[/IMG]I just purchase one dont know what kind he is and how many different kind of bichir are there
Part of my bichir collections
- Thread starter CDM
- Start date
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*
Variations
There are variations of the above including
short bodied
longfinned
albinoism
leustic
albino Polypterids have a pink/ white body with red eyes if they are a species with pronounced markings
these are often yellowish in color.
Leustic (platinum) are silver/whitish bodies with black eyes.
*There are only 3 known examples to exist and they are in museums its possible
this species is extinct.
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*
Variations
There are variations of the above including
short bodied
longfinned
albinoism
leustic
albino Polypterids have a pink/ white body with red eyes if they are a species with pronounced markings
these are often yellowish in color.
Leustic (platinum) are silver/whitish bodies with black eyes.
*There are only 3 known examples to exist and they are in museums its possible
this species is extinct.
man, amazing collection of Birchir's. can't wait to get mine!!!i recently say what looked like a birchir with these weird soft antler things on both sides of it's head, kinda like what salamander's have. it was in japan so the guy couldn't tell me what it was called. does this sound familiar to anyone? again, beautiful collection!!!
Not really lol but here ya go
WHY BICHIR?
When Europeans (French) discovered the genus Polypterus in 1809 it had already been known along the Nile since the time of the pharoahs. The local peoples referred to them as bichirs (unknown pronunciation and spelling). While unable to come up with an exact meaning for the word it was most likely a descriptive term (''whip'' has been suggested) for this type of fish.
The French most likely pronounced it as phonetically as possible to the orginal native word and came up with bee-sheer as a pronunciation and spelled 'bichir'. Since this would be the name of these fish for
several years until they were scientifically described and put into the proper family it became an accepted common name.
However the correct English pronunciation is up for grabs. Several dictionaries all have their own pronunciation including the below:
bee cher
beech er
biker
*****er
bi cher
Also known by the common name lobed fin pike,dinosaur eel.
The name Polypterus : poly=many + pterus=fins and is pronounced po-lyp'-terus.
WHY BICHIR?
When Europeans (French) discovered the genus Polypterus in 1809 it had already been known along the Nile since the time of the pharoahs. The local peoples referred to them as bichirs (unknown pronunciation and spelling). While unable to come up with an exact meaning for the word it was most likely a descriptive term (''whip'' has been suggested) for this type of fish.
The French most likely pronounced it as phonetically as possible to the orginal native word and came up with bee-sheer as a pronunciation and spelled 'bichir'. Since this would be the name of these fish for
several years until they were scientifically described and put into the proper family it became an accepted common name.
However the correct English pronunciation is up for grabs. Several dictionaries all have their own pronunciation including the below:
bee cher
beech er
biker
*****er
bi cher
Also known by the common name lobed fin pike,dinosaur eel.
The name Polypterus : poly=many + pterus=fins and is pronounced po-lyp'-terus.
Loubard said:
It's dependent on individuals. Some lapradei are aggressive, while some don't. However, the agressieness shows more when there only 2 to 4 pcs of them. When there are many bichirs in a tank, they are not agressive anymore (mostly). I think lapradei is one of those less active species.
