nile bichir

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.