Polypterus Palmas

[guppymonkey]

We just got two Polypterus palmas in at the store I work in and I am actually tempted to buy one of these guys. Do you think one would work with an oscar in a 55 gallon tank? I know that they can be predatory but only with smaller fish. What do you think?

 

[astroboy]

The oscar may kill it, depending on its temperment. I wouldn't try

 

[guppymonkey]

My oscar is pretty tame, but then again most oscars are not very aggressive.

I am kind of worried about the possibility of parasites from the Polyp. palmas. Since they eat mostly live food I think it might be a possibility. I would try to get it on frozen but they are probably hard to switch over.

 

[yvez9]

found this info on a website

Most of the fish imported in recent years as "palmas" are likely to be P. p. polli

they say these are much more active then the palmas.... not sure if that matters to you or not

 

[astroboy]

The polypterus palmas complex has a few subspecies

-polypterus palmas palmas
-polypterus palmas polli
-polypterus palmas buettikoferi

the "marbled" bichir is palmas polli. If you're afraid of parasites just quarantine it and dose with jungle parasite clear at half strength. Also, they are very easy to train to accept live foods. If you think it'll work give it a try they are great fish

 

[beblondie]

My P.p.pollis went fom live to frozenfoods and Hakari sinking carnivore pellets with noproblems at all-Anne

 

[Paul_MTS]

I'ved never fed any of my bichirs live foods, they'ved always eaten mainly lance fish.

you haven't what size the oscar and bichir are?

 

[Fruitbat]

As Astroboy already mentioned, there are three subspecies of Polypterus palmas. The most commonly available is Polypterus palmas polli but, on the off chance that you're looking at one of the other subspecies, I've included pictures of all three subspecies at the end of this post.

Regarding keeping them in a 55-gallon with an Oscar, it isn't something I would personally do but I do know of a number of people who have done it successfully as long as the size disparity isn't too great.

All of my Polypterus (I currently have over 20) eat either prepared foods (Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets, shrimp pellets and the like) or frozen foods. I almost never give mine any sort of live food other than the occasional earthworm. Polypterids are, in general, opportunistic feeders and will usually take any sort of 'meaty' food they encounter. I've never had one take flake food of any sort, however.

-Joe

Polypterus palmas buettikoferi

Polypterus palmas palmas

Polypterus palmas polli

 

[guppymonkey]

After looking at those pictures I am pretty sure that they are polli.

My oscar is about a foot long and fairly well behaved except for hating any plants that go into his tank. The bichirs that I found are about 9 or ten inchs long right now.

Do you think the oscar would try to attack the bichir? I have fed him the occasional extra convict fry but besides that he eats frozen, freeze dried or pellet food.

 

[Paul_MTS]

Put some pipework in the tank for the bichir.

then if the oscar does get agresive the bichir will beable to hide away.

 

[Joviella]

Put some pipework in the tank for the bichir.

then if the oscar does get agresive the bichir will beable to hide away.

In my experience Oscars leave Bichirs alone,and the same the other way round.......as long as the tank is big enough, to house both, so that they get their own space.