Endlicheri Bichir
Polypterus endlicherii
Polypteridae
About
A heavyset, lower-jawed bichir from the Nile, Chad, Niger and Volta systems of Africa, where it works swamps, flooded margins and slow river channels and occasionally pushes into brackish mangrove water. The cylindrical body is armoured in thick glossy scales, ridged along the back with a row of separate triangular finlets, and carries four to six broad dark saddles over a pale grey-brown ground; the protruding lower jaw gives the head an upturned, crocodilian set. It is nocturnal and nearly blind, tracking prey by scent alone, drifting over a scent trail several times before engulfing whatever lies at the end of it. Bigger and far bulkier than the ornate bichir, a 60 cm adult can be 10 cm across the body.
Care
Floor space, not water depth, is what counts: budget a 200 cm footprint and at least 1000 litres for an adult, with 210x120 cm (about 2300 litres) the honest ideal for a fully grown fish. Give it soft sand, bogwood caves and dim light, and anchor plants to rock or wood because a muscular adult ploughs straight through loose ones. The lid must be heavy and gap-free, since this is a notorious escape artist strong enough to shove cover glass aside, yet the fish must always be able to reach the surface to gulp air or it will drown. Wild-caught imports often carry Macrogyrodactylus flukes, so quarantine new arrivals and halve the dose of most medications.
Diet
Offer chunky meaty foods at dusk, prawn, mussel, squid, krill, earthworm and whole lancefish, and drop them close to the hide because the fish hunts by smell rather than sight. Sinking carnivore pellets are worth training onto; flake is simply ignored. Two or three feeds a week is plenty for an adult, as bichirs bolt their food and are easily overfed.
Tankmate compatibility
Avoid (271)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
There is no reliable way to sex this species by eye. That is the honest answer, not a gap in our data.
All the methods, with diagramsAlso in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Endlicheri Bichir need?
- A Endlicheri Bichir needs an aquarium of at least 1000 litres (264.2 US gallons) with a footprint at least 200 cm (78.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Endlicheri Bichir need?
- Endlicheri Bichir does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 5–25 °dGH.
- Is the Endlicheri Bichir suitable for beginners?
- Endlicheri Bichir is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.