All fish / Polypteridae

Teugels' Bichir

Polypterus teugelsi

Also known as teugelsi bichir, teugel's bichir, spotted bichir, cross river bichir, polypterus teugelsi, ポリプテルス・テugelsi, テゥーゲルシー, 斑点多鳍鱼, 恐龙鱼

A slender, eel-like bichir with a row of small dorsal finlets and a golden brown body covered in bold dark spots. It is one of the most attractively patterned bichirs and is prized by keepers of large predatory and oddball fish.

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

450 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small 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

Cross River basin, Cameroon and Nigeria

Breeding

Rarely bred in aquariums; most specimens are wild-caught. Like other bichirs it is thought to scatter eggs among dense plants during the rainy season, with no parental care.

Good to know

It will eat any fish small enough to swallow and can escape through tiny gaps, so a tight-fitting lid is essential. Juveniles are sometimes confused with other spotted bichirs such as Polypterus ornatipinnis.