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This page will give a completely detailed profile of the selected
fish, from A to Z. The profiled fish will be chosen randomly by Badman,
and will come from the complete genre of tropical fish. New profiles
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Photo courtesy of Aqualand
pets plus
Polypterus senegalus senegalus
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Overview:
An ancient fish family, they have been around since the Mesozoic era.
They are a very hardy fish and can become quite tame in a home aquarium.
Quick stats:
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Listed tank sizes are the minimum
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| Size: |
Up to 20 inches (50.5 cm) |
| Tank: |
48 inches |
| Strata: |
Bottom |
| PH: |
6 to 7.5 |
| Hardness: |
Soft to hard |
| Ttemperature: |
77°F to 89°F (25 to 28°C) |
Classification:
| Order: |
Polypteriformes |
| Suborder: |
none |
| Family: |
Polypteridae |
| Genera: |
Polypterus |
Common name:
Senegal Bichir Cuvier Bichir, Bichir, Sailfins
Image gallery:
Additional
species photographs
Discuss:
Badmans'
Forum
Distribution
Central Africa, Lake Albert, Rudolph and Chad also found in Gambia,
Niger and Senegal.
General Body Form:
Long and slender in form, they are noted for a bunch of primitive features.
Their scales are hard and shiny and are different from other fish by
their rhomboid shape. The Dorsal fin is really made up of a bunch of
smaller fins, kind of looking like saw edged teeth. This fin also gives
them one of the common names (Sailfins) that we know them by. Unlike
the more modern fish the Bichirs do not have a swim bladder but have
developed an air breathing organ, which acts similar to a lung and allows
them to gulp at the surface for air. This organ also allows them to
live in very Oxygen poor water conditions. Another interesting feature
of the fish is like Amphibians (Salamanders and Newts) The young must
go through a larval stage in which they have external gills. These will
be absorbed as the fish matures.
Coloration:
Not an overly striking fish, The base color is Silver Gray to Yellow
Brown. The underside is somewhat White and the fins are a pale Yellow.
What the Bichirs lack in color they make up with their personality.
Maintenance:
We are starting to see more and more of these fish imported and they
tend to do well in aquaria. They are a bottom dweller and do most of
the food foraging at night. They are Carnivorous, but this should be
no problem as they will thrive on earthworms, tubifex worms and fish
flesh cut into strips. In nature they would hunt for insects and other
invertebrates. The tank should be large and not overly bright. You must
provide plenty of hiding places either as rockwork or driftwood. Make
sure if your keeping more than one that each fish has its own place
to hide. You are likely not to see them much during the day but at feeding
time they will come out and forage. They have a highly developed sense
of smell and will know as soon as food is added to the tank. They can
be territorial to each other, but if they have their own space this
will be minimized. They can be kept with other medium to large sized
non aggressive fish. They have a reputation as being great escape artists
and can move on land for short lengths, so take proper precautions with
your tank cover.
Biotope:
Vegetation ladden, marshy waters in Central and West Africa.
Photo: A.Anene
Lake Oguta, Imo State, Nigeria. The Senegal Bichir is a native species
of this lake. For more info on this lake and Biotope please visit the
World
Lake Database
Breeding:
Although many Bichirs have been raised to sexual maturity, little is
known on the breeding. It is said that the males Anal fin is wider than
the females. Males initiate spawning, the female laying a few hundred
eggs near his hand-like anal fin. Young hatch out in about four days.
A water change with slightly cooler water can stimulate the spawning.
Remove any eggs to a rearing tank and feed with baby brine shrimp moving
on to the larger food as they grow. The young have external gills.
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