What is Reddit's opinion of Exo Terra PT2922 Tortoise Cave?

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I could say my oscar does appear to be bored...Not lonely - but very much waiting for something to happen. He has an attitude - everytime I do water changes he fights with the hydrovac - Bites at it. He's bit me a few times - sneaks up on me.

Everything I've added to the tank is an attempt to stimulate him. The plastic plants I mentioned are only in there for him to rip up and pull at. When he pulls the last green strand from the base - I'll replace the plants (or rebuild them with the pieces I've salvaged from his tank after the fact).

I've added 2 XL (exoterra brand) tortoise caves for the bichir (and plecos that're also in this tank - I don't recommend the plecos if you can help it). These caves are literally perfect - they're huge and they're the exact width of a 75G tank - they fit with an inch or so on either side. My oscar goes in there (sideways but he fits) and chills with his head sticking out on occasion.

I've also got a zilla brand snake 'rock den' - large size. My raphael catfish stays in there the majority of the time - but sometimes my bichir (unsuccessfully) tries to fit. It used to be for my bichir - but he's since outgrown it.

I found this...floating suction cup mine toy? It suctions to the bottom of the tank...He pulls that up off the bottom occasionally.

Titanium heater. I used to have a marina glass heater in my oscar's tank before he cracked it against the side of the aquarium glass- it didn't shatter but was filling with water. I now have an aquatop titanium heater with a temperature probe and thermometer control unit. I love this heater and it's virtually indestructible. Not important while the guy is small but once he's pushing 8 or so inches you may want to invest in one of those.

I give him crayfish as a source of entertainment. The last time I gave him goldfish was probably a year ago and he never finished them. I generally feed him hikari floating cichlid pellets - he seems to go after the color ones better than the growth ones for some odd reason. Not sure if that's just me or an actual observation - but I try to alternate his pellets. Otherwise...:(, that's the most variety he gets. Not the greatest, I know.

I feed hikari massivore diet for my bichir - and my oscar used to hit those sinking pellets as they were going down - but I have yet to find a sinking cichlid pellet that is big enough and that I like...He doesn't seem too interested in those (massivore) anymore.

As far as canisters - This is the filter I have on my oscar's 90 Gallon and it's an absolute beast. It actually clogs LESS than the FX 4 filter that I have on my 135 - which is surprising imo.

Those 'quick clear' cartridges are fine polishing pads and could clog the filter up - but otherwise you won't be disappointed with a fluval Imo. You should only have to open them up to clean them out once every 3 or 4 months or so. (you may want to replace the carbon pads out of it sooner) - but the hardest part is setting the system up on the tank - after that, maintaining these larger units is a walk in the park.

*always read the manual*

Canisters aren't something you try to put together first and then trouble shoot. Read the manual beforehand - trust me. It's not hard though, just has more stuff you gotta know about how the unit runs - which will be written in the manual.

What they are saying is not wrong. You were right to believe what they said.

The footprint for a 40Gallon breeder aquarium - at 36x18 inches...

is technically enough to accommodate a bichir. If the fish itself is only slated to max around 15 - MAYBE 18 - and you have an 18inch tank. Than if it fits, it sits.

Then go check out racheal O'leary's dinosaur bichir tank. I believe she had hers on a rack set up in a 125G aquarium. It wasn't the same species as yours (saddleback bichir - average length 12in) - but he was a monster at almost 2 feet. He didn't 'need' the 6ft of space she gave him, but he sure filled it out as much as he could.

THEN and NOW - The Big Boys

The more space you offer these animals. the more they're able to best replicate their most natural biological instincts and drives. Do you HAVE to do that to keep them and to keep them in good condition? no, absolutely not.

Should you be aware of the maximum potential the animal *could* potentially reach - I personally think so.

Which is the only reason I commented. You're doing nothing wrong, and these fish are generally slow growers (erm, moderate - depends on a few factors). Don't worry about it until/unless you have to - which could be 2 years, or it could be 4 years down the line. You have alot of time to spend with them before they get that big. You've got a fish that pre dates many of the animals on the planet today - that's cool as shit. Enjoy em. :).

As a tip - For my Ornate...

He's unfortunately too large for the largest size they sell now, but before he got that large, he loved these.

I like these more for plecos - but are aquarium safe.

Zilla Rock Lair ('snake cave/naturalistic shedding) - also aquarium safe.