What's the fascination with polypterus

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doviiman

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 12, 2007
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I see there are many commited members keeping these creatures which don't really look like fish but an eel if you would. So it started making me think what's the fascination with these fish? Can someone enlighten me on there popularity. Seems like they never swim much, don't seem to have much color, don't really look menancing, so what is it about them? Lastly this is not a thread to insult anyone's preference, as I understand to each its own. This is purely curiosity and maybe information into owning one in the futher.
Thanks
 
I was attracted to them as soon as I saw them in the store when me & my wife were trying to set up our first 20g. I like the way they lurk about the tank & I've noticed that my different species do it in different ways. Mine swim around about as much as my jack dempsey does, they're actually a little less shy & skittish on average. The coloring isn't anything magnificent, but the patterning on my delhezi is pretty impressive if I do say so myself.

Honestly, if I could keep a real underwater snake I probably would, but snake-shaped fish species are the next best thing ;)

All that said, I haven't gone as far as to make a polypterus only tank. Mine are housed with cichlids, knives & a pictus cat.
 
While I have 8 Polys (5 Endli, 2 Ornate and 1 Delhezi), I don't have a "poly-only" tank. The largest is about 20" and the smallest is about 4".

I disagree with you and think these guys look really menacing (especially the lower-jaw species). They also have very interesting behavior. The endlis regularly bury themselves under the sand and try to "hunt" passing fish.. even when the fish are too large to be caught/killed/eaten

The largest tank has Arowanas, Gars and Cichlids with the largest Endli and a 1ft Ornate. The rest of the polys are about 4-6 inches and in a 90Gal tank with (large) Malawi cichlids.

All my tanks are community tanks and I have ploys are my preferred bottom-dwellers. I have tried plecos, they are really really really messy. Most catfish get HUGE for home aquariums. Stingrays are delicate, need a slightly larger (wider) tank and very good water quality.

I have only fallen in love with Endlis as of now... The ornates and Dels are a bit too shy as of now..

Cheers,
Sid
 
I agree with Sidrock. Bichirs do look like they are menacing especially the big ones at 18-25"+. They look like snakes or crocs or look reptilian with it's ganoid scales as well. Also the hunting style is awesome as well, as well as feeding them larger size food and when they do a death roll, by biting and hold on the food and spinning their body. Looks awesome! As for the swimming part, it depend on individual. Some are just lazy and some are as active as an arowana. Bichirs are not really the colorful type but however there are some that stands out when it comes to color, such as some of the palmas species, delehezi, teugelsi and ornates. Also what makes really people hook to bichirs is that, they want to complete the known species as much as they can collect. They are not really very demanding and easy to keep and can be piled up. Not many likes to eat bichir or bother them, or bother other fish except if it's food. You wanna satisfy your curiosity, start keeping one and you might get hook.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to it's own liking on certain fish. This is MONSTER FISH KEEPERS after all.
 
I Got mine with a bunch of random fish but he's cool cuz he's almost two feet and he is always watching me trying to hide behind a small rock. They are like a link in evolution because they walk on their fins and look crazy
 
Maybe you should try keeping one :)
 
Polys are a bit different so I can see the not understanding some peoples love for them. I liked the ornate so I started with that and a del because of the color they have. They didn't get along well and I didn't want to part with one so I ended up buying and endli and lap to spread out the agression. I want more now but I have no room until I upgrade my tank. But they have some personality to them. My ornate is a grump. My lap is kinda shy, the del is always out but lazy and my endli is the most active always looking for food burying itself searching floating plants and is the first fish to greet my 16 month old when she climbs her chair to look into the tank, and it doesn't even get bothered when she smacks at the glass trying to get the fish's attention or trys share a toy with them.

But yea to each their own. If you have the space try one out. Worst thing is you don't like it and have to trade or sell it. You never know you may get hooked.
 
I like Bichirs, because they are fairly exotic and not readily available, i dont like Arrowana's and FH because almost everyone has them and not everyone has even seen bichirs, that said my aquarium is displayed publicly and some people that have seen them for the first time tough they were Janitor Fish or Snakeheads lol.

What i like about them are;
- Exotic looking
- They look like Chinese Dragons, (long and snake like, as opposed to European Dragons that are depicted as upright/standing)
- They are very primitive with little change since the time of Dinosaur (which is very amazing!)
- Not everyone has them specially the rare types.
- Very hardy

I keep the lower jaw types which are fairly laid back, i have about 18 on 360gal aquarium.
 
Its just poly. swag if you got it, then you will like polypterus. But if not then you won't like them simple as that. First one i seen was a ornate and that totally made me interested seeing how different it was from normal fish that i would see. I wanted to get something different from other people that i knew because some of my cousins had tanks but had weaker fish like goldfish or guppy community tanks. I tried many types & species of fish due to wanting to be different while happy with that fish. Its strange can't explain it to well :D
 
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