i just got back from the local pet shop, and they just got in a polypterus(spelling)bicher. can anybody tell me about this fish? gonna buy it tomorrow. How big does it get? what is the best diet?
bicher?
- Thread starter joel
- Start date
I believe they get to around 12 inches. The most active of the bichir family. They will eat smaller fish. I feed mine raw shrimp and shrimp pellets. He gets along good with the other fish
Is it Polypterus bichir or just a bichir in the genus Polypterus? P. bichir is VERY rare, and they supposedly get to a little over two feet, though there isn't much info on them... but I'm sure that if Joe (Fruitbat) sees this he'll clear up whatever I may have gotten wrong with the P. bichir info. 
Can you provide a description of the fish?
Can you provide a description of the fish?
it is solid brown. seemed to be active. still small maybe around 4 to 5 inches. its only $19.99. unfortunatlely i can not provide a picture. thank you
Polypterus senegalus is certainly the most commonly available of the bichirs on the open market. Young adults and older can easily be distinguished from all other bichirs by their brown/gray coloration and lack of any significant pattern. They are great bichirs, almost always active and personable and generally stay 'small' for a bichir (about 12 inches).
Here's a link to an article/profile I wrote on this fish that might answer some of your questions:
Senegal Bichir Article
Beware the bichir bug (Aquaristus ivegottahavemorebichirus! Once you've been bitten you'll never recover and soon you'll find that you have tanks full of bichirs all over the place!! :rofl:
-Joe
Here's a link to an article/profile I wrote on this fish that might answer some of your questions:
Senegal Bichir Article
Beware the bichir bug (Aquaristus ivegottahavemorebichirus! Once you've been bitten you'll never recover and soon you'll find that you have tanks full of bichirs all over the place!! :rofl:
-Joe