I just picked up a dinosaur bichir I've had other eel like fish in the past (lost my peacock eel to ich last month) any advice on water changes and foods the lfs told me they feed them blood worms will they eat flakes pellets or frozen brine?
Dinosaur bichir
- Thread starter Smokefire1
- Start date
Congrats on your new Polypterus Senegalus! (I'm guessing this is your new specie, they are commonly known as Dino's)
The bichir is generally pretty hardy. They seem to like neutral to slightly acidic ph and your chemistry isn't real important as long as water quality is maintained. These creatures have very poor eyesight, and rely mostly on smell during feedings. They prefer meaty foods, although I have seen one chew on an algae waffer before, lol. I always fed mine, blood worms, prawns, earthworms, and feeder fish/shrimp. They are turned more to nocturnal feeding and become more active at dusk. Be aware that they will eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth, small sleeping fish near the bottom likely are midnight snacks for your bichir.
Hope this helps
The bichir is generally pretty hardy. They seem to like neutral to slightly acidic ph and your chemistry isn't real important as long as water quality is maintained. These creatures have very poor eyesight, and rely mostly on smell during feedings. They prefer meaty foods, although I have seen one chew on an algae waffer before, lol. I always fed mine, blood worms, prawns, earthworms, and feeder fish/shrimp. They are turned more to nocturnal feeding and become more active at dusk. Be aware that they will eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth, small sleeping fish near the bottom likely are midnight snacks for your bichir.
Hope this helps
Tifftastic
"With your powers combined . . ."
This is my favourite genus of fish and the one that got me into fish. They are quite great!
For water changes, that will depend on the size of your tank and the size of your fish along with your feeding regime, but typically once a week of 50% was my schedule until my guy got about 6 inches, at which time I was feeding him so much that I needed to do 75% changes.
I would definitely recommend beginning to train them onto pellets, bloodworms aren't the most nutritious thing to keep them on long term and they should be getting a variety. Frozen foods are good, but I would avoid brine shrimp as they just don't have enough nutritional value.
I'd like to add that its not just fish small enough to fit in their mouth, they are quite predatory and will eye up any fish that may be bitten small enough to fit in its mouth. I caught mine, when he was only 4 inches, eating a 3 inch rosy barb. . . so, don't underestimate them!
For water changes, that will depend on the size of your tank and the size of your fish along with your feeding regime, but typically once a week of 50% was my schedule until my guy got about 6 inches, at which time I was feeding him so much that I needed to do 75% changes.
I would definitely recommend beginning to train them onto pellets, bloodworms aren't the most nutritious thing to keep them on long term and they should be getting a variety. Frozen foods are good, but I would avoid brine shrimp as they just don't have enough nutritional value.
I'd like to add that its not just fish small enough to fit in their mouth, they are quite predatory and will eye up any fish that may be bitten small enough to fit in its mouth. I caught mine, when he was only 4 inches, eating a 3 inch rosy barb. . . so, don't underestimate them!
I have 2 sengal bichirs in a 180g with 3 spotted pictus catfish and 5 tinfoil barbs. My bichirs actually managed to capture and kill a tinfoil barb that was nearly 4 inches long, but they didn't eat it.
As for feeding them, mine will eat anything. Carnivore pellets, shrimp pellets, thawed frozen fare, algae wafers, etc. It always boggles me when people say their bichir is picky, because mine will eat anything. The only problem is getting food past the gluttonous tinfoils.
As for feeding them, mine will eat anything. Carnivore pellets, shrimp pellets, thawed frozen fare, algae wafers, etc. It always boggles me when people say their bichir is picky, because mine will eat anything. The only problem is getting food past the gluttonous tinfoils.
Right now he's in a rift lake cichlid tank seems to be doing well harder to feed in there but the only fish I've seen him get aggressive with is a yoyo loach that's 3 times his size that was trying to take over his cave and the cichlids seem to leave him alone so his temp home may become his permanent home
Tifftastic
"With your powers combined . . ."
I would strongly recommend against this. The cichlids are small now, but they grow at a much faster rate than the bichir and will be full grown in 4-6 months while the bichir will take literally years to reach even half his adult size. He's much slower moving and doesn't see as well as the cichlids, he will be out-competed for food and will be bullied as soon as the cichlids start claiming territory.