hi,

I have had my tank now for about 7 years, and its only ever really been a sub-hobby, So I knew the basics of fish keeping and which can fish can co-exist.

so its fair to say im not very well clued up, i know enough to not hurt or kill my fishes but thats about it.

However I've been reading alot about the BGK fish and how it can be aggressive towards smaller fish and even prey on them. When i bought mine from my LFS this was not it explained to me, so i put him in with my current communal tank, thinking nothing of it. So for the last 18 months he has been housed with following and has not harmed or eaten one;

8 cardinal tetra
2 Glass Catfish
2 Pearl Gouramis
2 Dwarf Gouramis
7 wood shrimp
1 Red tail shark
1 Platy
5 leapord danios
female fighter
4 Blue tetra
4 heart tetra

also my tank heavily planted and has 3 bit bog wood and a rather large air brick, with a sandy bottom.

So when i read that BGK fish can only be housed with certain fish it does rather suprise me that mine has been so well behaved should i think about moving him to another tank or will my good fortune continue?

thanks in advance.

 

[Wills]

Hi welcome to the forum

How big is this tank at the moment? They are all small fish where as BGKs are large fish that need very big tanks so hoping its going to be a nice big size you have.

As to how predatory they are, they are not predators say like a Jaguar Cichlid that will hunt its prey they are ambush predators that will take small fish as they pass by. It could be the case that your tetras are too big for it to get them just yet. With predatory fish its often down to luck if you put them in this kind of scenario where there is pray available to them when they are at such a size as they can take them and any long term success is down to luck.

Wills

 

[LouieLovell]

thanks wills,

Im not sure on the exact size of my tank ill have measure up soon, what sort of size tank would a bgk fish thrive in?

 

[Wills]

Long term your looking at a wide, 6 foot long tank as they can grow upto 40cm so need the turning space. For the first few years though I suspect you would be okay with something a little smaller possibly a 4 foot as a minimum but not for too long as they are a little prone to stunting which is never good.

Wills