Companion for bichirs?

[SoBe_fish]

UPGRADE!!! I saw a 55 gallon tank for sale on craiglist with the stand and all annnnnd needless to say the price was irresistable. So I got it!

I know for a fact I want a firemouth and I'm thinking a yellow lab.. (<- is that okay with the firemouth?) maybe a peacock (too aggressive???) and wanted any more suggestions (yes the bichirs will be moved to the 55)

I know Anne gave me a good list but a lot of the fish I looked up get kind of...huge..would they outgrow the tank?? Or am I just being a total noob?

 

[SoBe_fish]

I meant to edit the message above but...couldnt figure out how (the edit button disappeared?)

I'm now editing again! (Sorry for those of you who just read this 10 minutes ago ^^')

I've been looking around and noticed a lot of people with bichirs like "oddball" tanks...It sounds really cool! But I dont want my fish limited to just the rare fish, I was thinking leaf fish, or butterfly fish.

(And I really want a catfish of some sort....so if you have any suggestions, please share =^.^= )

 

[Lupin]

Firemouths are fine but I would not mix them with yellow labs. No can do with African cichlids. What leaf fish are you talking about? The South American or the Ctenopoma? Butterfly fish is fine. So are synodontis, doradids and plecos provided the species you get will not outgrow the 55g.

 

[Punnet]

mine does well with discus

 

[SoBe_fish]

Ctenopoma was the leaf fish I was referring to. Can firemouths and the ctenopomas go together? Will they bite the fins of the butterfly fish?

Sorry for all the questions, but I really dont want to screw up this tank.

*Would discus be okay in a 55? If so, how many?

-my tank measurements are 48 inches long, 24 inches high, 13 inches wide-

 

[reptileguy2727]

24" high sounds like a 65, 55s are 21" high.

Discus should be in a school of 5 or 6, making a 55 minimum. So yes, but the tank would have to be devoted to them so other fish would have to be selected very carefully.

 

[SoBe_fish]

I know if I got discus there would be the two bichirs in there, and a bristlenose. Does that sound stocked enough?

If I added a synodontis eupterus would that be pushing it? (I just read that discus like the water to be 82-84 degrees, will the bichirs be okay in that temp.?)

 

[reptileguy2727]

Bichirs are in general too aggressive of eaters to be with discus most of the time. As they grow in all likelihood the discus will end up being bitten by the bichirs. I would skip out on discus in your setup. Other choices are spotted silver dollars, giant danios, peacocks cichlids of Lake Malawi, and other carefully selected cichlids.

 

[Lupin]

If you still opt for cichlids, there are severums, acaras and angelfish aside from firemouths.

 

[reptileguy2727]

Angels' long fins will probably end up in the bichirs' mouths.