Is There Anyway

[ferrikins]

In a 20g.

bet the arnsers no, but it worth an ask, it I can't I will be able to have one oneday

 

[nmonks]

Well, probably best not to, but I have to admit that I have. I kept a young Polypterus palmas polli in a tank not much bigger, about 60 cm wide by 30 cm broad and 45 cm deep. The Polypterus was about 8 cm long when I bought it, and more than doubled in size over about the next 5 years. Eventually I gave it away because I was moving abroad for a while. It coexisted fine with a juvenile Panaque and a few Congo tetras.

OK, this wasn't an ideal set up, but none of the fish died, and I eventually got the Panaque back. She's sitting in her tank across from me here, and after 10+ years she doesn't seem any the worse for wear. So while I'd recommend a tank bigger than a 20 gallon for even a small Polypterus, if you get a small specimen, and make plans for a larger tank down the road, you might be able to get away with it.

Cheers,

Neale

In a 20g.

bet the arnsers no, but it worth an ask, it I can't I will be able to have one oneday

 

[Dwarfs]

A small senegal bichir could be kept in a twenty gallonfor a few months until a larger tank is purchased

 

[Fruitbat]

I regularly use 10 gallon tanks as grow-out tanks for bichirs smaller than six inches and then graduate them up to 20 gallon LONG aquariums at lengths from between 6 and 8 inches. After that, the minimum tank I'd recommend for a bichir of one of the 'smaller' varieties (maximum length of about 12 - 14 inches) like Polypterus senegalus, the subspecies of Polypterus palmas, and Polypterus retropinnis is a 40 gallon 'breeder' aquarium. The 40 gallon 'breeder' tank is not as tall as a standard 40 gallon but is wider. For fish that primarily stay at or near the bottom (like bichirs), substrate surface area is more important than water depth so a wide tank is better than a tall one.

-Joe

 

[Fishy412]

I regularly use 10 gallon tanks as grow-out tanks for bichirs smaller than six inches and then graduate them up to 20 gallon LONG aquariums at lengths from between 6 and 8 inches. After that, the minimum tank I'd recommend for a bichir of one of the 'smaller' varieties (maximum length of about 12 - 14 inches) like Polypterus senegalus, the subspecies of Polypterus palmas, and Polypterus retropinnis is a 40 gallon 'breeder' aquarium. The 40 gallon 'breeder' tank is not as tall as a standard 40 gallon but is wider. For fish that primarily stay at or near the bottom (like bichirs), substrate surface area is more important than water depth so a wide tank is better than a tall one.

-Joe

really? i had a 3-4 inch bichir in a 10 gallon for 4 months at least and it didnt grow a bit. i tried putting it into the 55 gallon but it didnt last long at all. i have a 6-7 incher in there now. wierdest bichir ive ever seen. spends all his time at the surface except during feeding time.