Biggest Bichir

[FlammingWoodChuck]

What is the biggest Specis of bichir?????? I have seen some pix of some that look like 16" long can any1 tell me what they are?????? the have like srtips on them and like a flat head. No pix srry i dont wana steal pix from any1

[Fruitbat]

Arguably the largest of all the bichirs is Polypterus endlicheri congicus which can reach up to 97cm (about 36 inches). There are historical reports of larger bichirs in the Nile River drainages reaching up to 5 feet but those are unsubstantiated.

The stripes and flat head would definitely indicate either Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri or Polypterus endlicheri congicus....unless the stripes are horizontal in which case it is probably one of the Polypterus bichir subspecies like P. bichir bichir (unlikely as these are really hard to get) or P. bichir lapradei. The Polypterus bichir subspecies are substantial bichirs as well....reaching up to and slightly over 30 inches.

-Joe

[FlammingWoodChuck]

Thx it was a Polypterus endlicheri congicus. Dose any1 know where I can get one??????? like Petsmart or Petco, or would i have to find a local fish store????

[cuban jey]

unless your fish store can get em youd probably have to order one from rehoboth aquatics in the buy & sell forum their great peeps to deal with i bought a ornate bichir from em and it arrived pretty quick and in perfect condition good luck hunting it down bro

[Fruitbat]

PetsMart and PetCo don't usually get in the more 'exotic' bichirs. PetsMart sells baby Polypterus senegalus as 'Dinosaur Eels' for about $4.99 each and occasionally gets in Polypterus ornatipinnis babies which they sell as 'Ornate Eels' for $59.

I can heartily recommend Toyin at Rehoboth Aquatics for bichirs. I've purchased a number of fish from him and have always been more than satisfied with the fish I've gotten and the quality shipping.

-Joe

[FlammingWoodChuck]

Is that a member or a website???

[Kenta]

Both, Toyin goes by the name "africanman"
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=85

http://www.rehobothaquatics.com/index2.html

I've group ordered from him twice and got nice fish.

[rayman45]

both
check our buy sell


joe,
how big do ornate's get ?

[beblondie]

Species and sizes
maximum known sizes often smaller in captivity
Upper Jaw Species-Upper jaw protrudes past lower jaw
P. palmas palmas ('palmas' bichir)- 13"
(subspecies)P. palmas polli ('marbled bichir)- 14"(there seems to be enough evidence to promote this to its own species)
(subspecies) P. palmas buettikoferi ('buettikoferi' bichir)- 13"
P. ornatipinnis ('ornate' bichir)- 27"
P. delhezi ('armoured' or 'delhez's' bichir)- 14"
P. senegalus senegalus ('Senegal' or 'Cuiver's' bichir)- 12"
(subspecies)P. senegalus meridionalis- 12"
P. retropinnis retropinnis ('retropinnis' bichir)- 14"
(subspecies)P. retropinnis lowei ('Lowe's' bichir)- 12"
P. weeksi ('week's' bichir)- 20"
P.teugelsi(new species not described yet)
E. calabaricus ('Ropefish')- 15"-30" (Closer to 15''-20'' in captivity)

Lower Jaw Species-Lower protrudes past upper jaw
P. endlicheri endlicheri ('saddled' or 'red' bichir)- 32", possibly more
(subspecies)P. endlicheri congicus ('giant' or 'congo' bichir)- 39"
P. lapradei ('Lapradei' bichir)- 24"
P. bichir bichir-30+ ''
P.ansorgii*
*There are only 3 known examples to exist and they are in museums its possible
this species is extinct.

[Clay]

good list

[DeLgAdO]

:owned:

[Gr8KarmaSF]

gr8 pic del

[DeLgAdO]

gr8 pic del

thanks

[FlammingWoodChuck]

that is a big one. what specis is that????

[beblondie]

2 more shotsof the tank

[DeLgAdO]

i believe its an endli.

someone know the full name?

i dont know any scientific names :D

[beblondie]

P.e.endlicheri or if your real fussy and want o make me type its
Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri

[Kenta]

i always thought it was a polypterus endlicheri congicus

[beblondie]

Last time those pics were posted somewhere the debate was if they were fake
i never paid much attention as to the species -Anne
i was just spelling endlicheri in response to a post lol
oh yeah and its male too

[FlammingWoodChuck]

how can u tell if male or female. i have been wondering that of my snegulas bichir

[beblondie]

the anal fin on males are larger/broader and more muscular then the females

[FlammingWoodChuck]

I just checked and i think mine is a female but not sure :confused: do u think if i post a pic or 2 u can ID the sex for me???

