All fish / Polypteridae

Weeks' Bichir

Polypterus weeksii

Also known as weeksii bichir, weeks bichir, weeksi bichir, mottled bichir, polypterus weeksi, ポリプテルス・ウィークシー, 威克斯恐龙, 威氏多鳍鱼

A long, eel-like primitive fish with a row of small dorsal finlets and a brownish body crossed by dark irregular bands. It is kept for its prehistoric look, bold personality and its habit of gulping air at the surface.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

40 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.8

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a group in a large tank; tankmates must be too large to swallow

Diet

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

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Congo River basin (DR Congo, Republic of Congo, Angola)

Breeding

Rarely bred in captivity; like other bichirs it is thought to scatter eggs among dense plants after a pairing in which the male cups his anal fin around the eggs. Most fish in the trade are wild caught.

Good to know

Grows large and will eat any fish small enough to fit in its mouth. The tank needs a tight lid as bichirs are skilled escape artists, and it is often confused with Polypterus ornatipinnis or P. endlicherii.