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From 20 to 55 gal(current project for my Gray Bichirs)

2K views 16 replies 3 participants last post by  thekoimaiden 
#1 ·
I don't have photos because my camera just won't take to them too well.

I've got a few videos to share of my babies, and over time videos of sorts.

When I started up my 20 gallon towards the end of it's life I took this video: Updated Aquarium(Polypterus senegalus, and Gyrinocheilus aymonier) - YouTube
The two Bichirs simply got too big for it and I had been in process of setting up their move to a bigger tank.

There used to be a Chinese Loach and they actually got along fantastic for the longest time. Then there was a fight and the loach got hurt. I relocated him to a temporary set up so he could heal in peace but he died. I'll miss the little tyke. I regret with all my being that I could not do the relocation fast enough for him.

Once I set it up and it was stable I shot this video: 7-8 Inch Gray Bichirs with Sarasa Comets - YouTube
The original two Sarasas I bought to try to cycle the tank (and I was hoping they would survive because they are absolutely beautiful) and they survived the cycle.

This is the most recent video: Sarasa Comets and Gray Bichirs (2 months in new tank) - YouTube
The tank has run well for 2 months now. Something happened during the week that I was gone and the three Sarasa grew in size (one much more than the other). The mostly white one with the red-orange patch was a unplanned addition. It was too big for the tank it was in where it was being sold and no one wanted it because he wasn't pretty enough. I think that's silly since he's plenty pretty enough in my eyes. This tank will not be getting in any more fish. I am keeping it at what it has. I still plan to put in a backdrop at some point and if I get a top that someone may be giving to me for free than I may make a switch to adding live plants since the Sarasa's will like that.

The tank is a 55 gallon (50 perhaps now that I think about it) and four feet long. It's a little too tall for Bichirs but they find their way fine to the top for gulps of air.

At somepoint in the future I hope to do a final upgrade to a 100 gallon and I would like to add in an African Knifefish.
 
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#3 ·
You mean the cave? That's neat. It's more than a decoration though. If you have young or mid-size African Knife fish they love to hide in it, and Bichirs seem to adore it too. I once removed it from the 20 gallon and left the log to give them more room but the moment they got relocated to the bigger tank I put the cave back in and it's as though they remembered it. They automatically swam off into it and have considered it their chill area since.
 
#5 ·
Cute. :3

My Sarasa's usually don't enter the cave since it's the Bichir's territory and they only tolerate each other inside of it.
That said I'm thinking of removing the log and putting something else in in it's place. I'm not sure what though.
 
#6 ·
I would just move it to the left side if the fish ever go in it and add more plants and a black background. ; )
 
#7 ·
Well one of the shyer of the two Bichir sometimes hang out in the log during the day. But the Comets never go inside. I may move it to the left a bit and re-organize the plants since the Sarasa have decided to root up some of the plastic ones in their everlasting quest to fill their piggy bellies.

I thought about getting a nice unique piece of wood or maybe a well formed root thing that I've seen some tanks have. Of course I will want to add more plants. I will add fake ones if I have to. I'd rather live. However that little five gallon light that sits long ways to add minimal lighting during the day won't support live plants.

I had someone offer to me 5 inch long Convict Fish. But with my size tank I can't take them in and I don't want to with what I've researched about their over-all behavior. The guy doesn't want to deal with his tank so he's probably going to donate them to a good aquarium/pet-store so they can be found a better home and when that happens I'll have a nice tank top for free that has the full long bulb.

I'll have to rethink the bottom if that happens so I can ensure that the Bichirs are happy and have plentiful shade space during the day.

Black for a back-drop? I was hoping to go with more of a blue or possibly a dark green.
 
#9 ·
Don't floating plants tend to get food caught up in it? I'll look into it. That would be good for the Comets. I am to understand from some reading that fish like Comets can actually become sun-burned so intense light can cause skin issues apparently. So they need to have enough shade. Same goes for Koi.
 
#10 ·
I do not have a problem with food getting caught in it, the fish pick at them and eat what ever food they find, plus I always have a small section that is not covered with the plants to put the food into the tank. With comets you will want something tough or extreamly fast growing like duckweed because they will probably eat it on occasion as goldies of all kinds love veggies. If you do get plants go with Java Fern, Anacharis, and tough sword plants like the amazon swords. You should also be putting in some fresh veggies for them on occasion like spinage, and squash and stuff. Just nuke it in the microwave a few seconds to make it soft before you give it to them.
 
#11 ·
I'll look into the local stores to see if I can find the duckweed, as looking into it I find it an attractive choice for my tank. I"d rather not yet do live plants on the bottom as the Comets are terrible about uprooting things.
 
#12 ·
Alot of goldfish like comets will do that. If you decide to try the live plants some people that have goldfish plant the plants in clay flower pots that way the fish don't uproot them. ; )
 
#13 ·
I've finally got good pictures of my fish.

Well, of one of my Bichirs and the comets.

Here are the comets first:









Here is the Bichir:

 
#14 ·
Great shots!! The first two look like they are singing opera! :lol: They do look like they've slimmed down some. The reason one is chubby might be because that fish is a female. I know with koi the females are rounder than the males, but I'm not sure if that is the same with comet goldfish. Also, awesome bichir! :love:

I've heard a solution to the uprooting problem with goldfish is to plant the plants in small terracotta pots. Anchor the plants in there with large stones. I've never had to do it, but it might be worth a shot.

Edit: You should submit some of those "singing fish" photos to the Photo of the Month contest!
 
#15 ·
Great shots!! The first two look like they are singing opera! :lol: quote]

LOL When I saw the first two shots I thought they were saying,"La, La, La, La," LOL, then I thought Open Up and say Ahhh.
;-)
 
#17 ·
Hehe. I have a good caption. I'll try to upload it tomorrow. For some odd reason I'm on the forums the most in the late evening when I'm almost too tired to think straight.

Yes, cyprinids are egg-layers. That's why the females are rounder. But don't worry. Most goldfish don't spawn in the aquariums. But they will spawn in backyard ponds. Some even survive if the pond is large enough.

That is another technique I have heard to stop goldfish from nibbling/uprooting plants. Confuse them by rearranging their tank. Half of keeping some fish is just tricking them. I have a tail-biting betta that I have to stay one step ahead of to stop his nervous habit. I usually spend a few minutes a day thinking: "Now how can I distract him long enough to not rip his beautiful tail completely off?"
 
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