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Ornate Bichirs tank mates ?


Squirelad
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Hello my fabulous fish keeper fam.

I've had these 2 Ornate Bichirs ( M&F ) for the last few years in my 45g, knowing they can reach up to 2 ft. and a 90g is minimum size tank to house them I still want to add some more tank mates mainly gouramis ( Pearl ) just a pair to see how they get along but the forums I've read recommend larger fish i.e. Oscars, Black Knife, etc... has anyone else kept these wonderful fish with other types of tank mates ( that didn't get nipped or out competed for food ). My pair are healthy with good appetites ( asstd. frozen foods and pellets ) I think one more year till they have to be re-homed. I set up a 5g for quarantining this week added a cycled sponge from the 45g along with a most ball and a bit of alt, I have 2 of the med trio for now and I have to big box pet stores near me so next weekend I'd like to be choosing the tank mates so what you say all.

20210609_182223.jpg

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From here those look like senegals. Are you sure they're ornates? It might just be my old lady eyes.

Ornate bichir:

73131026483768cd036ce28ab57910db.jpg.ad088cc3d3decbaf34be1bbfc915679c.jpg

 

Anyways, here's a popular list of possible tank mates for bichirs. Your miles may vary on getting everyone to get along. Basically, you can try anything that gets over 3 inches, preferably bigger. With a 90 gal, you have a lot of options.

Albert's Synodontis -Synodontis alberti
Angelicus -Synodontis angelicus
Big-Eyed Synodontis- Synodontis pleurops
Brichard's Synodontis- Synodontis brichardi
Cuckoo Synodontis -Synodontis multipunctatus
Decorated Synodontis- Synodontis decorus
Featherfin Synodontis- Synodontis eupterus
Moustache Synodontis- Synodontis membranaceus
One-Spot Synodontis- Synodontis notatus
Payne's Synodontis- Mochokiella paynei
Striped Synodontis- Synodontis flavitaeniatus
Upside-Down Catfish -Synodontis nigriventris
Lace Catfish- Synodontis nigrita
Liver Catfish-Heteropneustes fossilis
Black Lancer-Bagrichthys hypselopterus


PLECOS
Bristlenose-Ancistrus dolichopterus


CHARACINS
Silver dollar-Metynnis argenteus
Distichodus notospilus-Distichodus notospilus
Congo tetra-Phenacogrammus interruptus
Black-Barred Myleus-Myleus schomburgki
Filament tetra-Bryconaethiop microstoma


LABYRINTH FISHES
Ctenopoma .acutirostre-Ctenopoma .acutirostre
Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus-Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus
Ctenopoma kingsleyae-Ctenopoma kingsleyae


CYPRINIDS
Bala Shark-Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Red-Finned Cigar Shark-Leptobarbus hoevenii
Tinfoil Barb-Barbodes schwanefeldii
Chinese Algae Eater-Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Clown Loach-Botia macracantha


MISC.
African mudfish-Phractolaemus ansorgei
Black Ghost Knifefish -Apteronotus albifrons
Elephantnose-Gnathonemus petersii
African butterfly-Pantondon bucholzi
African Knifefish-Xenomystus nigri

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/10/2021 at 10:15 AM, H.K.Luterman said:

From here those look like senegals. Are you sure they're ornates? It might just be my old lady eyes.

Ornate bichir:

73131026483768cd036ce28ab57910db.jpg.ad088cc3d3decbaf34be1bbfc915679c.jpg

 

Anyways, here's a popular list of possible tank mates for bichirs. Your miles may vary on getting everyone to get along. Basically, you can try anything that gets over 3 inches, preferably bigger. With a 90 gal, you have a lot of options.

Albert's Synodontis -Synodontis alberti
Angelicus -Synodontis angelicus
Big-Eyed Synodontis- Synodontis pleurops
Brichard's Synodontis- Synodontis brichardi
Cuckoo Synodontis -Synodontis multipunctatus
Decorated Synodontis- Synodontis decorus
Featherfin Synodontis- Synodontis eupterus
Moustache Synodontis- Synodontis membranaceus
One-Spot Synodontis- Synodontis notatus
Payne's Synodontis- Mochokiella paynei
Striped Synodontis- Synodontis flavitaeniatus
Upside-Down Catfish -Synodontis nigriventris
Lace Catfish- Synodontis nigrita
Liver Catfish-Heteropneustes fossilis
Black Lancer-Bagrichthys hypselopterus


PLECOS
Bristlenose-Ancistrus dolichopterus


CHARACINS
Silver dollar-Metynnis argenteus
Distichodus notospilus-Distichodus notospilus
Congo tetra-Phenacogrammus interruptus
Black-Barred Myleus-Myleus schomburgki
Filament tetra-Bryconaethiop microstoma


LABYRINTH FISHES
Ctenopoma .acutirostre-Ctenopoma .acutirostre
Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus-Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus
Ctenopoma kingsleyae-Ctenopoma kingsleyae


CYPRINIDS
Bala Shark-Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Red-Finned Cigar Shark-Leptobarbus hoevenii
Tinfoil Barb-Barbodes schwanefeldii
Chinese Algae Eater-Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Clown Loach-Botia macracantha


MISC.
African mudfish-Phractolaemus ansorgei
Black Ghost Knifefish -Apteronotus albifrons
Elephantnose-Gnathonemus petersii
African butterfly-Pantondon bucholzi
African Knifefish-Xenomystus nigri

I was thinking a school of Congo tetras 4-6 but their needs are more than I'm willing to maintain right now, thank you for the list though most of these I would like to house one day especially the synodontis.

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On 6/20/2021 at 8:08 PM, Squirelad said:

I was thinking a school of Congo tetras 4-6 but their needs are more than I'm willing to maintain right now, thank you for the list though most of these I would like to house one day especially the synodontis. BTW they are more Senegal then Ornate.

 

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