Ornate Birchir

[ringham]

There is a fantastic ornate birchir at my LFS and I really want to get it. I think that I have a tank that is big enough but in all honesty I don't know a great deal about them. Do they have any special dietry or water requirement (that are not normal)? The one that I want to buy is around 5" at the moment. I have a juwel vision 450 tank, and it is nearly fully stocked. I have an Eheim professional 2 filter and in literally 3 weeks I am upgrading to a Fluval FX5. Any info at all wouyld be appreciated.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Ornates can reach about 24"

Ornates will eating pretty much anything they can fit in their mouth. I found Krill, Muscle, Cockle, Gamma Fish, Prawns to all be taken readily by my Orantes.

After looking at the stocking in your Trigon 450 I'd take a pass on the Ornate. A smaller species of Bichir may be a better option for you.

A Polypterus Delhezi or Senegalus maybe, but not at Ornate in my opinion.

 

[The-Wolf]

I'd suggest a marbled bichar for your tank (polypterus palmas or polypterus palmas palmas)
as with all bichars nothing that can fit in its mouth should be kept with it.

My P palmas plmas is in no fish smaller than 4"

 

[cane76]

i would say your vision 450 is allready well stocked 8)

 

[kubora666]

what about a senegal bichir ? ( polypeterus senegalus ) they max out at about 12"-14" but in the common aqauria around a foot maybe less, i have found them to be very personable and friendly , there is a nice golden yellow coloured albino form you can get, i have two of these and they always play together and swim about with one another they are very good friends and very interesting to watch.

 

[lisa_perry75]

Although the ornates are nice looking, they tend not to be active... The albino and senegals tend to be more active and friendly

 

[Jox]

I saw a huge one around 2 feet in the disney animal kingdom.