Delhezi Bichirs in a Tanganyika 150g?

[Madding]

Has anyone kept bichirs with their cichlids before? I wanted some real, human feedback before investing too much time with research. There would be two delhezi bichirs in a 150 gallon, about 5 inches each (will probably max out around 8-12) with a small school of cichlids. Tank is sanded out with a lot of rock and driftwood, and there would be caves furnished for the Bichirs if I got them.

Sorry, I'm not sure what type of cichlids yet but probably smaller-end cichlids. I have one female Cyprichromis leptosoma that I acquired through adoption so I might go that route if I can find more.

Would cichlids beat on the Bichirs? Would they become Bichir food?

 

[beblondie]

Many rift lake cichlids are to agressive to be suitable tankmates for bichirs.Check out the various riverine species of cichlids also avoid mixing male and female cichlids.They
can become very protective during mating and raising their fry-Anne

Research the below species
CICHLIDS *(see note)
Dicus-Symphysodon discus
Angelfish-Pterophyllum ssp.
Two-Spot Cichlid-Cichlasoma bimaculatum
Tilapia joka-Tilapia joka
Severum-Cichlasoma severum
Kribensis- Pelvicachromis pulcher
Sparkling Earth Eater-Satanoperca acuticeps
Blue acara-Aequidens pulchrus
Balzani's Earth Eater-Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Blue-Eye Cichlid-Cichlasoma spilurum
Festivum-Mesonauta festivus
African Peacock Cichlid-Aulonocara nyassae
Balzani's Earth Eater-Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Bandit Cichlid-Aequidens geayi
Blockhead Cichlid-Steatocranus casuarius
Callolepis Cichlid-Cichlasoma callolepis
Freiberg's Peacock Cichlid-Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
Keyhole Cichlid-Cleithracara maronii
Port Acara-Aequidens portalegrensis
Uaru- Uaru amphicanthiodes
Hemichromis
Pelvicachromis
*note :to avoid agression do not have breeding pairs

 

[Madding]

Thanks, that's one heck of a knowledgable starting point. I'll do some in-depth reading and make a decision when the tank finishes cycling.

 

[DrNo]

Madding, I have been there. You can read all about my "epic" bichir-in-the-Tang community experience here. In my case, it was a senegalus. Ornates are native to Tanganyika I believe:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179017&page=2&highlight=max+tang+frustration

My advice is don't.... and its for the health of the cichlids, not the bichir LOL. Most of us get our Tangs at smaller size or as juvies to keep them affordable and watch them grow. The bichir will try to make a snack of them.... trust me

 

[7itanium]

you could put a couple bichir with yellow lab cichlids.. they are by far the least agressive african that I know of.. they are almost a community fish

 

[Madding]

Wow, thanks guys. Vader, I got lost in time and space and ended up reading that entire thread! Talk about absorbing, lol.

This is about where I started changing my mind:

Don't try this at home.

Lol.

Well the Bichirs are almost guaranteed to be in the tank, and I don't want to risk feeding them beautiful Tangs, so I think it will just be an aggressive oddball tank. Like I said, I have the single female Cyprichromis leptosoma who is here to stay, but she's about 3.2 inches and pretty tough. I'm going to have to risk her.

She's currently in a 16G QT tank with a Fat Sleeper "Jade Goby" who is about twice her size in length and three times as wide, and she hasn't taken any crap from him (he's eaten fish bigger than her), so I'm thinking she'll be okay. Maybe the Goby will keep her safe from the Bichirs.

The Yellow Labs would almost certainly become Jade Goby food. I'm trying to keep everything over three inches. Unfortunately I have a random conglomeration of aggressive fish that need the bigger house, so the tank cannot be themed for one biotype or else it will be like Godzilla attacking China whenever Jade Goby comes out to play.

I hate when reality dawns after an idea gets you excited. Time to pull the plug on this one, heh.

 

[beblondie]

You'll be suprised but I have another list of possibilities these are basicly plant eater and can help with algae control
List#1 CICHLIDS
This is by no means a complete list of possibilities but I feel its a good starting point
for you to do research from.Some of the below might be hard to find localy this is where
online sellers and also the American Cichlid Association should be helpful.
Astatotilipia burtoni-Burton mouth-brooder(males 4.5 inches)
Astatotilipia brownae-Browns Mouthbroder-((4.5")
Astatotilipia Nubia-(5")
Cheilochromis euchilus-Big-lipped-chcilid (12")
Ophthalmotilipia ventralis(6")
Ophthalmotilipia boops-(5")
Anomalchromis thomasi-African butterfly cichlid (males 4")
Pseudotropheus tropheops-Golden tropheops-(6")
Pseudotropheus barlowi-(6")
Oreochromis mossambicus-Mozambique Mouth-broooder (4-15.5")
Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis-Baringo Nile Tilipia-(12-14")
Oreochromis niloticus niloticus-Nile tilapia-(12-14")
Oreochromis pangani pangani-(20")
Oreochromis spilurus niger-(12")
Oreochromis spilurus spilurus-(20")
Oreochromis tanganicae-(15")
Tilipia mariae -(12.5")
Tilipia sparmanii-Sparmans tilapia-(8")
Tilipia guinasana-Guinastilipia-(7")
Tropheus duboisi -White-spotted chiclid(4.5")
Tropheus moorii-(6")
Tropheus polli-(6")
Tropheus brichardi-Blue-Eyed Tropheus-(4.5")
Neochromis nigricans-(4.5")
Petrochromis famula-(6")
Petrochromis orthognathus-(6")
Pseudosimochromis curvifrons-Thick-headed pseudosimchromis-(7")
Sarotherodon melagaster-Black-throat tilipia-(8")
Sarotherodon galilaeus-(15")
Sarotherodon lohbergeri-(8")
Asprotilipia leptura-(4.5")
Maravichromis formosus-(5.5")
Haplochromis taeniolata-Spindle hap-(5")
Steatocranus irvinei-(6")
Thorichthys socoloff-(5")
Cyprichromis pavo-(6")

 

[7itanium]

The Yellow Labs would almost certainly become Jade Goby food. I'm trying to keep everything over three inches.

umm... yellow labs get 7" long lol

I have some that are 6" long and are only 4 months old

 

[7itanium]

FYI im talking about
Labidochromis caeruleus


AKA "yellow lab" or "electric Yellow" cichlid

 

[Madding]

I'm a cichlid noob, sorry. I was thinking of something else. If I could find some bigger yellow labs I might look into them. They'd look great against the substrate and stones I've got set up and my beast in QT ignores anything it can't eat. I'll check the LFS tomorrow, are they usually pricey?

By the way, blondie, I didn't miss your second list. Thanks for assembling those, they aren't going unnoticed and I'm going to save this thread regardless of what happens with my 150g, because I -do- plan on having a cichlid tank at some point.