Zebra Pike cichlid and Ornate bichir

[Colby Webre]

So I have a ornate bichir and a zebra pike cichlid separated in my current 125 gallon tank. Im wondering if yall could help me decide if I should remove the barrier between them yet. My pike cichlid is probably about 4.5 inches and the ornate bichir is about 2 years old so he is like 9-10 inches and as wide as my thumb. Do yall think I should keep them separated. Also do you think the pike will grow faster than the bichir is currently? Ive had the pike for about 3 months and hes grown from being like 2.5 inches long to about like 4.5. (The intake he is next to is exactly 2.5 inches wide and 5.3 inches tall for reference)

 

[tlindsey]

So I have a ornate bichir and a zebra pike cichlid separated in my current 125 gallon tank. Im wondering if yall could help me decide if I should remove the barrier between them yet. My pike cichlid is probably about 4.5 inches and the ornate bichir is about 2 years old so he is like 9-10 inches and as wide as my thumb. Do yall think I should keep them separated. Also do you think the pike will grow faster than the bichir is currently? Ive had the pike for about 3 months and hes grown from being like 2.5 inches long to about like 4.5. (The intake he is next to is exactly 2.5 inches wide and 5.3 inches tall for reference)

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I suggest waiting for pike to grow larger. At the size the pike is now the Ornate could easily swallow it down.

 

[kno4te]

I’d let the zebrinus get bigger. Any tankmates with the ornate?

 

[Colby Webre]

Nope Ive had an oscar and a green terror and he never bothered them. Ive also never fed it anything other than pellets. Just to be clear, they are in the same tank, just separated by a barrier I made. Bichir had 2/3 of the tank and pike has 1/3. they are the only 2 fish i have.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

They are both beautiful fish, Colby Webre@!

 

[aquaticeye]

great fish

 

[Simonas]

Lovely fish

I wouldnt trust that pike with the ornate yet, bichirs are such idiots when it comes to eating fish, I have lost pike before to my bichirs and those zebrina are too pricey to make that mistake

 

[duanes]

One of the biggest problems with keeping communities of similar 2 species together, is that because they have similar looks, and similar shape, this means they have similar requirements, similar feeding strategies, so often see each other as competing for the same resources, so end up as territorial rivals.

I find i is better to combine very different body shaped, and mouth shaped fish together in the same tank to eliminate competition, and conflict.
You may like similar looking fish, but they often see these similar species as enemies to be vanquished.

To save myself grief when combining species, I find opposites often lead to a more peaceful and successful community tank.

Of course as a result I ended up with at least 20 tanks running 24/7.