A beautiful and personable large predatory fish, the Fire Eel is found in river systems throughout Southeast Asia. Although it will eat small fish, it is a generally peaceful fish and can be shy at first. Over time, however, they learn to recognize their owners and can often be fed by hand. A beautiful and hardy addition to a large predatory fish tank.
The Senegal, or Common Bichir is the most widespread species of Polypterus in Africa, inhabiting shallow waters across a huge geographic area. This species is also the most common in the aquarium hobby and has been commercially bred in Asia for years. Like all so-called ‘platinum’ morphs, it is leucistic, exhibiting only white pigment but with black eyes. This extremely rare and prized fish is a truly impressive showpiece specimen for the true collector.
A freshwater eel originating from the Salween river along the Thailand/Myanmar border, the Leopard Eel is an as-yet undescribed species closely related to the more commonly seen Tiretrack Eel. An ambush predator in its natural habitat. In the aquarium, they are hardy but can be shy at first – be sure to provide plenty of cover. Although recently imported fish can be finicky eaters, they will usually learn to accept a variety of frozen foods. Like most freshwater eels, these fish should be kept in tightly covered aquariums as they will utilize even small openings to escape.
The Marbled Bichir, Polypterus palmas polli, is found in shallow, slow moving waters in Central and parts of Western Africa. It is a smaller growing species, only reaching 12-13″ as adults and is less predatory than some of their larger-mouthed relatives. This subspecies is one of several so-called “upper jaw” group of Polypterus, so named because their upper lip extends over the lower jaw. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
The Ornate Bichir is a distinctively marked, large growing species found throughout parts of the Congo River Basin and surrounding areas in Central and East Africa. This species is exported from the Congo but is also commercially bred in Asia for the aquarium trade. The largest of the “upper jaw” group of bichirs, they can reach an impressive 24″ in size as adults in the wild. In the aquarium, they have been popular for many years due to their eel-like body shape, predatory nature, and unique appearance. Like all bichirs, they are hardy fish, requiring a large tank due to their adult size but are otherwise undemanding.
The Weeksi or Mottled Bichir is found in Central Africa, where it inhabits shallow waters in areas of low to moderate current and plenty of cover. This species is one of several so-called “upper jaw” group of Polypterus, named because their upper lip protrudes over the lower jaw. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
A rarely imported, medium-sized Bichir found in parts of the Congo River Basin in Central Africa, the Mokele Mbembe Bichir is one of the more recently described members of the genus (it had been previously misidentified as P. retropinnis). In the wild, it tends to inhabit acidic, blackwater creeks and rivers but is hardy and will adapt to a wide range of conditions in the aquarium. A member of the so-called “upper jaw” group of Bichirs due to the fact that their upper lip protrudes past the lower, like all Polypterus they require a tightly-covered aquarium as they will jump if given the chance.
The Senegal, or Common Bichir is the most widespread species of Polypterus in Africa, inhabiting shallow waters across a huge geographic area. This species is also the most common in the aquarium hobby and has been commercially bred in Asia for years. In the aquarium, they have been popular for many years due to their eel-like body shape, predatory nature, and unique appearance. A hardy fish, the Senegal Bichir or Dinosaur Eel as they are sometimes known require a large tank due to their adult size but are otherwise undemanding.
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The Lapradei Bichir is a widespread species, found in various slow-moving shallow water habitats in much of lowland tropical West Africa. A large growing and robust species, this Bichir is capable of reaching sizes of over 30″ in the wild. Polypterus lapradei is one of several so-called “lower jaw” group of Polypterus, so named for their distinctive heavy lower jaw that protrude over the upper lip. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
Product description coming soon.
The Senegal, or Common Bichir (also known as Dinosaur Eel) is the most widespread species of Polypterus in Africa, inhabiting shallow waters across a huge geographic area. This species is also the most common in the aquarium hobby and has been commercially bred in Asia for years. The albino longfin variant has displays impressive long flowing fins and is a prized showpiece specimen in the aquarium.
One of the only species of Moray Eels to inhabit true freshwater environments, the Tiger Moray (G. polyuranodon) is a rarity in the hobby due to the remote areas it inhabits in West Papua, Indonesia. A hardy and adaptable fish, it can tolerate freshwater to almost full strength marine conditions if acclimated carefully. In the wild, they feed primarily on crustaceans and small fish, and like most Morays tong feeding is often the best way to get them used to frozen foods. They are a remarkable escape artist and any tank housing these fish should be completely escape-proof.
