Ornate Bichir, mainly comp.   8/04/08
Hello WWM crew. I'm quite new to this hobby and the reason why it began was because of a gift which was a single Ornate Bichir. We have been keeping it for about 4 months now and it is probably the hardiest denizen in the aquarium (about 120 litres). I've got a few questions regarding it:-1) I read that Suckermouth catfish tend to suck on Bichirs when they get larger and my aunt who encountered this problem said it was fine.
<Mmm, sometimes Loricariids will do this... and it can be harmful>
So far the 3 suckermouths in the aquarium have done no such thing, is it safe to continue (they are slightly smaller than the bichir, which is about 6 inches)?
<Likely so; I'd just keep an eye on all>
2) Bichir seems to have strange bouts of "insanity" as while it remains placid most of the time, it sometimes to swims like a
madman around the aquarium's walls, as if trying to fight its own reflection. Is this typical behaviour or is there something wrong?
<Not unusual... and it may indeed be reacting to its own reflection as you state. I would cover one end of the tank with dark paper (on the outside) to discount reflection>
3) I understand that Bichirs are bottom dwellers, but I don't know what type of fish would be compatible in this same tank.
<Most anything that will not bother the bichir, nor is slow, small enough to be ingested by it... Your tank is not very large for too much...>
I worry because of pH, behaviour and growth rate. My sister wanted pufferfish, but I read that they tend to nibble the bichir's pectoral fins.
<Yes...>
Any suggestions?
<Perhaps some Rainbowfish, medium sized barbs, medium sized gouramis...>
That's all that I have for now, thank you for your time. - Gene
<Welcome! Bob Fenner>

Re: Ornate Bichir, comp. and now fdg. as well    8/5/08
Hey Bob/Whom it may concern, its me again. Thank you for your reply. Regarding the compatibility, you mentioned 'medium' sized gouramis. I know that the Giant one is out of the question, so would Trichogaster trichopterus be good tankmates?
<For Polypterus ornatus, you might get about with T. trichopterus, but P. ornatus is a big fish when fully grown, and not all T. trichopterus get as big after years of inbreeding as once they did. T. microlepis or even T. pectoralis would be better. But actually, I'd suggest one of the Anabas or Ctenopoma species. Similar to gouramis, though a trifle more aggressive and territorial. I combined C. acutirostre with P. palmas with great success for many (~12) years. The Asian Climbing Perch Anabas testudineus is a great animal if you track it down; very characterful.>
If so, how many do you recommend and will they be aggressive to the others? Oh, and the last e-mail I sent I had neglected to mention that the Bichir shares the tank with a bulky approx 3 inch long feeder fish carp that grew too large to be consumed.
<Trichogaster are somewhat gregarious though males can be aggressive; Ctenopoma and Anabas are somewhat more pushy, but again, the males more so than females.>
I read in one of your articles that feeding feeder fish is a bad idea for Bichirs,
<Bad for all pet fish. Contrary to "the wild", feeder fish are disease-ridden and nutritionally unbalanced. There's also some good reports that feeding live food tends to make predators more aggressive.>
so the best is probably worms (frozen)?
<Earthworms and river shrimps are loved by Bichirs. But since they hunt by smell, not sight, almost anything that smells right will be accepted.>
But I'm afraid if I switch, my Bichir might not adapt to his new diet.
<He will. Even if you need to starve him a few days.>
Continue with feeder fish?
<Nope.>
Thanks once again for your time.
- Gene
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Ornate Bichir; diet, social behaviour   8/6/08
Hello WWM crew, how is everyone doing? Thank you for you last e-mail.
<Most welcome.>
I'm not sure now if my 120 litre tank can support one Ornate Bichir together with a Snakeskin Gourami (as mentioned in the previous e-mail), if it can I have to track down the snakeskin because the aquariums in my area commonly sell Trichogaster trichopterus and giant gouramis.
