polypterus senegal

[astroboy]

Anybody ever kept a Senegalus bichir before?

If yes then
1)any comments about it?

If no then
1)stop reading.

thx

 

[CFC]

I keep them, nice fish, stays a managable size for the average fish keeper and can be kept with other fish as long as they are too big to eat.

See here for more info http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=34889

 

[mary]

Yes i do

I own a pair and its currently spawning I even caught them on video.

I keep them in a 36" size aquarium along with my tiger oscar and they do get along very well.

They are nice to own, friendly to their owner, you can even hand feed them or touch them. I feed them pellets, super worms, chicken meat, tubiflex worms.

 

[beblondie]

Polypterus senegalus 10-12 inches full grown among my top 3 members of the family active during the day and has personality if you work with them.Would recomend them as a great introduction to an ancient fish family -Anne

 

[beblondie]

All the above said Polypterides live a long time with proper care 15 years+
if it fits in their mouth its a meal so no small bodied fish unless its dinner
a good heavy lid they can jump quite well
they can be kept with deep bodied non agressive fish
they need acess to the surface as they take gulps of air ,they have a rudimentary set of lungs -Anne

 

[astroboy]

i purchased one for my 55g. Its got a silica substrate, a lot of slate, many caves and hideouts, some live plants (more to go in soon), and soon to get driftwood. Just fed him a small worm from my backyard. oohh he loved them. I live in B.C. Anyone know if i can get other species of bichirs around here? I like the look of the saddled bichir (Polypterus endlicheri), but they get considerably larger. Also, do they tolerate similar looking fish? Could a polypterus senegal and a polypterus endlicheri live together?

 

[beblondie]

They could the problem is the tank you'll need a minimum of a 125 gallon tank for an endi as they can reach in excess of 30 inches.
as for other species a good lfs should be able to order you other species ,those that stay fairly small and should be available include P. delhezi, and P.polli (often imported as P. retropinnis )-Anne

 

[astroboy]

alright... maybe i'll stick to the smaller species then.

beblondie-what are your tankmates for your polypterus'

 

[beblondie]

I have species tanks only polypterides right now , however you can keep any deep bodied non agressive fish with the exception of plecos they tend to annoy by sucking on the slimecoat of bichirs -Anne

 

[astroboy]

alright.

I have mine in with a

1)shovelnose catfish, 4inches
2)RTBS, 2.5inches
3)two pictus, 3inches
4)I'm housing a blue gourami (4inches) in there temporarily.

the senegal is about 3.5inches. Just double checking but, do you think this is a safe mixture of fish?

 

[CFC]

The only problem i see is the rtbs, these and other cyprinids that like to rasp at algea (flying foxes, rainbow and black sharks, sucking loaches etc) will sometimes take the slime coating off of bichirs like plecs do, once the slime has been removed the bichir is left open to infections which can be fatal.

Im guessing the shovelnose is a Sorubim lima, http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=34123 ? Im actually suprised the shovelnose hasnt eaten the rtbs yet and it certainly will soon as their growth rates are vastly different.

If your shovelnose is another species then it will eat all your fish in time.

 

[astroboy]

Well, i haven't seen the RTBS try to suck on other fish yet. If i do see it or suspect it i will separate them.

Yes, my shovelnose is a Sorubim lima. The tiger shovelnose (although very pretty) is too big and mean for my tank (it'd probably bust my tank open). One of those fish that i would not recommend buying.

I'm really fond of the RTBS, so hopefully he grows fast. BTW, my RTBS seems to be a very finicky eater. He only eats one or two bloodworms at a time, doesn't eat tropical fish flakes, eats shrimp pellets (only the small pieces floating around) and doesn't really bother with anything else (worms, veggies, algae wafers).