Hello all, I'm new here so let me preface. About a month ago my 90 gallon basically snapped in half and burst causing a whole mess, and it took me 3 weeks to get a replacement 125 and I still need money to pay for the mold that that mess had caused, I'm a college student mind you. I had in that tank, a 9" fire eel, 2 senegal bichir, 3 Angelfish, a 13" inch tiretrack eel, and a endlicheri bichir that is about 14 inches or so. Before in that tank my endli did absolutely nothing and was gorgeous, but when I got my 125 she all of a sudden tried taking bites out of everything new that I had added to that tank, including a large blood parrot, 2 bala sharks which she ate. I intend to add Geos and a starry night to my 125 but shes in a mean streak and tries to take bites out of everyone now, including the senegals who she was fine with previously. Im so confused and I've had her for so long, I'm attached to her quite a bit. I've placed her in a 60 gallon tub for the time being but is there any reasoning for this? She's been pellet fed her entire life but shes eaten some fish here and there when she was younger, like some large congo tetras... Would putting her on silversides satiate her or am I really going to have to sell her? Thank you for reading this!
Endlicheri Bichir all of a sudden very predatory?
- Thread starter NormieHunter
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- bichir bichir aggression
I recently had been given a great answer about Cichlids and aggressive behavior after years of mild to absolutely terror in the aquarium. As some fish mature they become intolerable of tankmates. The Endlicheri is becoming snappy and territorial.
Btw I don't trust Endlicheri with CB Senegalus had 2 eaten yrs ago by the Endli I still have.
It could be the new environment that has changed its personality. In the old tank, it was settled in there as its home with the other fish it probably grew up with. It accepted them as suitable tankmates in that tank. In the new aquarium, everything is different, and maybe it won't accept all of its tankmates from the old tank. Personally, I wouldn't keep an endlicheri bichir with a senegal long term. While I've never tried this mix, I once tried to add a 10" senegal with a 19" ornate bichir. The ornate went after the senegal every opportunity it had, so I ended up getting rid of the senegal. Granted, the ornate did not grow up with the senegal which is not the scenario I'm getting from you, but I still, I think the chances of success with this mix long term is slim.
All of this said, currently, I have a 20-21 inch endlicheri bichir in a 300g. I've had it since it was 2 inches. While it is generally peaceful, and I've never given it feeders, it has taken down bala sharks I thought were too large to be eaten. So, then, a few months ago, I bought two 9" bala sharks and put them in the 300g, and there are no problems. They are way too big to be considered food. Now,I'm growing out several more balas in my 55 to add when they get big enough. So, now, whenever I add a fish to the tank, I just make sure it's way too big to be considered food, and the bichir leaves it alone.
Finally, getting back to your bichir situation; I have an 11" endlicheri bichir I'm also growing out in my 55. I'll add it to my 300g with the 20-21 incher once it gets about 15" just to be safe. If you want to add another bichir to your tank, I'd try and find an ornate or another endlicheri bichir in the 12-16 inch range to put with your 14 incher.
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I may probably either sell her, or perhaps keep her in a seperate tank until all the other tankmates are large enough to not be seen as an issue, but those tankmates include geos and a starry night cichlid so who knows how long that could be. What a situation I'm in
I've personally given away fish I liked but turned aggressive to keep me sane.I may probably either sell her, or perhaps keep her in a seperate tank until all the other tankmates are large enough to not be seen as an issue, but those tankmates include geos and a starry night cichlid so who knows how long that could be. What a situation I'm in
Those cichlids should be fine with your endlicheri as long as they are too big to be considered food.I may probably either sell her, or perhaps keep her in a seperate tank until all the other tankmates are large enough to not be seen as an issue, but those tankmates include geos and a starry night cichlid so who knows how long that could be. What a situation I'm in
