
Bichir
Bichirs and the reedfish comprise Polypteridae, a family of archaic-looking ray-finned fishes and the only family in the order Polypteriformes. All species occur in freshwater habitats in tropical Africa and the Nile River system, mainly swampy, shallow floodplains and estuaries.
Full Answer
What do Bichir fish eat?
Bichirs is a predator fish and you should feed it basically with live food: bloodworm, frozen shrimps and calamary, small fishes, pieces of ox heart and meat, earthworm. The fish may also feed on artificial food, but this kind of diet is not natural for it.
What do Senegal birchir eat?
Luckily, the Senegal Birchir will eat other foods besides live feed. Pellets that sink to the bottom are readily eaten by them, as are freeze-dried, frozen, and even flake foods.
What size aquarium does a Senegal birchir need?
Since the Senegal Birchir reaches a fair size, they should have an aquarium no less than 20 gallons. The Swamp Dragon is one of the few fish that are appropriate for tall and hexagonal fish tanks because their primitive lung allows them to thrive in oxygen-deprived water.
Do Bichir fish need live live tank plants?
Live tank plants are desirable, but not necessary. Since bichirs is mostly a bottom-feeder, the tank bottom substrate should be easy in care and cleaning. It’s better be a thin layer of sand, though small grained gravel will do as well. But the latter is less natural like for the fish and it will be more difficult for the fish to feed from it.

What do you feed a juvenile Senegal Bichir?
Feeding. The bichir is a carnivore, and very rarely eats dried foods. Therefore, a diet of frozen or live foods is recommended for larger fish, including shrimp, baitfish, mussels, and earthworms. Smaller specimens will also eat mosquito larvae, bloodworms, and vitamin-enriched brine shrimp.
What do baby bichir eat?
Dinosaur bichir diet Bichirs need a large assortment of living, frozen, and freeze-dried food, such as bloodworms, shrimp, brine shrimp, earthworms, and other small fish. While the dinosaur bichir is a nocturnal fish species, it is possible to change when they eat.
What do you feed Senegal fish?
5:558:39Senegal Bichir Care Guide - Feeding & Size - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAs far as what the best foods are for these guys I would honestly stick to like um a super-heavyMoreAs far as what the best foods are for these guys I would honestly stick to like um a super-heavy protein based diet because in their natural habitat they eat a lot of like fish. And insects.
Can bichir choke on food?
Following the digestive tract, the issues I saw, were: Choking - only small bichirs that manage to pick up small (but large enough) piece of gravel to choke them. These are freak accidents, and I wouldn't normally expect this.
Do bichirs need air pump?
Specifically, they are facultative air-breathers, meaning when oxygen levels get low in their environment they can take gulps of atmospheric air. Bichirs have true lungs as well as gills for water breathing, allowing them to survive when water levels are extremely low and oxygen-depleted during the drought season.
What is the smallest bichir?
The Dinosaur Bichir, also known as Senegal or the grey Bichir, is among the smallest species (reaching about 14 inches). They have a long cylindrical grey-ish body with serrated dorsal fins and large pectoral fins used for locomotion.
How big do Senegal Bichirs get?
Average adult size: Up to 20 inches (51 cm), but typically does not reach this maximum size in the aquarium. Average purchase size: 2 - 3 inches (5 - 7.5 cm)
What substrate is best for bichir?
sandy substrateWe highly recommend a sandy substrate for bichir. It's what they're used to and it's safe and comfortable for them (they are bottom-feeders after all). Gravel substrate can be too rough on their bellies and there have even been reports of bichir accidentally eating it when scavenging for food.
Does bichir jump?
Bichirs are prompt to jump when in fright or when chasing each other of their own kind or kena chased by other predators. It is a MUST to cover up your tank!
Can bichir eat Superworms?
Lastly for food, they can eat almost anything such as prawns, guppies, goldfish, superworms, and even pellets.
Can a fish choke on water?
When living in water, a fish's body stays moist. Since gills are designed to be moist, they don't work if they dry up out of water. A fish can suffocate in water as well as out of it.
Can fish choke on pellets?
However, if you feed your pet a piece of food that is too large for it to consume safely, they may choke or gag. This is because the fish's esophagus is too narrow to permit easy passage of larger food items. In addition, many hobbyists also enjoy feeding food items that expand in the fish's stomach.
