Can bichirs live with flowerhorns?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bichirs and flowerhorns can share a tank, but watch one thing. Flowerhorns are aggressive. Bichirs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

Bichir72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Flowerhorn80–89°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Watch outFlowerhorns are aggressive. Bichirs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 80–82°F.
pH 7–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bichirs the bottom, flowerhorns the mid.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Bichir	Flowerhorn
Temperature	72–82 °F	80–89 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7–8
Adult size	12.0 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	75 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	One per tank
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for bichirs

All bichir tank mates

Questions

Can bichirs live with flowerhorns?

Yes, with care. Bichirs and flowerhorns can share a tank, but watch one thing. Flowerhorns are aggressive. Bichirs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What temperature suits both bichirs and flowerhorns?

80–82 °F. Bichirs need 72–82 °F, flowerhorns need 80–89 °F.

What size tank do bichirs and flowerhorns need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the bichir. Add space for each extra fish.