TankBud

Mokele-mbembe bichir

Polypterus mokelembembe

Also known as Mokelembembe bichir, Reticulated bichir

FreshwaterFish

Mokele-mbembe bichir (Polypterus mokelembembe)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
10.6 in
27 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Polypteridae
Origin
Central Congo basin

Overview

The Mokele-mbembe bichir is a dinosaur-like predator scaled to a large four-foot tank rather than a pond. It suits a keeper who has some experience.

Did you know

The Mokele-mbembe bichir's name belongs to a monster. Polypterus mokelembembe is named for Mokele-mbembe, the sauropod-like creature of Congo legend. That suits a living fossil drawn from the same rivers.

Caring for the Mokele-mbembe bichir

Give the Mokele-mbembe bichir a shaded tank of at least 79 gal (300 L). It needs a soft sand floor, driftwood tangles, cave cover, leaf litter and dim light. Good cover makes this shy, nocturnal fish feel secure enough to come out and hunt. Fit a tight, weighted lid to stop it climbing out.

Keep the water soft and acidic to neutral, at a pH of 5.5 to 7.0, and warm at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C). Gentle flow suits it. Feed meaty foods such as earthworms, prawn, mussel and sinking carnivore pellets after dark.

It is a bottom-hugging ambusher, mostly peaceful but ready to eat any fish it can swallow. Keep it alone or only with larger, robust tank mates. Its home breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

Polypterus mokelembembe is the smallest bichir in the family Polypteridae, and it was the last to be described, in 2006. It was once treated as a form of the closely related Polypterus retropinnis. Bichir young hatch with feathery external gills, like newt larvae, before growing into bottom-dwelling predators.

In the wild

The Mokele-mbembe bichir lives in the central Congo basin. Its home waters are shaded, soft, tannin-stained blackwater streams and tributaries.

Common questions

What size tank does a Mokele-mbembe bichir need?

A Mokele-mbembe bichir needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Mokele-mbembe bichir need?

A Mokele-mbembe bichir is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a Mokele-mbembe bichir eat?

A Mokele-mbembe bichir eats meaty foods such as earthworms, prawn, mussel and sinking carnivore pellets, fed after dark. It will also eat any fish it can swallow.

How big does a Mokele-mbembe bichir get?

An adult Mokele-mbembe bichir reaches about 10.6 in (27 cm).

Related species