What fish can live with a bichir?
Bichir Tank MatesOscar fish.Flowerhorn cichlids.African knife.Clown Loaches.Jack Dempsey fish.Silver Dollar fish.
Can bichir live out of water?
The scientists worked with the Senegal bichir (Polypterus senegalus). Normally it swims in African rivers. But this elongated fish has both gills and lungs, so it can live on land if it has to.
How do Bichirs hunt?
These fish can walk! Bichirs have several physical adaptations that contribute to their high survival rate. These fish would wriggle their way out of their murky bogs to seek food or escape the jaws of their predators. More impressively, Bichirs can live several months on land as long as their bodies remain moist.
What do birchirs eat?
Luckily, the Senegal Birchir will eat other foods besides live feed. Pellets that sink to the bottom are readily eaten by them, as are freeze-dried, frozen, and even flake foods. If Polypterus senegalus is fed primarily prepared diets, the predatory behavior they can exhibit is kept to a minimum, allowing the aquarist to keep smaller fish with ...
What is a Senegalus fish called?
The Polypterus Senegalus, sometimes called the Senegal Bichir, Reed Fish, Dinosaur Eel, or Swamp Dragon, is not your garden variety aquarium fish. With their serrated dorsal fins, pronounced teeth, protruding nostrils, and wide, iridescent eyes, it is easy to understand why some people call Polypterus senegalus the Swamp Dragon.
Where do Polypterus senegalus live?
The Polypterus senegalus comes from heavily vegetated, slow-moving water systems in Africa and India. They are very common in these areas, so common, that they are often found in roadside ditches. These fish are predators that lay in wait for their prey amongst vegetation in murky waters.
Is a polypterus senegalus related to an eel?
Though these fish somewhat resemble eels as well, they are not related. Any common names linking the Polypterus senegalus to eels are misnomers. These fish have characteristics that are truly unique to the Polypterus genus.
Can a polypterus senegalus eat a fish?
The Polypterus is not picky about its prey and will eat almost anything. Even if a fish is a bit too large to be swallowed, the Polypterus senegalus may try anyway. This is why tankmates have to be at least half the size of the swamp dragon.
What is a Senegal bichir?
Senegal bichir (P. senegallus) This is one of the most active and less timid Polypterids species. It actively swims almost all the time, it is curious and persistent. The fish doesn’t show aggression towards its kind and other tank dwellers if the latter are large enough.
What is a bichir fish?
Habitat in the wild. Bichirs (lat. Polypteridae) is a family of freshwater ray-finned fishes, the only one in the order Polypteriformes and subclass Cladistia . Nowadays, there are 14 modern genus of the fish known and spread over tropical Africa. Another fish E. calabaricus also belongs to this class.
How big of a tank do you need for a bichir?
Bichirs is quite strong and healthy fish. To keep one you will need a tank of at least 50 US gallons (200 L) capacity and it’s better to be larger. The cover is a must for such a tank! Bichirs can not only jump out of the tank, but also crawl out of it.
When will bichir fish be released in 2021?
Bichir fishes. June 15, 2021. June 9 , 2021. by Sergey Schulz. Not every fancier of tank fishes has met bichir fish. Though, those who have will never be able to forget this unique and extraordinary fish, no wonder that its second name is dragon bichir. In this article you will read about care, feeding and how to choose its tank mates.
Can Bichir attack fish?
Bichir never attack large healthy fish without a reason. Fishes of the same size as fish will do as its tank mates. These can be oscar, blood parrot, green terror and so on. I wouldn’t recommend to keep together with flowerhorn, since the latter may kill even such a protected fish.
Can bichirs be kept in an empty tank?
But the latter is less natural like for the fish and it will be more difficult for the fish to feed from it. Some aquarists advise to keep bichirs in an empty tank, to decrease their territory dependence. But the view of the fish swimming in a tank without decorations or caves is a bit depressing.
Do bichirs live in tanks?
Bichirs have been living in tank s since the beginning of the 20-th century. Keeping the fish in a tank doesn’t seem to be a difficult task: these species are not demanding and are quite enduring, they can live in rather dirty water. However, this is a predator and only large fishes can be their tankmates.
