herpetology! Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 Hey! I have a 29 gallon tank with an adult and a sub adult brichardi cichlid. I just got a free baby senegal bichir which is about as long as the adult brichardi. I am wondering the best way to make the senegal bichir feel at home. It isn't being harassed much by the cichlids, it's just scared like a little baby. There are 4 caves and lots of visual barriers on the ground, but this bichir seems to prefer hanging out up top. He isn't clamping fins and ate some pellet food today. I know that senegals use the whole water column at times, so I'm curious what I should be looking for as far as hangouts when its settled. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quetzalcoatl Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 I have two of these. While they were babies I housed them with endlers and snails, little by little the endlers and snails disappeared. They are very good hunters and will eat anything that fits in their mouths. I like their primitive looks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herpetology! Posted August 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) it's not just a 'look', polypterids are actual very basal! Its actually getting less and less scared and is eating cichlid pellets every day. Going to try with mysis shrimp again tonight. Edited August 18, 2012 by herpetology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocellatus Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 They are an awesome fish, and one of the more active of the bichirs. When I kept poly's my senegals rarely stopped swimming, but did enjoy the overhang of a piece of driftwood or rock ledge under which to chill. They also appreciate a rock / object that they can hide behind to escape your view. Be wary of resin logs which have holes to allow the escape of air. My female senegal got spooked one day and darted inside, got stuck and needed an emergency hack saw rescue. Their tank mates (delhezi, lapradei, ornate) also appreciated a bit of cover, though once they grew too large just hung out in the open, stacked on top of each other. O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herpetology! Posted August 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) Yeah I've noticed this bichir hangs out on the top of the water surface a lot. He seems to enjoy hanging out in the water hyacinth at the top. I didn't realize they were one of the more active ones, that is awesome! How do you gender them?? Edited August 18, 2012 by herpetology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocellatus Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) Difference between the sexes can be seen in the anal fin. For males, the base of the fin is thicker and fleshier; used to cup the eggs as the are laid by the female. The base of the female anal fin is thinner, as is the fin itself. My senegal pair was easy to distinguish based on body size as well. While they were a similar length, the female was much broader and more plump. The male was fairly thin. imgres O Edited August 20, 2012 by ocellatus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herpetology! Posted August 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Well this guy is only 10cm long now and fighting a minor bout of septicemia. Doing well on the erythromycin and looks like it has made a full recovery. I moved the cichlids out of the tank, for now, until its a bit bigger. Then we'll see who bullys who. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jro Posted August 25, 2012 Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 I loved my Senegal bichir! Like you described, it was rather passive. A really great looking fish when it is with non aggressive fish that don't fit in it's mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.