Freshwater
Ornate bichir
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Polypteridae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 60 cm
- Body shape
- Elongated
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 4,545 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, and Tanzania.
More about the species
Description
Inhabits calm waters of swamps and rivers. It feeds on worms and insect larvae when young, but takes larger food, mainly fish, when adult. It mainly hunts at night. In general they are more or less solitary fish and do not form schools.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Polypterus weeksii
In other languages
- Praktbikir
- Marmorerad fengädda
- Plettet bikir
- Kirjoniilinhauki, Koruniilinhauki
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up an African aquarium5 min read
Two completely different aquariums: forest rivers with soft, brown water, roots and leaves, and Rift Valley lake cichlids in hard, alkaline water with big rock piles.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.