African Biotope Tank

[PaulineMi]

I keep thinking about someday having a bichir. Looking around, thinking about how I want to rearrange tanks and stands I see a spot for an extra 55 or 75 gallon tank. 

Has anyone here kept bichirs?  I'm interested in the smaller types. I've done my Google search homework so I have some ideas for setting up a tank and tankmates. Now I'm looking for real life experiences with this species.

[wsantia1]

Those are very interesting fish Pauline.  I heard they may go for a walk if you don't have a very tight lid. When you say "small" do you mean the ones that stay around 10 inches or so? LOL 

[PaulineMi]

Yes Willie...I'm thinking a Senegal bichir, 10-12 inches. My son has one that's around four years old. Every time I see that fish I want one. 

I'd like to set up an African biotope tank....bichir, Ctenopoma, possibly an African brown knife fish and a shoal of Congo tetra. I'm still doing my homework on this though.

I'll be doing some rearranging of the fish room.  While planning the changes I discovered room for another 55, 75 or 90 gallon tank. Imagine that.   

[BallAquatics]

Sounds like a very cool tank Pauline.  Every time I see Congo Tetras, I think I gotta have some!   

Dennis

[wsantia1]

Yes Willie...I'm thinking a Senegal bichir, 10-12 inches. My son has one that's around four years old. Every time I see that fish I want one. 

I'd like to set up an African biotope tank....bichir, Ctenopoma, possibly an African brown knife fish and a shoal of Congo tetra. I'm still doing my homework on this though.

I'll be doing some rearranging of the fish room.  While planning the changes I discovered room for another 55, 75 or 90 gallon tank. Imagine that.   

Well that's going to end up as a great looking setup.   I can't imagine finding room for another tank in this apartment, but as I look around I see there are a lot of dead spaces and I have about 7 or 8 tanks in my garage.  LOL 

[BallAquatics]

.....as I look around I see there are a lot of dead spaces and I have about 7 or 8 tanks in my garage.

Rack them babies up Willie.  You'll be surprised how many you can fit in a tight spot!   

Dennis

[wsantia1]

.....as I look around I see there are a lot of dead spaces and I have about 7 or 8 tanks in my garage.

Rack them babies up Willie.  You'll be surprised how many you can fit in a tight spot!   

Dennis

Eventually I am going to.  I am just waiting until my stock dictates that they are needed. lol 

[PaulineMi]

Tanks and more tanks....we can't help it, can we?   

[Mugwump]

er....someone say more tanks???......happy, happy, happy

[JR]

Dog gone something I know a little  about. I kept the Senegal and the Nile Bichir for many a year when I was a young man. They are great fish. I kept the Senegal in a 90 gal tank. I had a pair in there. They are a very peaceful fish. They were very messy eaters HOB could not do the job. I feed my beef heart chopped shrimp and fish. They loved the shrimp. Temp 80. Ph 7.0.  By the time I sold them the Senegals that only get 12" were 14" My Niles were 24" I used sand and a lot of driftwood. They were just so awesome to watch

[PaulineMi]

Watching them is what is so fascinating. They have an expression that looks like a mix of curiosity and recognition....not at all fish-like if that makes sense.

Did you have any other fish in with your bichir? 

Another fish that has my attention is the tiger datnoid. I think they can be kept with a bichir but I haven't confirmed their size and the tank size that would be needed.

[BillT]

I'd like to set up an African biotope tank....bichir, Ctenopoma, possibly an African brown knife fish and a shoal of Congo tetra. I'm still doing my homework on this though.

I have kept several bichirs (polypterus) over the years as well as some rope fish, a close relative. Rope fish are like a long skinny birchir without pelvis fins.
I fed them either shrimp pellets or small fish I wanted to get rid of. They did fine on shrimp pellets along.

Even a Senegal bichir can get big enough to attack and sometimes eat smaller Congo tetras (which I have also kept).

Knife fish are cool because they are actively electro-sensitive. They can pulse out voltage pulses (like an electric eel but weaker) and can then sense the distortions of the field around them so they can "see" in non-visually clear water or in the dark. They tend toward nocturnal. Their electrosensor cells are modified lateral line sensory hair cells.

[BallAquatics]

I've kept Rope fish too.  Very cool, but major escape artists.  Be sure you have a tight fitting tank cover with NO holes.

Dennis

[BillT]

I had a pair of rope fish in a tank with a bulkhead to a flood drain and an elbow and screen on the inside. They got the elbow out somehow and went out the bulkhead and down the drain.
Very sad.

[JR]

The Niles were in a 150 gal tank and that was all I could have in that tank. I put two 8" tiger oscars in with them they were gone the next day when I got home from work. The senegal are like any other fish if it fits the mouth they eat it. I did keepTinfoil Barbs, Large Clown Loaches  and Knife fish.