Species Profile
Senegal Bichir
Polypterus senegalus
Oddballssemi-aggressive
Adult size
14″
Minimum tank
75 gal
Temperature
75–82°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Diet
Frozen, live, sinking pellets, shrimp pieces
Notes
Living-fossil ancient fish with primitive lungs; surfaces to gulp air every few minutes. Will eat any fish small enough to fit in the wide mouth, including surprisingly large tankmates. Long-lived (15-20 years).
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Senegal Bichir
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Senegal Bichirin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Male Betta
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Pearl Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
German Blue Ram
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: uploaded by en:User:Zhyla / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0