Loaches Online Forum

I have a 55 gallon with an aquaclear 110. Wood, pvc hidey pipes and lots of messy watersprite and java moss. Temperatures are between 76 and 78 F. Inhabitants are a 6" senegal bichir and a slightly longer but skinnier peacock eel.

I was thinking of getting a pearl gourami or two. They're beautiful, fairly cheap and I'm guessing that their body depth will keep them from being eaten. Does anyone have any experience with these fish. Do you think the bichir will bother them? Or, are they the sorts to mind their own, or will they pick eyes. I also wonder about getting a pair. Would I be in for the beauty of nature or territorial aggression and murder? Any input appreciated.

I have an 8" bichir and I love her dearly. She was one of my first fish. She has never caused a problem for my fish, since I moved her with plecos, a tiretrack, ropefish, S. eurptus and raphaels. When she was the size of my pinkie she ate my danios or parts of them. I never knew, just parts disappeared during the night. I do know at one of my favorite LFS, their bichirs finished off a tank full of emerald cories that were 3" and hefty. They would have been bigger around than my thumb. I want to move my clowns in with my bichir, but I won't do it until my smallest clown reaches over 4". My bichir is completely peaceful, but a fish eater. I think in some cases gouramis could be safe with a bichir, but I wouldn't do it.

My peacock eels are lovely. They live with the clowns. There are three peacocks and 2 yellow tailed spiney eels. They do well in groups, and I find them frequently relaxing together. My tiretrack lives witht he ropefish and the spotted raphael.