# Polypterus delhezi (Bichir) with Mbuna Cichlids?



## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

Hi everyone!

I recently got a Polypterus delhezi, aka tiger bichir. I've kept them with arowana before, but never with cichlids, and I'm kinda new to cichlids.

Just want to know, has anyone successfully kept a bichir with Mbuna cichlids? And what are your thoughts on that?

I've know that the Bichir perfers live / frozen meaty food and is a predatory fish. But I also know that cichlids are aggressive fish and will get too big for the Bichir to eat them, but I don't know if the clichlids (Mbuna) i have in my tank will harass the Bichir? :-?

Do you guys think I can feed shrimp to the Bichir without the cichlids stealing its food?

I guess it would be quite difficult to keep the cichlids away from the food and also I don't want to feed the cichlids that much meat... Currently feeding them a combo of Omega One veggie and Tetra pro colour.

Oh one more thing, will cichlids (Mbuna) eat live fish? for example, guppies? The reason i ask is the Bichir really like live fish that they can hunt... :?

Thanks!!! opcorn:


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## Murkin (Jan 5, 2012)

i wouldn't try it. Mbuna are curious by nature and will try and test the bichirs, who will most likely freak out triggering a chase reaction from the mbuna. the end result will be too much stress for the bichirs


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

The mbuna will attempt to eat any guppies you put in the tank. Chances are they will get them before the birchir. They will also get whatever shrimp you put in the tank. Personally I'd go with Synodontis instead.


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## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

At the moment the cichlids are totally ignoring the bichir. Some swim right to it and takes a look then goes on with its business. .. some food pellets were next to the bichir and one of my hongis just cleaned everything up and around the bichir and it never even flinched.

Yeah I guessed that the cichlids would eat anything think is food. I might just have to hand feed the bichir to try give it a chance. And try prevent the mbuna from eating too much meat.

One thing I have to say, cichlids are amazing. Have so much personality, always busy. . And you could almost tell who is who by their behaviour alone.

Ok back to the bichir, I understand that having a catfish aka synos are better but I think the bichir can succeed in the tank. They are really passive chilled out fish and wouldnt cause trouble and will defend itself if necessary.

But is there anyone that has successfully kept bichir and mbuna together until full adulthood? I have seen posts with Oscars and the bigger cichlids, but non with mbuna.


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## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

Oh, here is the lil fella.










He's about 3 inches long now, and my biggest mbuna is the hongi about 2.5 in.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The stories I have read over the years have been either short term (less than 2 years) or not successful.


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## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

OIC, 

Is it because the cichlids harasse the Bichir? or the Bichir eating the cichlids?

I think in the meantime I will keep them together to see what will happen, will keep everyone updated. :thumb:


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

I tried one under the poor advice of my LFS. I made them guarantee that they would take it back for full credit though if the mbuna wouldnt deal with it. Well, I acclimated it and the rusties in less than twelve hours bit him so bad that you could see blood on him. Needless to say, he was returned to the LFS the next day.


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## Murkin (Jan 5, 2012)

and that storiy is about rusties (some of the more peaceful mbuna). The Hongi grow larger and are more aggressive...


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## KingPiccolo SB (Oct 12, 2012)

I have kept a polypterus senegalus (very similar to yours) with cichlids for over a year now and there has only been one problem, he doesn't get any food when i put it in, so the method i found to work out the best is to put in a few pellets after you turn off the lights and he'll be able to snatch them up no problem. I bet it would work with guppies too.

I only had two mbuna and they were both rusties so your tank my be a bit different.


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## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

Ok, Just to update you guys on how the Bichir is doing with the Mbunas.

They are the greatest of friends, no one bothers no one and when it comes to feeding time, the Bichir will wait just beneath the surface of the water where i feed them. He's eating what i feed to the cichlids and the cichlids seems ok with him being around during chow time. :thumb:

He's is starting to get big now, actually more fat / bulkier. He's around 5inch long now.

Oh, a couple of weeks ago I got some small Afras, around an inch or so... got five of them, now only 4 remains. Found out that the Bichir hunted the smallest one and had it in its mouth. it eventually ate it after a day. =D>

But now i've learnt that not to get tooo small fish.

