New To Oddballs

[Azaezl]

Hi,

I'm really new to tropical fish, well fish for that matter, I've only had my fancy goldfish for about 6 months and I moved onto tropicals last week when I bought a second hand tank with tropical fish in it.(I also have 2 corys in an 11gal(uk) tank.

Anyway at the moment I have 2 senegalus, one is about 9" the other is about 7" and I also have a 4"blue gourami and a 2" opaline. I think the tank is about 4 x 1.5 x 1.8, each senegalus has his own little cave surrounded by plants, I also have one of those sponge 3d background things in there and a big piece of wood(which they love hiding under). An aqua pro 2 external filter and a rena air 300.

Also all the other owners of senegalus are yours aggresive at all? Mine are the most placid fish I've got, last night the largest sen was swallowing half a tiger prawn when the smallest gourami came up and started nibbling at it whilst it was in his mouth! I thought it was amazing considering what I've read about them being semi-aggressive towards smaller fish / each other. They all get on really well with the opaline and the larger sen often swimming together and the smallest sen / largest gourami hiding together. I've also found my larger sen is very active both day and night, is this normal as again I've read they prefer night time.

I'm waiting for a few weeks to let the tank settle down and cycle before adding any new fish but just wondered if anyone had any suggestions for what would be good oddball companions for my fish or just any general advice? Also wasn't sure how many more fish I could get in my tank.

Thanks.

 

[§tudz]

First of all welcome to the world of oddballs, if you think fishkeeping is addictive wait till you get into oddballs, its intense.

I have two P.senegalus, about the same size as yours and mine are also very peaceful, I recently added a 3-4" P.delhezi as well and I've had no problems.

I did have some fully grown platies in with them when I first got them and they made short work of one of the fish but apart from that I've had no problems.

You have a nice big tank as well (I've just ordered a 4x2x2' tank for my oddballs)

If your looking for other fish to go in there you could try some of the following, but dependent on how big your other fish get as most oddballs will eat small fish.

- Synodontis (there are loads to choose from)
- Eels (Peacock, fire, marbeled)
- Knife fish (Ghost, clown, royal)
- Siamese Tigerfish
- Other Polypterus Species (P.delhezi, P.Orantapinnis etc)
- A single Dwarf snake head (Channa bleheri, Channa Gaucha)
- Talking Catfish (Platydoras Costatus)

I wouldnt venture into rays as they are very hard to keep and I dont think you tank is big enough, I could be wrong.

Dont put any puffers in the tank, as puffers tend to be very agressive, the smaller species will get eaten.

Dont keep cichlids with them as Cichlids are agressive and the senegalus' will just lie there and be killed as they arent agressive fish, they are predatory but they are more opportunists and scavengers.

 

[Azaezl]

I know what you mean about it being addictive, I saw an ad for an albino sen and wanted to buy it straight away, then I was gonna get a 3x2x2 just for that and other albinos, I think it would be great to have an entirely albino tank. The guy never got back to me about it, such a shame!

Anyway my lfs is very limited to what they have in stock, only oddballs they have are sens and ghost knife fish, which I think are beautiful! The tank originally had my 2 corys in but I took them out and gave them their own little tank so they can live in peace without worrying about these big fish living with them. I really like the look of platies and guppies but I wouldn't take the risk of them being eaten, think I'll have to get another tank so i can have smaller tropicals as well.

I'll have to look into the other fish you mentioned as some I can't quite place, I'd love to have more Polypterus species but I think I'll stick with just 2 of them in my tank, hopefully I can get another large tank soon and put a variety of Polypterus in it.

Thanks for your help

 

[§tudz]

I know what you mean about it being addictive, I saw an ad for an albino sen and wanted to buy it straight away, then I was gonna get a 3x2x2 just for that and other albinos, I think it would be great to have an entirely albino tank. The guy never got back to me about it, such a shame!

Anyway my lfs is very limited to what they have in stock, only oddballs they have are sens and ghost knife fish, which I think are beautiful! The tank originally had my 2 corys in but I took them out and gave them their own little tank so they can live in peace without worrying about these big fish living with them. I really like the look of platies and guppies but I wouldn't take the risk of them being eaten, think I'll have to get another tank so i can have smaller tropicals as well.

