Does my Senegal Bichir need a tight lid?

Absolutely. Bichirs are notorious escape artists with powerful muscles. They will find even small gaps in an aquarium cover and jump out. Ensure the lid is completely sealed and potentially weighed down.

Why is my bichir constantly gulping air at the surface?

This is completely normal behaviour. Senegal Bichirs have a modified swim bladder that acts as a pair of lungs, meaning they are obligate air breathers. They must regularly take atmospheric air to survive.

Can I keep a Senegal Bichir with small tetras?

No. The Senegal Bichir is a nocturnal ambush predator that relies heavily on smell to hunt. Any fish small enough to fit in its surprisingly large mouth—such as Neon Tetras or Guppies—will be eaten overnight.

Will a Senegal Bichir eat dry flake food?

Rarely. While some young specimens may occasionally take flake, their diet should consist of high-quality sinking carnivore pellets and meaty frozen or live foods like earthworms, prawns, and bloodworms.

Can I keep multiple Senegal Bichirs together?

Yes, they are generally quite tolerant of their own kind. As long as you provide a tank with a large enough footprint to accommodate their combined adult sizes and offer plenty of hiding places, they often coexist peacefully.

FreshwaterTropicalIntermediate

Senegal Bichir

Polypterus senegalus

The Senegal Bichir is a fascinating, ancient, predatory fish with lung-like structures, making it a captivating oddball for large aquariums.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 25 – 28 °C
pH range: 6.2 – 7.8
Hardness: 5 – 20 dGH
Adult size: 25 – 35 cm
250+ Litres: 250 litres+
Lifespan: 10 – 15 years
Diet: Carnivore
Water flow: low-moderate
Preferred setup: Soft sand substrate with driftwood, smooth rocks, and robust plants. A heavy, tight-fitting lid is absolutely essential.

About the Senegal Bichir

Often sold under the name 'Dinosaur Eel', the Senegal Bichir is actually an ancient species of ray-finned fish rather than a true eel. It boasts a lineage dating back to the time of the dinosaurs, retaining primitive features such as ganoid scales, a modified swim bladder that acts like a lung, and lobe-like pectoral fins. These hardy predators are fascinating to observe as they actively 'walk' along the substrate. Though somewhat nocturnal by nature, they often adapt to their keeper's schedule, confidently patrolling the tank during daylight hours.

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Is it right for your tank?

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

Where Senegal Bichir comes from

Native range

Nile Basin, West Africa, Congo River Basin

Countries / regions

Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad

Habitat

Found in shallow, slow-moving or stagnant waters such as marginal swamps, marshes, and the edges of freshwater lakes.

Widely distributed across 26 African countries, making it one of the most widespread species of bichir.

Similar species

Delhezi Bichir
Polypterus delhezi
Ornate Bichir
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Saddled Bichir
Polypterus endlicheri

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

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

Leopard Bush Fish
Ctenopoma acutirostre
Shares a similar robust build, peaceful nature, and water parameters; comfortably occupies the middle to top strata away from the bichir.
Great
Severum
Heros severus
A large, relatively peaceful cichlid that grows far too large to be considered prey, coexisting well in spacious setups.
Great
Silver Dollar
Metynnis argenteus
Active, large dither fish that stay high in the water column and are much too large for the bichir to swallow.
Great
Oscar
Astronotus ocellatus
Oscars can be highly territorial and boisterous; large adults might bully a smaller Senegal Bichir or outcompete it for food.
Compatible with caution
Common Pleco
Hypostomus plecostomus
Large suckermouth catfish may develop a taste for the bichir's nutrient-rich slime coat, causing significant injury and stress.
Compatible with caution
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Small, torpedo-shaped fish will be viewed entirely as prey and quickly hunted during the night.
Not recommended
Bronze Corydoras
Corydoras aeneus
Small enough to be swallowed, but their stiff pectoral and dorsal spines can fatally lodge in the bichir's throat.
Not recommended

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