dinosaur eel

[cathyphillips]

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I need some general info on the dinosaur eel. Are they aggressive? What do they like to eat? etc.

[Raskolnikov]

You'll have better luck looking them up as "Polypterus senegalus".

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/poly-sen.htm

Mine is definately one of my favorite fish. If you have room for one I'd highly recommend one.

[WinterWind]

Whoa that fish/eel looks very cool...

[StreetCypher]

Senegals are the most commonly available bichirs. Generally the most active species, it maxs out around 1 foot. Not aggressive, but predatory, will eat smaller fish. Min tank size is IMO 55g, or a smaller volume tank with long and wide dimensions. Jumpers, so all holes must be covered.

They require high protein diets (like all preds). They pretty much accept a wide variety of food. I feed my bichirs raw prawns, raw fish, superworms, carnivore pellets, squid and silversides. Juveniles will eat the same thing as adults except in smaller pieces.

[cohazard]

The senegalus bichir is a hardy species, and can even be kept in a carefully stocked community tank, as long as none of the other fish can fit into it's mouth.

Mine love live ghost shrimp, live worms, freeze dried tubifex worms, shrimp pellets, feeder fish, chopped up hot dogs, etc...

They do get large though, and should be kept in at least a 55g with larger fish. They're not aggressive in the context of chasing any fish they encounter like a cichlid would, but they will eat anything smaller than their mouths.

They grow fast when fed a good daily diet, which should be high in protein.

Check out aquaticpredators.com for more info. You can also ask me questions if you'd like, since I have 2, a regular senegalus, and an albino senegalus.


HTH,
Serg

[Veneer]

Whoa that fish/eel looks very cool...

A minor note: eels are fish, and bichirs, while anguilliform, do not fall in the latter category. The nine species of Polypterus and Erpetoichthys (ropefish) are so-called "primitive fish", and are distinguished by a stocky, snake-like profile, possession of a lung-like swimbladder, ganoid scales, fleshy pectoral fins, protruding nostrils, and the titular "many fins" lining their backs.

[cohazard]

I started liking them because they reminded me of a coelacanth, lol.




Serg

[Oddball~]

They are by far, my favorite bichir. They are very carnivorous, and grow to about one foot. I suggest keeping them with some other large carnivorous things like oscars or arowanas. They also fare well with adult clown loaches!