u/calamity_blues

hello, kind people of the bichir reddit! i've been seriously considering getting a bichir as i absolutely adore them and because they look like they would scratch both my fish and reptile itch. i have experience keeping predatory fish (mainly oscars and various large south american and african cichlids) but it's been a few years and since there is so much contradictory information online i decided that it would be best to compile my list of questions and ask in here.

• i more or less have my heart set on a non-albino senegal so i am trying to plan for 30 inches give or take as an adult. i'm looking to move into a bigger home in the next year or so which ideally means a much larger tank with some bichir friends for the first fellar. my plan has been to have a tank (and accompanying support, if need be) custom made as i simply haven't been able to find any with a footprint to my liking. would a 100cm x 40cm x 60cm (240 litre / ~63 US gal) tank with about a two inch gap between the waterline and lid be suitable for a juvenile and will they outgrow it quickly? (i'm assume it's more a question of "when" rather than "if"). will it take less than a year, ie. before i have the chance to move and upgrade? would it be too cruel to keep a lone bichir until i set up a community tank?
• what kind of tank decor would make them the happiest? plenty of hiding places are certainly a top priority and i'd like to plant the tank if possible. would a layer of soil capped with slightly course sand by okay? is there a substrate that would be better? i have a particular soft spot for blackwater tanks; would that be something that i can consider? are bioactive tanks safe and beneficial for bichir? are there any kinds of substrate, decorations (aside from anything sharp), or plants i should avoid? is there anything specific you guys have found your bichir to really enjoy that i could implement?
• originally i was told they would likely refuse anything other than live food but i've gained the sneaking suspicion that's not entirely true. still, i'd like to be able to provide a potential friend with the best kind of care. i am distrusting of bought feeder fish and thus i am committed to setting up another few tanks to breed fish even if that won't exclusively be their diet. i'm thinking livebearers for obvious reasons, perhaps endler's or guppies, and i know meals should be thiaminase-free. would this be okay to feed, even if just occasionally? if there something else i should rather be feeding? what else can i add to the menu regardless of cost / impracticality?

aside from all of those things, i'll set up some kind of strong filtration system that doesn't generate a too much of a current and adequate heating to keep the tank stable at 25°C / 77°F (if that's the right temperature?). i am outside of the US and do live in a quite isolated area so advice on certain brands might be obsolete but if i have the option to import it, i will. thank you to anyone who's taken the time to read this post and any guidance, even regarding things i didn't include here, would be much, much, much appreciated!

edit: spelling