Polypterus ornatipinnis Breeding Guide

Breeding the ornate bichir Polypterus ornatipinnis: the male forms a cup with his anal fin into which the female lays eggs that are then spread onto plants; rarely home-bred.

Overview

Polypterus ornatipinnis, the ornate bichir, is found in the Congo River basin in Central and East Africa, including the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania, in the calm waters of swamps and rivers. It is the largest of the 'upper jaw bichirs', reaching 60 cm, and has a primitive pair of lungs that let it breathe air in hypoxic water and even survive out of water for extended periods.

Conditioning

Young fish feed on worms and insect larvae, while adults take larger food, mainly fish. The species mainly hunts at night and is generally solitary, so a varied carnivorous diet offered after dark suits its natural behaviour.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The male begins and is the active partner in courtship. He forms a sort of cup with his anal fin into which the female lays the eggs; the eggs are then spread and attach to plants. In bichirs generally, the female lays from 100 to 300 eggs over a few days with subsequent fertilization by the male.

Breeding Setup

• Temperature: 26-28 C
• Habitat reference: calm waters of swamps and rivers in the Congo basin
• Provide fine-leaved plants for the eggs to attach to
• Adult size up to 60 cm TL

Egg & Fry Care

After the eggs are spread onto plants there is no documented further parental care in the consulted sources. Larval rearing details specific to this species are not provided and are omitted.

Common Challenges

Reliable home spawning is the principal difficulty, and the species' large adult size demands a correspondingly large, securely covered tank because bichirs readily climb and escape.