Can I keep an Ornate Bichir in a planted tank?

While they will not eat plants, their large size and clumsy, bottom-dwelling nature mean they will easily uproot delicate vegetation. Robust, well-rooted plants like large Amazon Swords or epiphytes like Anubias attached to heavy wood are better choices.

Why is my Ornate Bichir constantly going to the surface?

This is completely normal. Bichirs possess functional lungs and need to regularly swim to the surface to gulp atmospheric air. Ensure there is a gap between the water level and the lid.

Will an Ornate Bichir eat my smaller fish?

Yes. They are nocturnal predators with poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. Any fish small enough to fit in their surprisingly wide mouths will be eaten overnight.

What is the best substrate for an Ornate Bichir?

Fine, smooth sand is essential. Rough or sharp gravel can severely damage their delicate sensory barbels and soft bellies, leading to infections.

Do I need a special lid for my bichir tank?

A heavy, tightly fitted lid with absolutely no escape holes is mandatory. Bichirs are powerful jumpers and notorious escape artists; they will quickly find their way out of an unsecured tank.

FreshwaterTropicalIntermediate

Ornate Bichir

Polypterus ornatipinnis

The Ornate Bichir is a large, strikingly patterned prehistoric fish that requires a spacious aquarium and makes a spectacular bottom-dwelling centrepiece for a monster fish community.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 26 – 28 °C
pH range: 6 – 8
Hardness: 5 – 20 dGH
Adult size: 45 – 60 cm
Adult minimum: 600 litres+
Lifespan: 10 – 15 years
Diet: Carnivore
Water flow: low
Preferred setup: Soft sand substrate with large driftwood tangles, rock caves, or PVC pipes for hiding. A completely secure, heavy lid is strictly mandatory.

About the Ornate Bichir

Originating from the Congo River basin, the Ornate Bichir is an ancient, heavily armoured oddball with ganoid scales and a modified swim bladder that functions as a primitive lung. Its bold, reticulated pattern of black and gold makes it arguably the most visually striking member of the Polypteridae family. Growing up to 60cm, it is a formidable but fascinating addition to large-scale aquaria.

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Is it right for your tank?

Check Ornate Bichir against a habitat you already keep. We compare water type, temperature, pH, adult size, group needs and everything living there.

Where Ornate Bichir comes from

Native range

Congo River Basin, Lake Tanganyika

Countries / regions

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Tanzania

Habitat

Slow-moving rivers, murky swamps, and heavily vegetated floodplains with soft substrates.

Widely distributed throughout the central African river systems, often found in low-oxygen environments.

Similar species

Saddled Bichir
Polypterus endlicheri
Senegal Bichir
Polypterus senegalus
Delhezi Bichir
Polypterus delhezi

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Silver Dollar
Metynnis argenteus
Large, deep-bodied, and fast enough to avoid predation, while occupying the middle and upper levels of the tank out of the bichir's way.
Great
Severum
Heros severus
A robust, peaceful, and large enough cichlid that will not be viewed as food by an adult bichir.
Great
Sengal Bichir
Polypterus senegalus
Can be kept together if the tank is very large, but the Ornate Bichir grows significantly larger and might bully or outcompete smaller species of the same genus.
Compatible with caution
Common Plecostomus
Hypostomus plecostomus
Large suckermouth catfish are known to occasionally latch onto the broad, flat backs of bichirs, damaging their protective slime coat.
Compatible with caution
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Any fish small enough to fit into the surprisingly wide mouth of the Ornate Bichir will be hunted and eaten at night.
Not recommended

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