TankBud

Poll's bichir

Polypterus polli

Also known as Congo palmas bichir, Speckled bichir

FreshwaterFish

Poll's bichir (Polypterus polli)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.2–7.8
Adult size
12.6 in
32 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Rare
Family
Polypteridae
Origin
Central Congo basin

Overview

Poll's bichir is a hardy, manageable bichir for a shaded tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Poll's bichir carries a scientist's name. Polypterus polli honors Max Poll, the Belgian ichthyologist whose work described a large share of the Congo's fishes.

Caring for the Poll's bichir

Give Poll's bichir a shaded tank of at least 79 gal (300 L), with a soft sand floor, driftwood and rock caves. Add shady planted cover and keep the lighting dim. Fit a tight, weighted lid, since bichirs are escape artists.

Keep it warm at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and close to neutral, at a pH of 6.2 to 7.8, with gentle flow. It tolerates a range of water chemistry once settled, but it appreciates shade and hiding places. Feed meaty foods such as earthworms, bloodworm, prawn and sinking carnivore pellets, best offered in the evening.

Poll's bichir is a nocturnal bottom predator, peaceful toward fish too big to eat but happy to swallow small ones. Keep it alone or with sturdy, larger tank mates, not with little community fish or shrimp. Its home breeding is not recorded. In the wild, bichirs scatter eggs among plants rather than tend a nest.

Good to know

Polypterus polli is one of the smallest bichirs in the family Polypteridae. It is dull gold, with a fine reticulated pattern and pale spots near the tail. It belongs to the palmas group and was once considered a subspecies of Polypterus palmas.

In the wild

Poll's bichir comes from the Malebo Pool and the lower and central Congo basin. Its home waters are warm, soft, slightly acidic and often densely vegetated.

Common questions

What size tank does a Poll's bichir need?

A Poll's bichir needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Poll's bichir need?

A Poll's bichir is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.2–7.8.

What does a Poll's bichir eat?

A Poll's bichir eats meaty foods such as earthworms, bloodworm, prawn and sinking carnivore pellets, best offered in the evening. It will also swallow small fish.

How big does a Poll's bichir get?

An adult Poll's bichir reaches about 12.6 in (32 cm).

How does a Poll's bichir breed?

Poll's bichir has not been recorded breeding in home aquariums. In the wild, bichirs scatter their eggs among plants rather than tend a nest.

Related species