All fish / Polypteridae

Barred Bichir

Polypterus delhezi

Also known as delhezi bichir, armoured bichir, delhezi, barred bichir, delhezis bichir, polypterus delhezii, ポリプテルス・デルヘッジ, デルヘッジ, 戴氏多鳍鱼, 虎纹恐龙, 金恐龙

A long, eel-like bichir with an olive to golden brown body crossed by dark bands, a row of small dorsal finlets and large fan-shaped pectoral fins. Keepers like it for its prehistoric look, its habit of gulping air at the surface and its fairly calm nature for a predator.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, prawns, mussel, fish fillet, sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Middle Congo River basin, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Breeding

Captive spawning is rare. Eggs are scattered among plants and parents give no care, so most fish in the trade are wild caught or farmed with hormones.

Good to know

It will eat any tankmate small enough to fit in its mouth and is an expert escape artist, so use a tight-fitting lid with no gaps.