r/Bichirs

Hey everyone,

I need some advice on choosing between two tank setups for a bichir.

• Option 1: A 5.5ft x 1.5ft x 1ft tank. My neighbor is selling it to me very cheap.
• Option 2: A standard 4ft x 2ft x 2ft tank.

My thought process: Since bichirs are bottom dwellers, I feel like the 5.5ft tank is better. It gives a longer footprint for bottom-swimming space. The shallow 1ft height also means it is much easier for them to shoot up to the surface for a breath of air.

The catch: The 4ft tank actually holds significantly more total water volume (gallons) because of the extra width and depth, which means more stable water parameters. However, it has less linear length.

Which tank size would actually serve a growing bichir better long-term? Does the extra water volume of the 4x2x2 outweigh the footprint advantage of the shallow 5.5ft?

(For context, I am looking at keeping various types of Bichir species such as senegal, delhezi, ornate and endlicheri).

Hi everyone about 5 or 6 months ago I got two baby Senegals. They are kept in a 55 til they are big enough to need the 125. Recently Iv been noticing one of them has grown nice and thick and the other looks very emancipated and lethargic which is strange because i always watch to make sure everyone eats so i currently have him quarantined in his own tank ( 15 gal as he is only 4 inches long ) over the past couple days Iv been lightly feeding as to not make the issue worse and he has been eating what I put in there. Is this an issue of him needing to get his strength back and weight back so he can compete for food again or is there another possibility I’m missing ?

What would be better
(All females) Jack Dempsey two convicts
Or
Delhezi bichir
Would both of these work cause if so I’d go with the first one?

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