<Long term the P. ornatipinnis is going to need a bigger tank than 120 litres. It's maximum size in the wild is 60 cm (about 2 feet) and even in aquaria you can reasonably expect 45-50 cm. I've seen adults and they are big, chunky fish. But short term, both are air-breathers and should thrive in this tank while small.>
(Is this a snakeskin Gourami? www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=snakeskingourami)
<Yes; not the prettiest Gourami, but hardy, reasonably large, and peaceful.>
If I can't get my hands on this species, get three spot gouramis?
<You can certainly get them; I just can't guarantee they won't be eaten. As I said, P. ornatipinnis is a big fish.>
Moonlight Gourami is really hard to find as I've never seen it being sold in any of the aquariums in my area.
<OK.>
Besides barbs, gouramis, climbing perches and rainbowfish, any other species that you have encountered personally that goes well with Ornate Bichirs?
<Pretty well anything around 20 cm upwards, non-nippy, and deep bodied enough the Bichir won't view it as food. Spanner Barbs, Tinfoil Barbs, Silver Dollars, Distichodus, Clown Loaches, various catfish are all possibilities... but your tank is way too small for these. You're going to need at least 250 litres for the Bichir alone once its fully grown, and even at ~30 cm it'll be a squeeze in a 180-litre tank.>
Thanks again for you time.
- Gene
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Ornate Bichir; diet, social behaviour... now chatting re Neotrop. cichlid addn... send to BBs   8/7/08
The reply you sent was most helpful, thanks again.
<Most welcome.>
My sister saw a fish called "green terror" and took a liking to it. They were not very big, but I think big enough for the Ornate Bichir to leave it be. I know its a neotropical cichlid and it looks very much like the Jack Dempsey. According to your FAQ archive, it seems this fish is fairly aggressive? How big do they get and will they bother the Bichir?
<The Green Terror is Aequidens rivulatus. It is a beautiful fish, but as its name suggests, extremely territorial and aggressive. Unlike most South American cichlids, this species is aggressive all year around, not just when spawning. So it tends to be kept with Central American cichlids. To be honest, no, I wouldn't recommend combining it with a Bichir. Bichirs are basically peaceful fish, and I've seen them pecked to death -- literally -- by things as seemingly harmless as Yellow Labs (Labidochromis caeruleus). Cichlids try to drive the Bichir away from "their patch" pecking away at their dorsal fins and lobe fins, leading to secondary infections. Bichirs aren't fast enough to swim away from danger. If you wanted a cichlid for the Bichir tank, look to large, non-aggressive species such as Oscars or even better Severums or geophagines (Eartheaters).>
Thanks once again.
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Ornate Bichir; diet, social behaviour   8/9/08
Hello, its me again. Once again in need of advice (sorry).
<Hello,>
Couldn't find Snakeskin Gourami or Heros species (seemed to be sold out), so was thinking back on Oscar. But I went to the aquarium and saw a good sized silver arowana, not a bad price too. But was wondering to myself, silver Arowana's swim on top and ornate bichir swim at the bottom, so would it be compatible ( read the pH for it and Bichirs were quite similar)?
Arowanas and Bichirs can work; Osteoglossum spp. are best, Scleropages spp. can be much more aggressive.>
Also, is 120 litres enough to keep a silver arowana?
<Not a chance. 750 litres (200 gallons) is the recommended size. They are open water fish that are sensitive to poor water quality and water chemistry changes, and they also need masses of swimming room.>
What about Chitala Chitala? Are they placid enough to be placed with Ornate Bichirs?
<Wouldn't recommend it; Chitala chitala is potentially very aggressive. Much better off with a smaller species such as Apteronotus albifrons or Xenomystus nigri.>
On with Tiger Oscars. I saw the aquarium selling another type called "Blood Oscars", the only difference was visible was the red on the tigers being orange. Is it another species?
<No; yet another artificial variety.>
I was thinking of getting an/or 2 Oscars, but still unsure. What type of pH do they do best in, more acidic or basic?
<They prefer soft and slightly acidic, but like most South American cichlids they're adaptable provided water quality is good. Anything up to pH 8, 20 degrees dH is acceptable.>
Do they eat the same foodstuffs as an Ornate Bichir?
<Pretty much. Wild Oscars are omnivores eating most anything from small fish to plant material including fruits, but their staple diet are "crunchy" things like crayfish, crabs and snails. That's why they have such strong jaws!>
How fast does it grow and live compared to the Ornate Bichir, as I don't want one growing too fast and then bullying the other.
