Senegal bichir care
Polypterus senegalus · Tropical Africa: the Nile, West Africa and the Congo basin
Senegal bichirs are eel-like "dinosaur" fish with a row of finlets along the back and primitive lungs: they gulp air at the surface.
- Tank size
- 75 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 84 °F (24 to 29 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 14 in (up to about 19 in in aquariums)
- pH
- 6.5 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 75 gallon
48½ × 18½ × 21⅛ in outsideHow to keep Senegal bichirs
Senegal bichirs are eel-like "dinosaur" fish with a row of finlets along the back and primitive lungs: they gulp air at the surface. One needs a 75 gallon or larger tank at 75 to 84 °F with a tight lid, no gaps and room to reach the surface; they eat any fish small enough to swallow.
Diet: Carnivore: sinking carnivore pellets, frozen bloodworm, shrimp, earthworms. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Senegal bichir tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Kissing gourami
12 in · 75+ gal · 72–82 °F
Uaru
9.8 in · 75+ gal · 79–86 °F
Blood parrot cichlid
8 in · 55+ gal · 76–80 °F
Severum
8 in · 55+ gal · 75–84 °F
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Adult Senegal bichirs eat fish under about 3 in; neon tetras grow to 1.6 in.
Cardinal tetra: Adult Senegal bichirs eat fish under about 3 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Adult Senegal bichirs eat fish under about 3 in; black neon tetras grow to 1.5 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult Senegal bichirs eat fish under about 3 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult Senegal bichirs eat fish under about 3 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Adult Senegal bichirs eat fish under about 3 in; glowlight tetras grow to 1.5 in.
What a Senegal bichir tank needs
A tank of 75 US gallons or more (such as the 75 gallon) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 300
Rated by the maker for 55–75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon Senegal bichir tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Marineland Penguin PRO 375
Rated by the maker for up to 75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon Senegal bichir tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 200
Senegal bichirs need 75 to 84 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding Senegal bichirs.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 84 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 75 gallon tank · Heaters for a 75 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common Senegal bichir problems
- They escape through small gaps; cover every opening.
- Small fish vanish at night.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Polypterus senegalus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Senegal bichir Zhyla at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kissing gourami 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Uaru Brent Tibbats, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blood parrot cichlid Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Severum Trisha M Shears, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black ghost knifefish Vassil, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Elephantnose fish Jutta234, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African butterflyfish Toniher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ropefish Michał Zalewski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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