I'll have to look into the other fish you mentioned as some I can't quite place, I'd love to have more Polypterus species but I think I'll stick with just 2 of them in my tank, hopefully I can get another large tank soon and put a variety of Polypterus in it.

Thanks for your help

aye most LFS dont stock many oddballs, but I started in fishkeeping something like 2 years ago, and I now have 9 tanks lol, will be 10 when I get the new one, lol.

I'm not a fan of the Albino Senegalus, Delhezi is the way to go though, or some of the lower jaw species, but they can be a little agressive.

 

[kubora666]

i have two small albino bichirs ive had for ages, and grew loads, they are so godam friendly!!! the most palyful fish ive ever had. they live with aggressive south american cichlids, including a bloodparrot, vieja fenestratus, and a convict+jade eye+ sajica hybrid. they have never shown agression or ever been aggressed.
they love to eat and they always dig and hide under and in the rocks they are great fish and i hope u enjoy yours as much as i do
äc

 

[§tudz]

Yeah my bichirs are great I love em I wouldnt be without them.

They will love the new tank XD

 

[Azaezl]

Yeah I love mine loads too. Finally had a chance to sex them and I have a male and female so fingers crossed I might have some babies.

 

[beblondie]

Yeah I love mine loads too. Finally had a chance to sex them and I have a male and female so fingers crossed I might have some babies.

How did you determine the sexes?

 

[Azaezl]

I read that the male has a larger anal fin. My 7 inch's anal fin is almost twice the size of the 9 inches's so I'm guessing that the larger is the female the smaller one is the male.

I've also given them names now I know what they are. Originally it was going to be starsky and hutch but that's out the window so now it's Mortica and Gomez and my gourami's are called bela and lugosi(they were almost hooker and romano).

I've also got 2 corys in their own tank called Mickey and Malory(after the film natural born killers) I almost called them Haim and Feldman LOL, and my fancy goldfish are called fudoh, ryuki and kuuga, all from japanese films / television.

 

[§tudz]

I read that the male has a larger anal fin. My 7 inch's anal fin is almost twice the size of the 9 inches's so I'm guessing that the larger is the female the smaller one is the male.

I've also given them names now I know what they are. Originally it was going to be starsky and hutch but that's out the window so now it's Mortica and Gomez and my gourami's are called bela and lugosi(they were almost hooker and romano).

I've also got 2 corys in their own tank called Mickey and Malory(after the film natural born killers) I almost called them Haim and Feldman LOL, and my fancy goldfish are called fudoh, ryuki and kuuga, all from japanese films / television.

I dont name my fish, well except my dwarf puffer, who my GF calls Puffda lol

 

[beblondie]

I read that the male has a larger anal fin. My 7 inch's anal fin is almost twice the size of the 9 inches's so I'm guessing that the larger is the female the smaller one is the male.

Yup sounds like a pair to me congrats!

 

[cane76]

another oddball fan welcome
have you ever bred any polys blondie?is it difficult?

 

[§tudz]

I thought I had a pair, but I'm not sure, as one has grown quicker than the other and due to the size diference Its hard to compare the anal fins.

They sit together and rub heads as well, also they swim around rubbing against each other too.

 

[beblondie]

I'm rewriting something about breeding polypterids for elsewhere it should be done in a couple days and i'll post it.Its not hard but if you have hopes of raising the fry you'll really need a second tank for hatching and raising them-Anne

 

[Fate2006]

To answer your question about the bichirs Mines a baby all he does is swim around for like 5 minutes then hides until the lights go out such a baby great fish and mines only agressive to my feeder guppies (home bred ) he's still a baby though aslong as you can't fit into his mouth Also my friends Oscar attacked my hand yesterday when I cleaned it's tank for him (his arms broken so he can't do it... but I can 2 oscars in a 90 gallon tank witha common plec that's it I love the understockage :lol) just thought everyone should know Must've thought I was his dinner