<Oscars grow very rapidly. Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/oscars.htm
>
About my Ornate Bichir, I find it getting too attach with a log we added in about 4 months ago when we got it. The Bichir tends to flap its little pectoral fins and retreat into the log every time we approach the tank.
<Pretty normal. These are nocturnal fish in the wild, and only when completely at ease will they swim out in the open. Providing plenty of cover (e.g., plastic plants or floating plants) will help here.>
After I cleaned the aquarium today, it still retains its aggressive attitude if we move its log to clean underneath (trashing, darting around quickly, splashing water). Is this normal for the Bichir?
<Yes.>
If it isn't, how do I get it to be not so dependant on the log, or do I let it continue?
<Paradoxically, fish tend to be more outgoing the more hiding places they have. So concentrate on providing lots of shade and lots of caves. Eventually the fish will feel as if he is always close to shelter, and consequently will swim about in the open more readily.>
I also saw an aquarium selling bloodworm/or some sort of worm cubes, can I feed the bichir these?
<Yes, they love them. But with big specimens (30 cm+) you may find he has trouble catching them before the filter sucks them apart, so be careful. Chopped seafood (frozen, from the supermarket: mussels, prawns, squid) provide the ideal staple. Cut according to the size of the fish. Your Oscar will thrive on this too.>
Sorry if there are many questions, but thanks once again Neale/whom it may concern.
- Gene
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Ornate Bichir; diet, social behaviour   8/9/08
Hey again, thanks for the quick reply.
<You're welcome.>
You mentioned food from the supermarket, fish, squid etc. Assuming I'm changing the Bichir and possibly the Oscar's diet to fish, squid and bloodworms, do I just wash the fish and squid from the supermarket, chop them into appropriate pieces, stick them on a stick -or use chopsticks- and leave it in the aquarium for them to feast?
<Pretty much.>
Also, how many times a day do I feed them this way (assuming the Bichir is around 6 inches and Oscar either smaller or similar)?
<As with any fish -- no more than they consume within 30 seconds to a minute. Large predatory fish are best fed daily (or two, very small, meals per day). Either way you're aiming for your fish to look healthy but not fat, so use your eyes and nitrite test kits to check you're doing it right! A healthy fish will be lean, with a just convex belly but certainly not like it's swallowed a ball! If you detect nitrite in the water, you're definitely overfeeding.>
About Oscar growing fast, the Bichir seems to be growing slowly at the moment
<Normal...>
so is it likely the Oscar will outgrow the Bichir quickly and disturb it?
<Likely not.>
I'll keep the plastic plants idea in mind to make the Bichir feel more secure, I don't think the Oscar's tendency to rearrange things would be too much of a problem, filter might be problematic though...
<Use aquarium silicone to glue the plastic plants to a slate or piece of glass. Bury said slate or glass under the gravel. Problem solved.>
Oh yeah, my sis and I also keep some guppies (not same tank with Bichir). Though I help to look after the guppies, she mostly tends to it. We've got about...6 pregnant ones at the moment and 5 males, both kept separately. Do mother guppies eat their own babies?
<Not deliberately, but in a small tank with insufficient floating plants for the babies to hide, yes, it happens.>
And do we keep each mother in her own spot so we can remove them after they give birth?
<I'd tend to leave the female alone for a week or two to fatten up before placing her back in the main aquarium. But don't put the female in a breeding trap or breeding net! Fish hate them. Much better to use floating plants. Same effect, less stress.>
My sis is also curious with guppy compatibility. Is guppy compatible with small pufferfishes or tetras?
<No and no. Fancy guppies are useless at swimming and everything seems to nip them. Pufferfish would be a complete no-no, and I can't think off-hand of a tetra I'd trust 100% with Guppies.>
What other fish can you recommend that can be kept with guppies?
<Just Guppies. They are so inbred now they are neither nor easy to keep. Best kept alone. If you must mix them with something, go with harmless Corydoras species.>
Is it possible that a 3 inch feeder fish grown too big goldfish/carp will bother them if kept together?
