Bichir care guide
Bichir (Polypterus senegalus) — minimum tank 300 L, temperature 24-28 °C, pH 6-7.5.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Senegal Bichir (Polypterus senegalus) is an elongated, snake-like ray-finned fish belonging to the ancient family Polypteridae, sometimes called "dinosaur eels". It bears a row of distinctive dorsal finlets, ganoid scales and a primitive paired lung that allows air-breathing at the water surface.
Taxonomy
- Family: Polypteridae
- Genus: Polypterus
- Scientific name: Polypterus senegalus
- Common synonyms: Senegal Bichir, Dinosaur Eel
Habitat
Widely distributed across slow, swampy and floodplain waters of Africa — Senegal, the Nile basin, Lake Chad, the Congo basin and other tropical rivers. It prefers shallow, well-vegetated sections with abundant cover and tolerates low dissolved oxygen thanks to its lung.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L (79.3 US gal)
- Adult size: 20-30 cm
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 4-15 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Lifespan: 15-30 years
Diet
A nocturnal carnivore that hunts by smell, taking worms, crustaceans and small fish. In aquaria it accepts sinking carnivore pellets, frozen krill, mysis, mussel and earthworms; live feeders are not necessary and carry disease risk.
Compatibility
Peaceful towards fish too large to swallow but will eat anything that fits in its mouth. Suitable tank mates include similarly sized large catfish, knifefish, robust cichlids such as Oscar and large characins. Tanks must be tightly covered — bichirs climb out through small gaps.
Breeding
Captive breeding is rare and usually requires hormone induction. The species is a substrate spawner; the male wraps his anal and caudal fins around the female to fertilise eggs that are scattered amongst fine plants.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species has a wide African range and stable populations; most stock in the aquarium trade is now captive-bred.
Senegal Bichir Breeding Guide
Overview
Polypterus senegalus is an ancient, air-breathing fish of tropical Africa that reproduces during the rainy season in nature. Its spawning behaviour is documented, but breeding in the home aquarium is rare.
Sexing
Males are generally smaller than females and have a thicker anal fin, which they use during spawning.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
In nature, reproduction coincides with the rainy season. During courtship the male chases and nudges the female, and the female lays 100 to 300 eggs over a few days. The male cups his anal and caudal fins around the female's vent to receive the eggs, fertilises them, and scatters them in the vegetation.
Egg & Fry Care
The eggs hatch in three to four days. Seasonal cues such as cooler, fresh water associated with the rainy season are associated with the onset of spawning.
Common Challenges
Reliably triggering spawning and rearing the young are the limiting factors, and the large adult size means breeding is practical only with spacious tanks. As a result, captive reproduction remains infrequent.