Wanted: Bichir that looks like a Snakehead

[Jake Jackson]

Well, I was really intrested in snakeheads, until I learned they are illegal. I was told birchirs maybe could be close to em.

The only ones I've ever seen are the little albino ones at petsmart, not sure about the species.

I was just wondering whats the closest to a snakehead I can get?

 

[Oddball]

Try doing a google image search on Polypterus and check the different species out until you find one that interests you.

 

[dmopar74]

lookup bowfin,as close to a snakehead as you can get but idk if they're legal in your area.

 

[stingray man]

wow bowfin look exactly like a snake head

 

[FishGoneWild]

Fish that looked like snakehead in my opinion.

Amia calva bowfin

Pike Cichlid

Channa Gachua Snakehead

 

[Jake Jackson]

Alright thanks guys. But any suggestions as far as something thats not nocturnal? Or all bichirs nocturnal?

And how aggressive are they? Anything like a wet pet?

 

[beblondie]

As mentioned the closest fish you will find to a snakehead is Amia calva (bowfin)There really isn't a bichir that resembles a snakehead.
No not all bichirs are nocturnal most are dinural and the others usually will be semi ative in aquaria eventually.
Bichirs are generally non agressive but this can vary from individuals-Anne

 

[Infblue]

i agree. bowfin is the one.

no they're not all nocturnal, a few species are actually very diurnal. but still a fair number of them are inactive and/or do like to hide during the day. like anne said, some will eventually learn to be semi-active. but in general for most species they're almost always more at home in the dark.

 

[uwe]

Hello Jake,

i think Polypterus weeksi looks most similar to a snakehead - if you're still interested in Polypterids. They have also a massive head and a beautiful coloration, but weeksi isn't such an apggressiva tankmate like a snakehead. I own two snakeheads (keeping snakeheads is allowed in Germany) an my Channa bleheri is a very gentle fish, almost tame - he comes up my hand over the water(!) to catch his food. He never demolished any tankmate but my Channa gachua is not that nice guy ...
The pro for weeksi is the moderate character of this fish - although close related to Polypterus ornatipinnis, weeksi isn't so incalculable ... my ornatipinnis killed all cichlids in the tank he lived, the cichlids were half-size as the ornatipinnis. He slashed them like a shark before he ate them! Other keepers told me, that they no problems with the sociality of their Ornatipinnis.
My weeksi is a really cool guy ...

Greetings

Uwe