# Polypterus Leparadi with Oscars?



## XFile (Apr 13, 2008)

Hey guys,

I have a 450l aquarium with x3 Tiger Oscars in and was in my local aquatics shop today and saw some 'polypterus leparadi' which were labelled up as unusual and suitable for setups with large fish...

I can't see much about them online - does anyone have any experience of these and would they be ok in a 450l aquarium with x3 oscars?

Many Thanks...


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

they grow to about 2.5ft, so you'd need a tank about 7.5ft x 3.75ft x 3.75ft as a minimum. preferably larger as i find bichirs to be quite an active fish.. 

which is a bit biger than 450 litres lol :Na_Na_Na_Na:

maybe try to find a smaller bichir, like a delhezi? much better looking too, imo. : victory:


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## daz30347 (Aug 30, 2007)

*Hi*

As Esfa has already said,they get quite large but a 6x2x2 should suffice to be honest
Not too demanding Ph wise,anywhere in the 6-8 range but make sure you have a secure lid as mine used to like going for a walk:devil:
They should be ok with larger cichlids or stuff like tin foil barbs,distichodus etc


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

daz30347 said:


> As Esfa has already said,they get quite large but a 6x2x2 should suffice to be honest
> Not too demanding Ph wise,anywhere in the 6-8 range but make sure you have a secure lid as mine used to like going for a walk:devil:
> They should be ok with larger cichlids or stuff like tin foil barbs,distichodus etc


2ft wide tank for a 2.5ft fish? i'd say at least 3ft! lol


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## daz30347 (Aug 30, 2007)

*Hi*

How many 30" leparadi have you ever seen mate,i never have in 25years of fishkeeping:whistling2:


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

I've seen 2 that were about 25" and 28" :Na_Na_Na_Na:

but apart from that, not many tbh :lol2:


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## Heppy (Apr 11, 2007)

Esfa said:


> I've seen 2 that were about 25" and 28" :Na_Na_Na_Na:
> 
> but apart from that, not many tbh :lol2:


Id like to see those although if there captive i think there more likely to be endlicheri congicus. I have seen some easily that size in books but i doubt they'l atain that size in an average aquarium, the ones i had were quite slow growers compared to endlicheri. i think they'l be fine in a 6 x 2. The only problem i see keeping polypterus with oscars it getting food down to them. what the dimensions of your 450l?


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

nope, they were deffo poly leparadi : victory:

edit: Just spoke to the keeper, and its 15" and 18".... i added 10"! 

but who doesnt?


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## XFile (Apr 13, 2008)

Heppy said:


> Id like to see those although if there captive i think there more likely to be endlicheri congicus. I have seen some easily that size in books but i doubt they'l atain that size in an average aquarium, the ones i had were quite slow growers compared to endlicheri. i think they'l be fine in a 6 x 2. The only problem i see keeping polypterus with oscars it getting food down to them. what the dimensions of your 450l?


The tank is the Juwel Vision 450 and measures 151 x 61 x 64 cm...


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## xyra (Apr 26, 2007)

Have to say that as they get bigger their growth slows down considerably, in a 6x2x2 you would be fine with anything other than a pure p. bichir bichir (not very likely in the uk, most are misladled guinea varient lapradei) or a p. e. congicus as previously mentioned.

I've currently got;
p. lapradei
2 x p. lapradei 'guinea'
p. ornatipinnis
p. palmas polli
p. endlicheri endlicheri

sharing a 5x2x18 and growing smoothly but slowly and not showing any signs of outgrowing the tank, currently sharing with a BGK, a catfish (leirius marmoratus) and a couple of cichlids.

They are lovely fish, perfect tank mates for the oscars. I've kept various bichirs with everything from frontosa to oscars to stingrays (although some advise against that) to various catfish. They do need a tight fitting lid, as a big bichir can jump getting on for 3 foot in the air with ease and little ones fit through tiny tiny holes.











Edit: see you said it was a 5x2x2, that would be fine for (at least) several years, maybe the bigger species eventually outgrowing. Ornatipinnis is a nice impressive one that gets big but not to big

These are long lived fish, 30+ years is what you can expect, far longer than the oscars


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