Normal Behavior For A Bichir Eel

[ghostshrimp101]

is it normal for bichir eels to be very active? mine seems to be hanging out by the heater and filter is this normal.

 

[Colin_T]

Birchirs have a similar lifestyle to beachbums. They sit around all day doing nothing. At night they come out and look for food but overall, they aren't very active. Make sure it doesn’t rest against the heater. Fish sometimes get burnt when they sit on the heater and it comes on to warm the water. If you have a cave in the tank the Birchir will usually hang out in that.

 

[invader]

Birchirs have a similar lifestyle to beachbums. They sit around all day doing nothing. At night they come out and look for food but overall, they aren't very active. Make sure it doesn’t rest against the heater. Fish sometimes get burnt when they sit on the heater and it comes on to warm the water. If you have a cave in the tank the Birchir will usually hang out in that.

That's not entirely true. Polypterus senegalus ("Dinosaur Eel") are very active during the day. Sometimes zooming across the front of the tank all day. Many of my other bichir species are active as well, with the exception of my P. ornatipinnis.

 

[Colin_T]

fair enough. Most of the Birchirs I have seen sit around all day doing nothing until food goes in the tank. Then they zip around and eat it before going back into the plants or under the rocks/wood.
Maybe we have the lazy species around here

 

[simonas]

my ornatapinjis is only just starting to be active but when I say active I don;t mean zipping round the tanl like a barb or something and it never hangs around the top. That is something I would be worriedabout. has it got a cave or soemshelter to hide in?

 

[shroob]

As mentioned before, depends what type of polypterus it is. Senegals/Delhezi/Palmas are some of the more active types, especially senegal. While at the other end completely are ornate polypterus, which I'm sure some could actually grow algea they move that little.

 

[Straydum]

i do agree that senegals and delhezi are active almost the whole day. what i'd add in is that juveniles IMO are more outgoing than their older (larger and fatter) counterparts

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

My senegal is a rightactive little thing. He sorta flips between hiding for half the time, then zipping about and around like a nutter the rest of the time.

 

[DarkEntity]

Both my Senegal and my Palmas are active all day, always swimming about the front of the tank

 

[the_evil_duboisi]

My senegals would only be inactive when small(Around 2"), maybe because they are afraid of predators or aren't sure of their tank yet? But once they hit 4"......Zip zip zip!! Their activeness rivals pictus cats! Mine usually cuised at the surface.

On the other scale, my old endlicheri was so inactive it toom him 40 seconds to find food 1 inch from his nose!

But Ive seen lots of adlut endli's that were quite active....It does depend on the fish!