[cuban jey]

we would be happy to try :D you cant usually tell until they get bout 6in. or larger

[FlammingWoodChuck]

Mine is about 8in to 8 1/2in

[cuban jey]

post a pic bro :headbang2

[FlammingWoodChuck]

ill post it tommorow afta skewl when i have time to take pix :D

[Kenta]

male
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/streetcypher/male.jpg
I have females, but no pics

[wickedworm76]

:thumbsup: beblondie rocks! :headbang2 you are like a fish guru.... nice datas. ;)

[zeroneox]

Can someone tell me the different between...

Polypterus Endlicheri Endlicheri and Polypterus Endlicheri Congicus...

Which is the one can grow super big???

I keep 6 tiger skin bichir... but only 1 ft plus in length... the picture post atleast got 2 feet.. so cool. It was in the japanese mag aqua life which i bought.

[cuban jey]

Arguably the largest of all the bichirs is Polypterus endlicheri congicus which can reach up to 97cm (about 36 inches). There are historical reports of larger bichirs in the Nile River drainages reaching up to 5 feet but those are unsubstantiated.

The stripes and flat head would definitely indicate either Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri or Polypterus endlicheri congicus....unless the stripes are horizontal in which case it is probably one of the Polypterus bichir subspecies like P. bichir bichir (unlikely as these are really hard to get) or P. bichir lapradei. The Polypterus bichir subspecies are substantial bichirs as well....reaching up to and slightly over 30 inches.

-Joe
:D

[zeroneox]

Thanks about the info but is there any picture comparing it?? I am from Singapore any nice place to get it?? Where you guys from?

[IoStrisciare]

Thanks about the info but is there any picture comparing it?? I am from Singapore any nice place to get it?? Where you guys from?
try this book called "Jurassic Fishes"... its really old... but it has good info on sexing, breeding and rearing bichirs and they're young.

[wism_chan]

It's quite difficult to find this book "Jurassic Fishes"... here in Singapore....
any Bro from Sg have any clue on how to get this book....

[zeroneox]

is there any picture on the wed to show the different? compare??

[cuban jey]

the first one ic congicus and the second is endlicheri

[beblondie]

the differences between P.endlicheri and congicus are very slight usually dealing with base color,width of stripes and flatness of its head and eventually adult size.
As for jurassic fish if you can't find it just ask questions odds are the information you want is here.-Anne

[FlammingWoodChuck]

I FANNALY GOT THE PIX. caqn some 1 tell me the sex of my bichir. srry if pix are a bit fuzzy but he or she kept going up and down up and down up and down for like an hour

[Fruitbat]

Looks to me like you have a nice, healthy male Polypterus senegalus there.

-Joe

[Just1nK4ng]

12 inchs is normal but i saw other bichers even bigger

[Nate_N_Nicole]

Sweet pics you got there :thumbsup:

[beblondie]

Yup its male nice one too. 10-12 inches is normal size for a senegal other species do grow larger-Anne

[AmazonPredator]

I remember that cool bichir collection that Jed sent me so long ago...makes me wish I hadn't sold/killed them all.... :grinno:

[FlammingWoodChuck]

Ya my bichir is about 8 1/2 in but i need to get him some silver sides cause when he was eatting those he would grow like 1/2in to an Inch a week :headbang2 :headbang2 :headbang2 :headbang2 Ill try to make a vid of him eatting em along with my knife fish THE BIG ONE EATS LIKE 5 or 6 and my bichir eats like 2 or 3

[BGG]

If anyone's looking for P. e. congicus, Toyin now has some that are around a foot. Or at least, he did... I'm not sure how many he got in...

[FlammingWoodChuck]

I am looking for one but i prefer to get them small and raise them up. it may take longer but i love to watch em grow and i get more attached to them

[beblondie]

FWC at 8 1/2 inches its growth is slowing so don't be dissapointed if its not growing like before its normal -Anne

[zeroneox]

P. e. congicus... looking for them any size.. if big i can mix them with my tiger if small i got other tank I am from SG....

[WckedMidas]

ornate top palmas middle lapraide bottm
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/august_9th_05_random_pics_039.jpg (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/medium/august_9th_05_random_pics_039.jpg)

[PhullTank57]

P. endlicheri congicus can get up to 3ft. in the wild! :eek:

First pic on top is P. endlicheri congicus. Last 2 pic below are of my P. endlicheri endlicheri. Hopefully these pics can help you in comparing... Congicus head is flatter and wider than endlicheri. :)

Nice group of polys you have there, WckdMidas! :thumbsup: Like the pattern on the lapradei.

[phoenixx]

great looking fish!

[buddah101]

unless the stripes are horizontal in which case it is probably one of the Polypterus bichir subspecies like P. bichir bichir (unlikely as these are really hard to get) or P. bichir lapradei. The Polypterus bichir subspecies are substantial bichirs as well....reaching up to and slightly over 30 inches.

-Joe

I have one... mwahahahaha

[rayman45]

ill post up my 13" later ;)