Other than that incident, they are all coexisting quite nicely. The bichir loves to chill with the "Boss" of the tank, Hongi, in his cave 

I'll keep you guys updated if something funny happens.

In the meantime, there is the lil guy striking a pose! :wink:


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Not to sound like a jerk, but it seems to me they aren't friends at all if the bichir is eating your cichlids. It will grow larger soon, and the next smallest fish will be on the menu.


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## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

It's cool.

Actually, that Afra was already not doing too well. Bought the 5 Afras from the LFS, but this one that got chowed was the weak one out of the five. It was their last 5, so I go them all.

Yeah I know it's not cool that the Bichir can eat them, but I have 1inch Yellow labs in the tank, and they just swim by and around the Bichir with no trouble.

Sorry if "feeding" the cichlid to the Bichir is a no no  ... but I feel that a tank should be a "survival of the fittest, smartest and strongest". :wink:


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## daninflorida (Sep 7, 2010)

Chongkie said:


> It's cool.
> 
> Sorry if "feeding" the cichlid to the Bichir is a no no  ... but I feel that a tank should be a "survival of the fittest, smartest and strongest". :wink:


its not survival of the fittest...its survival of the fish that is big enough to eat the other fish. not exactly the intent of keeping an aquarium. the idea is to put compatible fish together, not to feed them to each other. if you want to see fish get eaten buy piranha and feeder fish and enjoy.


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## Chongkie (Jun 7, 2013)

Ok, my bad. My intention is not to "feed" cichlids to him intentionally, since im generally keeping a mbuna tank, not a bichir tank. And no, it's not about enjoying or having fun when the bichir chowed that cichlid. I mearly informed you all that has happened.

I have done lots of research and found that cichlids would do more harm to the bichir, but thought if they all co existed whilst they are young, and grow up together, they should do fine. Once all grown up, the cichlids will be too big for the bichir anyways.

To my own defence Bichir are african fish, yeah not from Malawi area but still African. And even found in or near lake Tanganyika. It's still better than some people keeping SA cichlids with African cichlids.

Sorry if I did upset some sensitive people regarding the meal that my bichir had.


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## daninflorida (Sep 7, 2010)

Chongkie said:


> but thought if they all co existed whilst they are young, and grow up together, they should do fine.


doesn't really work that way with fish. they don't have the intelligence to form relationships, etc. This works for higher animals like mammals (i.e. a dog raising a lion cub, etc) who can form relationships. Fish do not have brains that can function this highly. If a fish is a carnivore and there is another fish that fits in his mouth, its going to eat it eventually. doesn't matter that they grew up together for 2 years. once that other fish is big enough its gonna happen. you might be able to hold it off for a while by keeping the larger fish full, but eventually its going to happen


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## testeve (Sep 17, 2012)

daninflorida said:


> Chongkie said:
> 
> 
> > but thought if they all co existed whilst they are young, and grow up together, they should do fine.
> ...


While this may be true for the most part. I had some Oscars a long time ago. Bought them at 1". Had them for over 5 years. One jumped out of the tank and died, and the remaining Oscar went into a depression. Stopped eating, stayed in the corner and died several days later. Water parameters were perfect. These fish were a bonded pair and had obviously formed some sort if strong relationship.


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## NestoJR (Sep 13, 2012)

It's your tank, your money, your loss so don't be sorry, do as you wish. It's a learning process and fish die for various reasons. In the end, we're all trying to entertain ourselves with fish in glass cages so do what pleases you.


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## munger22391 (Sep 12, 2013)

I have a 55g tank that has mbuna and 2 senegal bichirs and a ropefish that have all lived together without any problem for almost a year and a half. the cichlids act like the bichirs and ropefish dont exist and now my bichirs are 10" and 8" and my ropefish is over a foot and my 8 cichlids are all around 5" and they still live peacefully and dont bother eachother at all. feeding is a bit harder then I would have hoped but I just use a long piece of pvc pipe and let some hikari carnivore pellets sink to the bottom and wait until one of the bichirs is near and lift up the pipe so they can eat it quick and I just hand feed my ropefish worms so he is pretty easy


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