<Juvenile Carp generally tend to ignore livebearer fry; I have a tank with Limia nigrofasciata fry and a few juvenile (3-4 cm) Carassius carassius and they get along reasonably well. The Carp lose out at feeding time a bit though. Mixing livebearer fry with anything bigger is not a good idea though.>
Once again, thank you for your time.
- Gene
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Ornate Bichir; diet, social behaviour   8/14//08
Hello, its me again, how's it going?
<Well, it's going, anyway.>
Finally decided to get an Oscar -or 2- to keep with the Bichir. The only problems with getting 2 of them is a) Since many have said it is almost impossible to tell the gender of an Oscar, we are afraid if we get 2 males they will engage fights and b) If they spawn we don't have an extra 2 tanks for the Oscar and the fry themselves. I heard
that -word of mouth- Oscars can be told apart from dark blotches of colour on their pectoral fins?
<Never heard of this, and certainly wouldn't rely on it! But its your tank, your money...>
Feeding feeder fish is a no-no, but is feeder shrimp safer?
<Should be. Earthworms are my favourite choices for settling in new fish. All fish love them, and the soil inside them is rich with minerals as well as fibre. No risk of disease if collected from an organic garden.>
On guppies, is there anything to keep in mind about conditions and such for pregnant guppies? We have 6 of them in around a 1 gallon tank and one of them looks really bloated up. We are afraid to keep it back in the 30 litre tank of 5 males as the males might eat the fry after they give birth.
<Add lots and lots of floating plants. Makes a huge difference with all livebearers. Guppies are notorious for eating newborn fry.>
Also about conditions of the water. pH is important to keep track right?
<Yes; whatever the pH is, it should at least be stable. pH 6-8 is fine for Oscars, but what they don't want is variation. That's why I tell people to concentrate on the carbonate hardness, not the pH. Provided the water has adequate carbonate hardness and isn't overstocked, the pH should be stable automatically.>
The 120 litre tanks seems to get acidic very quickly for some reason but fish are always doing well (for some unknown reason). Though we don't like to take chances, why does it get acidic so quickly while the 30 litre tank gets basic quickly?
<Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsoftness.htm
In particular understand the several factors that cause ALL aquaria to become acidic over time; the best you can do is resist this by slowing it down/minimising the sources of acidity.>
Thanks.
- Gene
<Cheers, Neale.>

Rope fish compatibility   8/1/08
Hi,
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my question.
<Most welcome.>
I currently have one 9" Rope fish.
<These are gregarious fish, and she'll be very unhappy kept on her own. Needs to be kept in groups of at least three specimens.>
She is currently in a 20 gallon long QT tank, she has not shown any sign of and illness after one month, so I am planning to re-home her.
<OK.>
I currently have a 200 gallon tank that has a 12" Oscar, a 7" female jaguar cichlid, a 4.5" female convict, and a school of 5 silver dollars.
<She's too delicate to be kept with these fish. While the Oscar should ignore her, and the Silver Dollars are ideal tankmates, the Jaguar and the Convict are both too territorial and too aggressive.>
Filtration on this tank is 50 gallon sump, and Emperor 400 and a Rena XP3 canister. Would this be an adequate environment for the rope?
<Well the tankmates aren't right, and you only have a single specimen which is cruel to the species. But your other problem is checking if the tank is escape-proof. Be under no illusions here: Ropefish *will* escape from any tank not expressly designed to keep them in. Personally, I always recommend keeping them in half-filled tanks so that it is much more difficult for them to squeeze into cracks at the top of the tank.>
On a side note the 200 gallon is a show tank so it is about 3' deep. I also have a 30 gallon breeder tank that only has a pair of Jewel cichlids and two Aqua Clear 150's for filtration, would this be a better home?
<Quite possibly, though I'd be very cautious about combining Jewels with any fish as docile as Ropefish.>
All my tanks get weekly water changes of 50% or more and Ammonia and nitrites are kept at 0, nitrates are kept below 15ppm and temps are kept between 78-81 degrees.
<All sounds great.>
Again thank you
<Happy to help, Neale.>