Anyone know about a Senegal Bichir??

I've been offered a Senegal Bichir ($60 fish) for free. The person who had it was going to put it with community fish. Oops.

Anyway, I'm thinking about putting it in my African cichlid tank since I have plenty of hiding places and it's a 55 gallon tank (as opposed to the 20g it's in now). The research I've done indicates that they don't grow very quickly and they only grow to around 12 inches in domestic tanks anyway. So the question is, would it be ok with my African cichlids? Most of my cichlids are about 4 inches now, and the bichir is pretty small. Long term, the bichir might want to eat the cichlids, but by then they should be full grown and too big. Short term, might the cichlids be too aggressive for the bichir while it's young?

All the stuff I read says "don't keep with small fish" but never mentions a recommended minimum size.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Hi gravity, I'm not really famaliar with the name or term Senegal Bichir. Many times a distributor will make up a name to make the fish a little more appealing saleswise. This is how you see one fish with several different names. Example Blue Tetra, Blueberry Tetra, Fruit Tetra
You might check this link for a little more detailed information on Bichirs
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Species ... r%20bichir

Fishbase.org has the most detailed information that I have found.

 

Apparently they're also called Cuvier's Bichir, with the scientific name Polypterus Senegalus.

I've found some more info and it mostly says that despite its size, if another fish won't fit in its mouth the bichir won't try to force it in like an Oscar would. I don't think that would be a problem.

I guess the only other issue I'd face is putting in meatier foods for him but keeping my mbuna away from his food long enough for him to eat it. I've read about a few people who feed theirs shrimp pellets, and since that's what I feed my mbuna as their staple... maybe that'll work out. Or maybe I rig a feeding tube of sorts to where he establishes his hideout.

I'm not sure I could turn down this fish....

 

Senegal Bichir is the right name. I wouldnt mix it with africans. Africans are far to agressive IMO. Bichirs arnt really agressive at all they are just preditors and will eat what can fit in their mouth. Not a good idea IMO

 

i agree with m_wn on that