# Can I house a Senegal Bichir in a guppy tank?



## BostonMike (Oct 20, 2011)

This may sound morbid, but I like the idea of setting up a heavily planted tank, tossing in a ton of guppies, letting them breed and supply food for the bichir and others. My concern would be knowing if he is for sure eating.. I mean, how often do these guys need to nab a meal? My 3 inch bichir took down a 1 inch feeder guppy I used for cycling just a little while ago.. should that hold him over for a day or so?


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## robbowal (Mar 27, 2011)

I believe they are nocturnal hunters and greedy. (at least mine were, took me a while to figure out where my three channa micropeltes juviniles (1.5") dissapeard to at the time, turned out my Ornate bichir (6") developed a taste for them (all three in one night) the delhezi was not so bothered) he didn't eat for at least a week after that very expensive dinner.
i think the guppys may not breed fast enough once he gets bigger. 
you mentioned others what else do you plan to put in with him?


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## BostonMike (Oct 20, 2011)

robbowal said:


> I believe they are nocturnal hunters and greedy. (at least mine were, took me a while to figure out where my three channa micropeltes juviniles (1.5") dissapeard to at the time, turned out my Ornate bichir (6") developed a taste for them (all three in one night) the delhezi was not so bothered) he didn't eat for at least a week after that very expensive dinner.
> i think the guppys may not breed fast enough once he gets bigger.
> you mentioned others what else do you plan to put in with him?


I had not figured that out - I was in the process of setting up a 28gal bowfront I picked up fro 9.97 at Petsmart (clearance return lol) - I was letting plants filter thru the new bioload of ghost shrimp and guppies when I stumbled on a LFS that had one of these guys - I had actually never seen a small one before so I went for it - $10 bucks, couldnt complain.. he had awesome movement.. really cunning in a sense.

Tossed him in there, with what is a "silk pleco", a small (1.5 inch) jaquar sydontis hybrid, and a bunch of feeder guppies and ghost shrimp.

Im not sure what to keep him with, I know soon he will need to be rehomed, Ill be working on a 75-90gall soon enough adn that will be his final home for sure.


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## robbowal (Mar 27, 2011)

BostonMike said:


> I had not figured that out - I was in the process of setting up a 28gal bowfront I picked up fro 9.97 at Petsmart (clearance return lol) - I was letting plants filter thru the new bioload of ghost shrimp and guppies when I stumbled on a LFS that had one of these guys - I had actually never seen a small one before so I went for it - $10 bucks, couldnt complain.. he had awesome movement.. really cunning in a sense.
> 
> Tossed him in there, with what is a "silk pleco", a small (1.5 inch) jaquar sydontis hybrid, and a bunch of feeder guppies and ghost shrimp.
> 
> Im not sure what to keep him with, I know soon he will need to be rehomed, Ill be working on a 75-90gall soon enough adn that will be his final home for sure.


Thats what drew me to them as well was the movement (they can really move quickly when they want to) on larger items of food they death roll as well. 
I would be surprised if you still have ghost shrimp still in the tank as they are a favorite food. They will quite happly take frozen bloodworm/mussel if you dont want to feed live food (they grow fast on this).
They will also try to eat anything that can (and sometimes can't) fit in their mouths. 
If you like the bichir try a rope/reed fish (make sure you have a tight lid on your tank though)
The sengalus was a good choice as they dont get too big (the ornate bichir can get huge)
You will be limited in the choice of tank mates with these guys as they are very good hunters (mine were kept with large ciclids)


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## msjinkzd (May 12, 2007)

I don't thinka 28g bowfront will be big enough long term for a senegal.

*edit* sorry, should have read closer.

A 55g will be fine for a senegal for life. Please be extremely cautious to have the lid well sealed and possibly lightly weighted as it gets a little bigger, they are notorious for escaping.

As for appropriate tankmates as it grows, really anything that is too big for it to eat. As an upper jaw species, this si much easier to accomplish than with the lower jaw polypterus species.

Full bodied mid-sized to large cichlids work well as do other primitive fish. Polys are actualy pretty social with each other. If you picked up a few more, I think you would enjoy their dogpiling behavior. They lay on top of each other and are quite cute.

As for teh guppies, they will absolutely relish the live food. 

I have 4 polypterus endlicheri endlicheri nearing 2' each and a polypterus ornatapinnis nearly 19". I have had them for amost 5 years now and they are totally my favorite fish because of behavior and looks.


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## BostonMike (Oct 20, 2011)

msjinkzd said:


> I don't thinka 28g bowfront will be big enough long term for a senegal.
> 
> *edit* sorry, should have read closer.
> 
> ...



I kind of like the idea of him being a sole stalker at the bottom, although are they a social fish? I'd hate for him to be lonely.. and I dont mean hippy cat lady "ohh hes lonely" i mean like.. my gf's sugar glider that NEEDED companionship LOL it died 

COngrats on yours getting so big - where are the pics!?!?


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## msjinkzd (May 12, 2007)

i just posted some in my forum  But here is one to tease you with:








this one shows their social behavior:








They are fine alone, but neat together.


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## robbowal (Mar 27, 2011)

msjinkzd said:


> i just posted some in my forum  But here is one to tease you with:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


msjinkzd
Those are some nice fat healthy polys you have there.
+1 on them being better together (they are always fun to watch)


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## msjinkzd (May 12, 2007)

Thanks  I got them at about 4" about 5 years ago. The largest is abotu 26", smallest endli is about 22". Ornate is pushing 19". They share a tank with a 22" tropical gar and a red bay snook. I have a cuban gar at 11" growing out to join them  

Primitive fishes are one of my passions as well as invertebrates and nanofish.

HUGE or teeny, my two favorites!


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## robbowal (Mar 27, 2011)

Was very tempted to get a Channa bleheri (stunning fish) recently but i would need to set a tank just for them (not possible at the moment) but my LFS can get them fairly regularly so they are planned for the future.


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## toddnbecka (Sep 4, 2006)

A bicher would clear out a tankful of guppies rather quickly. I had a 40 gallon tank that was overcrowded with endler's, probably 1,000 or more with all the fry. I brought home a baby Carapo knife fish (~6") and dropped it into the 40. In roughly about a month the knife had doubled in size, and there were less than 2 dozen endler's remaining.


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