90g Wide Tank Topwater and Midwater Oddball Stocking

[I Like Rare Fish]

Hello guys,

I just set up my 90g tank. I want to stock it with:

2 Delhezi Bichir
1 Mokelembembe Bichir
1 polli
1 palmas
1 Senegal Bichir

I can take the Senegal and 1 delhezi out if it is overstocked.

It is filtered by an Fx5, Topfin 75 HOB, and Sponge Filter. Overfiltered!

I want a topwater or Midwater oddball to stock with. The thing is, It can not be fed on live. P.H is around 7.6

The footprint of the 90 is 4'x2'x18".

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

I'm not familiar with these species at all - they must be cichlids or something. How many inches total of fish do you have and how many are round and fat versus long and skinny. Isn't a Bichir like an eel in appearance so they don't take up too much room? Are any of them aggressive or need a lot of room for "their" territory?

Get rid of sponge filter immediately, it takes up too much room, then see how it goes with the cannister and HOB, and if all is well - take down the hob making sure you don't get any ammonia or nitrite spikes.

 

[Wills]

6 bichirs seems a lot for a 90g? I’d probably drop the numbers a bit. Tank mates obvs need to be big but in a 90 kind of limited. How about a group of hump head glass fish? Bit different to silver dollars or big barbs which you’d usually see and big enough to deal with things. Cichlids seem to work with them but I’d possibly look for a mid sized Central American rather than south’s or african something like an Oscura or midsized veija like a bredorhi?

Wills

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

I'm not familiar with these species at all - they must be cichlids or something. How many inches total of fish do you have and how many are round and fat versus long and skinny. Isn't a Bichir like an eel in appearance so they don't take up too much room? Are any of them aggressive or need a lot of room for "their" territory?

Get rid of sponge filter immediately, it takes up too much room, then see how it goes with the cannister and HOB, and if all is well - take down the hob making sure you don't get any ammonia or nitrite spikes.

Why get rid of the sponge filter and HOB?? Bichirs are not territorial.

6 bichirs seems a lot for a 90g? I’d probably drop the numbers a bit. Tank mates obvs need to be big but in a 90 kind of limited. How about a group of hump head glass fish? Bit different to silver dollars or big barbs which you’d usually see and big enough to deal with things. Cichlids seem to work with them but I’d possibly look for a mid sized Central American rather than south’s or african something like an Oscura or midsized veija like a bredorhi?

Wills

Bichirs 'pile'. They feel safe with others. The more the better. People thing 6 is enough.I think Silver Dollars will work, but I want something kind of...oddballish. humphead Glassfish are cool. But they just don't seem to fit in to the stocking list. Prehistoric species of fish, and then this tropical looking fish. Sorry for being picky. As for cichlids, they will most likely be agressive to the bichirs. The bichirs don't know what to do if there is a larger fish being agressive towards it.

 

[Rocky998]

Why get rid of the sponge filter and HOB?? Bichirs are not territorial.

Bichirs 'pile'. They feel safe with others. The more the better. People thing 6 is enough.I think Silver Dollars will work, but I want something kind of...oddballish. humphead Glassfish are cool. But they just don't seem to fit in to the stocking list. Prehistoric species of fish, and then this tropical looking fish. Sorry for being picky. As for cichlids, they will most likely be agressive to the bichirs. The bichirs don't know what to do if there is a larger fish being agressive towards it.

Bichirs seem like helpless little puppies but they look lile a prehistoric dinosaur that'll tear you up. Cant wait to see it when its done! I dont have any ideas for stocking btw sorry.

 

[robmcd]

African butterfly fish.

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

I got my first Delhezi Bichir at 3.5" on November 19th. It would be comical and ceremonial if I got him some friends on that date. I love the prehistoric look. This species has been around for 60 Million years, and hasn't changed much.

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

African butterfly fish.

That's my go too. How many should I get if I did get them?

 

[Wills]

Why get rid of the sponge filter and HOB?? Bichirs are not territorial.

Bichirs 'pile'. They feel safe with others. The more the better. People thing 6 is enough.I think Silver Dollars will work, but I want something kind of...oddballish. humphead Glassfish are cool. But they just don't seem to fit in to the stocking list. Prehistoric species of fish, and then this tropical looking fish. Sorry for being picky. As for cichlids, they will most likely be agressive to the bichirs. The bichirs don't know what to do if there is a larger fish being agressive towards it.

I'll have to defer to you on Bichir behaviour but it just feels a lot to have 7 10-15 inch fish in a 90 gallon.

If your looking at prehistoric fish, surely something like African Butterfly Fish, African Brown Knives, some of the African Headstanders like Distichodus. I was wondering about some kind of African Characin as there are some great ones around in the UK at the moment, Gold Congo Tetras look amazing, and African Red Eye Tetras are really nice in person too. An other contender could be Schoudenti Puffers? Pretty social fish and possible to keep in communities unlikely to cause the Bichirs any problems.

Wills

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Schoudenti Puffers

I've heard these guys are super expensive.

An African Characin would be awesome! Do you know any kind?

 

[Wills]

Schoudenti Puffers

I've heard these guys are super expensive.

An African Characin would be awesome! Do you know any kind?

Yeah they are not sure what they would be in the US but in the UK they are £80-£120 each. But they are starting to be bred commercially in Germany now so cost could come down soonish.

I'm not 100% how safe they would be with the Bichirs and ABFs but Yellow Congo Tetras are amazing! Phenacogrammus Aurantiacus or Red Eye African Tetras Arnoldicthys Spilopterus are really nice too

Both get 6-7cm and are pretty big fish eventually. The other option I mentioned was Distichodus which could be cool Distichodus Affinis I think would be the best option due to its size being quite manageable.

How about Leopard Bush Fish too?

Wills

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Congo’s is out of the park for various reasons I can explain to you if you want to here the sad story. Leopard Ctenopama would be cool. Distichodus Affinis are 35 bucks a pop. Schoudenti‘s wouldn’t be good because I need to get a large one, and large ones are expensive. In the long run, I would totally do that.

 

[Wills]

I think I can guess with the Congos... So what are you thinking now from what I said?

I can kind of see the Butterflys and Ctenopama working with the Bichirs but I think you need some activity in the tank but not sure what to suggest?

Wills

 

[robmcd]

Distochodus would outgrow that tank in about 8 months. They tend to get super aggressive and could really do some damage to the bichirs. Their dental structure is INSANE!!

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Perhaps leopard bush fish, because there is so much flow.