Polli or Sengel

Brazzen1

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 18, 2013
359
41
61
Chickasaw Nation
Hi fellow MFKers, I hope that someone can help me. I'm trying to figure out what exactly the differences between the Polli and Senegal bichirs. I've read the sticky and looked at pictures but they look the same to me. The reason that I ask is because the lfs that I work at has a small Polli for $19. I already have a Senegal, which I love, but don't really want to spend 3x the price on a "duplicate". Any help would be greatly appreciated & thanks again.
 

Dr.B

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jul 28, 2012
3,594
649
700
Texas
Well from my expirience the polli is the second most active bichir behind the Senegal. A key difference is pattern. Depending on the substrate senegals will usually always have a base of a dark brown, gray, or whitish yellowing color. Polli can varry. On black they get a dark blue with green on their heads, on white they usually stay lighter with a more marble appearance. On garnet they stay somewhat in the middle.
 

Dr.B

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jul 28, 2012
3,594
649
700
Texas
Depends on your area and how rare they are or how you value you it at that price for that size. I personally would say that's a decent price. You might also want to make sure it's a polli that they are selling and not just a mis-labeled senegalus
 

Brazzen1

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 18, 2013
359
41
61
Chickasaw Nation
Thanks, this is the only one that I've seen. I ordered it myself from Coast Tropicals, so lets hope that it is what it's supposed to be.
 

benzjamin13

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
MFK Member
Sep 12, 2005
31,542
546
201
Los Angeles, CA
Senegal don't really have a pattern. Polli tend to have ocellated pattern around the end of it's body.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store