Feeding A Birchir

[Dany]

does a sengal birchir abmush pray. im thinking of trying to feed it guppys as a ocasional treat as it now doesnt seem to eat what i give it. so i'll see if it starts to eat guppies. my sengal is really slow and i dont think it will be able to catch a guppy....or does it just a bush live pray.
also will it be able to be kept in a 55-60 gallon tank with another species of bichir, say polypterus delhezi (armored birchir) with a pair of flyer BIG flyer cichlids.

 

[astroboy]

does a sengal birchir abmush pray. im thinking of trying to feed it guppys as a ocasional treat as it now doesnt seem to eat what i give it. so i'll see if it starts to eat guppies. my sengal is really slow and i dont think it will be able to catch a guppy....or does it just a bush live pray.
also will it be able to be kept in a 55-60 gallon tank with another species of bichir, say polypterus delhezi (armored birchir) with a pair of flyer BIG flyer cichlids.

Bichirs in general will usually pick off smaller fish at night, but will not hesitate to take down them down as soon as they hit the water. I've only fed my bichirs feeders once as a treat. Some of them actively chased and ate them, others waited for them to swim close to their mouth and then BAM eaten.

I rotate through the following- prawn, squid, smelt, pellets and various fish fillets. All the foods were readily accepted.

A delhezi and senegal could live in a 55g, but i'd say go larger and get something along the lines of 75-90g

 

[Fishy412]

i have a senegal. he likes to hunt for tuffies although hes not a great hunter. he sort of stumbles around but he does actively chase him. in contrast my lima shovelnose is a huge ambuch predator. he hides in with one of my plants (similiar in color to him) and when a small fish goes by BAM, its gone

 

[Dany]

what other bichir could i keep with it that dont grow ot large in a 55?

 

[Fruitbat]

Dany....

Any of the subspecies of Polypterus palmas would be good options for your 55 gallon. So would Polypterus retropinnis if you can find one. Most of what are usually sold as P. retropinnis are actually P. palmas polli (which is one of my favorite bichirs).

-Joe