Tank mates

[bichir boi]

Hey, i am just about to buy a 5 by 2 by 2 tank. I was wondering what fish i can keep in it? Im putting my senegalus in it, also i want 3 needle nose gars if i can?
I really like dats, the false siamese tiger fish in particular. Im not sure what else i could add maybe another bichir or cichlid?

 

[Toadfish]

less agressive cichlids like oscars or firemouths might work. Also a really neat fish if you can find it would be the archers fish (I'v only ever seen one shipment and they were all dead when they came).

 

[bichir boi]

An oscar is to big i think. Archer fish are brackish anyway? Id really like a jaguar cichlid but theyre to big and aggressive.

 

[Dwarfs]

Severums are col too, they get pretty big and aren't too aggressive on cichlid standards

Archers are brackish

 

[DannyBoy17]

Yep, Archers are brackish. It's a damn shame too .

I would go with...a snakehead! (just looked at some pics of one in the members gallery)

Jags are quite aggressive, but I tihnk they can be kept with a Senegalus. Needle nose gars would be fine, or African Butterfly Fish!

You have lots of options

--Dan

 

[Dwarfs]

Bichirs wouldn't take very well to a very aggressive fish like a Jag, or a red snakehead like Technium's

One of the dwarf snakeheads on the other hand could be an option, I believ CFC has a profile on one of those species in the fish index (Look under labrynth fish)

 

[Oddball]

I believe most Dats would get too big or too aggressive for your tank, but how about a nice bala shark or three? failing that you could try any number of fish like uarus, discuss angels or more obscure things like your gars!

 

[Paul_MTS]

an oscar would be fine in there, couple of sevrums, few more smaller species of bichirs and your gars should do quite nicely then a fire or tyre tack eel if you like there??

geophagus would get along in there, G. surimensis or S. Jurapari spring to mind as good choices of them.

 

[Fishy411]

I believe most Dats would get too big or too aggressive for your tank, but how about a nice bala shark or three? failing that you could try any number of fish like uarus, discuss angels or more obscure things like your gars!

a couis microlepsis or False Siames tiger fish Would be fine in there size wise but would finish off those needlenosed Gars like spaghetti. I know a guy with a 4" one that eats 3" rosey reds.

 

[beblondie]

Below is a partial list of possible tankmates for the small to midsized bichirs species.Parameters I used are based on size, temperment and availabilty . And i believe is a good starting point for you to do further research before purchasing -Anne

CATFISH

Dusky Pimelodid-Pimelodus blochii
Spotted Shovelnose-Hemisorubim platyrhynchos (listed with caution)
Shovelnose Catfish-Sorubim lima (listed with caution)
Giraffe Catfish-Auchenoglanis occidentalis
Dwarf giraffe Catfish-Parauchenoglanis macrostoma
Giant Whiptail Catfish-Sturisoma aureum
Synodontis cats-Synodontis cats sp.
Liver Catfish-Heteropneustes fossilis
Black Lancer-Bagrichthys hypselopterus
PLECOS
Bristlenose-Ancistrus dolichopterus
CHARACINS
Silver Prochilodus-Semaprochilodus taeniurus
Silver dollar-Metynnis argenteus
Distichodus notospilus-Distichodus notospilus
Congo tetra-Phenacogrammus interruptus
Black-Barred Myleus-Myleus schomburgki
Filament tetra-Bryconaethiop microstoma
EELS
Peacock Eel- Macrognathus aculeatus
CICHLIDS *(see note)
Two-Spot Cichlid-Cichlasoma bimaculatum
Tilapia joka-Tilapia joka
Oscar-Astronotus ocellatus
Severum-Cichlasoma severum
Kribensis- Pelvicachromis pulcher
Sparkling Earth Eater-Satanoperca acuticeps
Blue acara-Aequidens pulchrus
Balzani's Earth Eater-Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Blood Parrot Cichlid-Hybrid no scientifc name
Blue-Eye Cichlid-Cichlasoma spilurum
Festivum-Mesonauta festivus
African Peacock Cichlid-Aulonocara nyassae
Balzani's Earth Eater-Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Bandit Cichlid-Aequidens geayi
Blockhead Cichlid-Steatocranus casuarius
Callolepis Cichlid-Cichlasoma callolepis
Freiberg's Peacock Cichlid-Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
Keyhole Cichlid-Cleithracara maronii
Port Acara-Aequidens portalegrensis
LABYRINTH FISHES
Ctenopoma .acutirostre-Ctenopoma .acutirostre
Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus-Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus
Ctenopoma kingsleyae-Ctenopoma kingsleyae
CYPRINIDS
Black Shark-Labeo chrysophekadion
Harlequin Shark-Labeo cyclorhynchus
Variegated Shark-Labeo variegatus
Bala Shark-Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Red-Finned Cigar Shark-Leptobarbus hoevenii
Tinfoil Barb-Barbodes schwanefeldii
Chinese Algae Eater-Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Clown Loach-Botia macracantha
MISC.
African mudfish-Phractolaemus ansorgei
Black Ghost Knifefish -Apteronotus albifrons
Elephantnose-Gnathonemus petersii
African butterfly-Pantondon bucholzi
African Knifefish-Xenomystus nigri

 

[bichir boi]

I forgot i want a lima shuvelnose or some kinda of shuvelnose. I thought the dat was small enough for the tank. The gars get to 12 inches though isnt that a bit large. Im not sure bout other bichirs though dont they fight?
I did want a predatory tank so im not keen on discus and fish like that.

 

[CFC]

I wouldnt suggest any of the Labeo genus as tankmates for bichirs, these fish like plecs can have a habbit of nibbling on the slime coats of bichirs and other fish with ganoid scales, i have had first hand experience of this and got rid of my black shark because of it. Tinfoil barbs are also not a fish id recomend as they have insatiable appetites and will out compete any bichir for food, again i have had first hand experience as i had to get rid of my 5 tinfoil barbs after they ate all the food before anything could eat and attacked other fish that tried to feed.

 

[bichir boi]

I dont like tinfoil barbs and bala sharks anyway. Cheers though! Its a shame you cant keep plecos with bichirs because i do like them.