An uncommon and beautifully marked freshwater eel from the acidic freshwater swamps of Borneo, the Python Eel is a well-camouflaged ambush predator in its natural habitat. In the aquarium, they are hardy but can be shy at first – be sure to provide plenty of cover. Although recently imported fish can be finicky eaters, they will usually learn to accept a variety of frozen foods. Like most freshwater eels, these fish should be kept in tightly covered aquariums as they will utilize even small openings to escape.
The Nile Bichir, Polypterus bichir bichir, is found in shallow, slow moving waters in Egypt, Chad, Ghana, and possibly Cameroon. Although this species was the first of the Bichirs to be described scientifically, it remains quite rare in the hobby and trade due to the remote areas it inhabits. This subspecies is one of several so-called “lower jaw” group of Polypterus, so named for their distinctive heavy lower jaw that protrude over the upper lip. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
The ‘Guinea’ Endlicheri Bichir is one of several distinctive geographical variants of the widespread Polypterus endlicheri which is found in various slow-moving shallow water habitats ins Guinea and possibly surrounding countries in West Africa. Like all Endlicheri or Saddled Bichir variants, it is a large growing species, reaching sizes of over 30″ in the wild and the form from Guinea is known as one of the largest, and most heavy bodied of the geographical variants and subspecies. Polypterus endlicheri is one of several so-called “lower jaw” group of Polypterus, so named for their distinctive heavy lower jaw that protrude over the upper lip. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
The rarest of the three known subspecies of Polypterus palmas, the Marbled Bichir (P. palmas palmas) is found throughout parts of Central and West Africa but its true range remains unknown due to many years of misidentification and confusion surrounding its close relatives. It can be distinguished from the similar looking P. palmas polli by an overall lighter pattern, spotted pectoral fins, and 7-9 dorsal fin rays. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding, and with a maximum size of around 14″ they are more manageable as adults than some of their larger relatives. Like all bichir specie they should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
A medium sized member of the so-called “upper jaw” complex of Polypterus, the Zaire Green Bichir is a relatively new species to the trade which after examination by scientists was determined to be the true P. retropinnis (while most specimens in the trade sold as P. retropinnis before this were actually the newly described species P. mokelembebe). Originating from moderate to fast-flowing waters in the Congo River basin in Central Africa, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
An exceptionally rare, large growing Polypterus found in the waters of Guinea and possibly Guinea-Bisseau, the Guinean Bichir is distinguished by irregular dark markings, a tall dorsal fin, and 12-15 dorsal finlets extending to the rear of the pectoral fins. In most specimens, the upper and lower jaw are of equal length, although very large adults may have a slightly protruding lower jaw. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night. Due to their very large adult size they require an enormous aquarium or indoor pond when full grown.
*Small sized specimens offered for sale are tank raised *
A medium sized member of the so-called “upper jaw” complex of Polypterus, the Teugelsi Bichir is found in the Cross River and its tributaries in Cameroon and Nigeria in West Africa. More slender and with a darker, more contrasting pattern than the similar P. retropinnis, this species is now being bred commercially in Southeast Asia. Like most Bichir species, they are hardy and undemanding like but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night
Note on Origin: Small and Medium sized Teugelsi Bichirs in most cases are aquacultured in Asia while larger sizes are wild collected from Cameroon.
A medium sized member of the so-called “upper jaw” complex of Polypterus, the Gold Dust or Buettikofer’s Bichir is one of several subspecies of P. palmas but can easily be distinguished by its unique pattern. Widespread in moderate to fast-flowing waters in the West Africa, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night.
One of the most iconic fish species of the Amazon, the Electric Eel is not a true eel but a knifefish – the only one in its family capable of delivering a powerful electrical shock. In the wild, these fish tend to be found in shallow, slow moving waters with lots of cover in the form of vegetation or fallen branches. Their electrical organ is used as both a defense mechanism against predators and to stun prey items. In the aquarium, electric eels are fairly hardy, but due to their huge adult size and dangerous shock they should only be kept by experienced hobbyists with a dedicated, large aquarium designed around this fish’s special requirements. Larger fish should be treated with extreme caution.
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