Sengal Bichir Isnt Eating

[Ghost9001]

I've had a sengal bichir for about a week, its in a 55 gal tank with a small (4-5") Oscar and a 6-7" inch common plec. The bichir is about 3" long, it spends most of the time in a cave thats in the corner of the tank, in fact it came out of its cave for the first time since I got it a few hours ago. I have yet to see it eat, Ive had a sengal bichir in the past and it would always swim to the top and eat as soon as I put the food in the tank. The water parameters are all fine and the tank is cycled. Is the Oscar scaring it into the cave? Should I be feeding it at night? Is it scavenging at night?

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Neesmo]

mine acted like that when i bought it until i put a neon in its tank and he went after it right away. He loves neons. ive tried ruby minows too, which he eats but he really likes neons for some reason. Mine also love freeze dried krill. I dont know how much help that is, but maybe its only ever know one type of food and sometimes i find fish dont know what to do with new foods. its likely that the oscar is pulling the dominant card though and thats making the senegal cautious

Kyle

 

[indigoj]

Personally I wouldn't chance a 3" senegal with a 5" Oscar - chances are the O will hit 6-8" and see the small wormy fish as a meal. Senegals can grow quickly but maybe not quick enough. I'd say the O is intimidating the newcomer - maybe even already chasing him as a potential meal.

 

[always4lora]

The senegal will be fine for eating , may just take a bit to settle in , try things like crickets to get them intrested. Mine would eat crickets half its size. Senegal's genereally are quite active during the day and night. Do you know what it was eating in the pet store or whereever you got it from? Frozen Lance fish is a good food for them as it's quite smelly so the bichir will be able to track it down easy enough.

I've got a 2-3inch Ornate in with my oscar which is probs around 5-6 inch now and they seem ok. Depends on the O though mine's more aggresive towards the Weeksii Bichir which is more than double it's size.

Oh and you'll genereally know if it's eaten well or not as you can visibly see the stomach expand.

 

[SBL]

Best to try food with a smell and gradually it'll learn to eat flakes, pellets, FD shrimp, and other dry foods. Got mine with the smell of krill, but he didn't like it's taste and he just found flakes one day and now he competes with the HRP's at feeding time. Doubt it's the oscar intimidation cause my fish has faced off with a mad, breeding pair and still stand ground. Also, I gotta say good luck to your Oscar getting a hold to the slimy devil too.

 

[se1an]

Bichirs are always shy at first. They take a few weeks to get used to the tank then there everywhere.