TankBud

Ornate bichir

Polypterus ornatipinnis

FreshwaterFish

Ornate bichir (Polypterus ornatipinnis)
Bloopityboop · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–82°F
25–28°C
pH
6.0–8.0
Adult size
21.7 in
55 cm
Minimum tank
172 gal
650 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Polypteridae
Origin
Congo River basin and Lake Tanganyika

Overview

The ornate bichir is a big predator for the bottom of a large tank. It is an easy fish to care for.

Did you know

The ornate bichir has to surface to breathe, and it will drown if it cannot reach air. It can also survive out of water for a good while if kept damp.

Caring for the ornate bichir

The ornate bichir needs a large tank of at least 172 gal (650 L) as an adult. Give it a soft substrate, hiding spots and open swimming space along the bottom, which matters more as it grows. Bichirs are famous escape artists, so a tight, weighted lid is not optional.

Keep the water warm, at 77 to 82°F (25 to 28°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. It is most active at night and hunts by smell more than sight. Feed meaty foods such as whole frozen fish, shrimp and earthworms.

The ornate bichir is a mostly peaceful predator and is fine kept alone. Never house it with anything small enough to swallow. Breeding in home aquariums is rarely recorded.

Good to know

The ornate bichir belongs to the family Polypteridae, an ancient group of ray-finned fish. It is a slow grower that can live well over a decade. Bichirs have a pair of lungs and can breathe air directly, an unusual trait among fish.

In the wild

The ornate bichir comes from the Congo basin and nearby waters in central Africa, including Lake Tanganyika. It lives in slow rivers, swamps and floodplains. These are warm, soft to neutral waters with cover and low oxygen in places, which is why the fish gulps air from the surface.

Common questions

What size tank does an ornate bichir need?

An ornate bichir needs at least 172 gal (650 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an ornate bichir need?

An ornate bichir is comfortable at 77–82°F (25–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–8.0.

What does an ornate bichir eat?

An ornate bichir eats meaty foods such as whole frozen fish, shrimp and earthworms. It hunts at night by smell, and it will eat anything small enough to swallow.

How big does an ornate bichir get?

An adult ornate bichir reaches about 21.7 in (55 cm).

Related species