Ornate Bichir
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Polypteridae
FishDifficulty: ●●●○○Data: well-established
About
An ancient 'living fossil' from the Congo River basin of Central Africa, the Ornate Bichir carries a bold black-and-yellow marbled pattern over a serpentine, armour-scaled body topped with a row of small dorsal finlets. It is a nocturnal ambush predator to 60 cm with poor eyesight and a superb sense of smell, and it rises to gulp atmospheric air at the surface.
Care
Needs a large-footprint tank of 650 L or more with soft sand, driftwood caves and subdued light. A tightly sealed, weighted lid is mandatory — bichirs are expert escape artists — but leave an air gap above the water so the fish can surface to breathe.
Diet
Feed meaty frozen or live foods — earthworms, prawns, mussels, fish pieces — in the evening; many wild-caught specimens ignore dry food, though some take sinking carnivore pellets. Keep only with tankmates too large to swallow.
Tankmate compatibility
Avoid (271)
Acei CichlidAdonis PlecoAfrican Butterfly CichlidAfrican ButterflyfishAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAltum AngelfishAmano ShrimpAngelfishAssassin SnailAuratus CichlidBala SharkBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Moor GoldfishBlack Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBladder SnailBleeding Heart TetraBlood Parrot CichlidBloodfin TetraBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo SuckerBrevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidBumblebee GobyButterfly Hillstream LoachCalvus CichlidCardinal TetraCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckerboard CichlidCheckered BarbCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChili RasboraChinese Algae EaterChocolate CichlidChocolate GouramiClown KillifishClown LoachClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpCuckoo CatfishCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDemon EartheaterDenison BarbDiamond TetraDiscusDoctor FishDogtooth CichlidDojo (Weather) LoachDuboisi TropheusDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Neon RainbowfishDwarf Orange CrayfishDwarf Pea PufferDwarf Petricola CatfishDwarf RasboraElectric Blue AhliElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmber TetraEmerald CoryEmperor TetraEndler's LivebearerEndlicheri BichirEven-spotted SynodontisFantail GoldfishFeatherfin SqueakerFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 PufferFiremouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraForktail RainbowfishFreshwater ClamFrontosaGerman Blue RamGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGlowlight DanioGlowlight TetraGoby CichlidGold BarbGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGolden Wonder KillifishGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraGreen Spotted PufferfishGreen TerrorGuppyHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHeckel DiscusHoney GouramiHongi CichlidIridescent SharkJack DempseyJaguar CichlidJapanese Trapdoor SnailJewel CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKoiKribensisKuhli LoachLambchop RasboraLeast KillifishLemon CichlidLemon TetraLeopard DanioLittle CorydorasLivingstoniMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMalaysian Trumpet SnailMarble HatchetfishMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMedaka RicefishMollyMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerMystery SnailNeon TetraNerite SnailOcellatus Shell DwellerOdessa BarbOranda GoldfishOscarOtocinclusPanda CorydorasParadise FishParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPeacock BassPeacock CichlidPearl DanioPearl GouramiPenguin TetraPeppered CorydorasPictus CatfishPike CichlidPlatyPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRamshorn SnailRanchu GoldfishRed DevilRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed TerrorRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Flying FoxReticulated Hillstream LoachRostratusRosy BarbRosy Red MinnowRosy TetraRoyal PlecoRubber Lip PlecoRummynose TetraRusty CichlidRyukin GoldfishSailfin MollySailfin PlecoSalt and Pepper CorySalvini CichlidSand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidScarlet BadisScissortail RasboraSerpae TetraSeverumShubunkin GoldfishSiamese Algae EaterSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySilver Tip TetraSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiSpotted HoploStar SapphireSterbai CorydorasStrawberry RasboraStriped KribensisStriped Raphael CatfishSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterSwordtailT-Bar CichlidTaiwan Reef CichlidTelescope GoldfishTexas CichlidThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbTropheusTurquoise RainbowfishUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf CichlidUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpVenezuelan CoryVenustus (Giraffe Cichlid)White Cloud Mountain MinnowWolf CichlidWrestling HalfbeakX-ray TetraYoyo LoachZebra DanioZebra MbunaZebra Pleco
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 Ornate Bichir need?
- A Ornate Bichir needs an aquarium of at least 650 litres (171.7 US gallons) with a footprint at least 180 cm (70.9 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Ornate Bichir need?
- Ornate Bichir does best at 24–30 °C (75.2–86 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 5–25 °dGH.
- Is the Ornate Bichir suitable for beginners?
- Ornate Bichir sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature24–30°C
Optimal temp.26–28°C
pH6–8
Hardness (GH)5–25°d
Carbonate (KH)3–12°d
Adult size60 cm
Min. volume≥ 650 L
Min. tank length≥ 180 cm
Group size≥ 1
Swimming zoneBottom
TemperamentPredatory
Water typeFreshwater
FlowLow
Lifespan~15 yrs
Try in the calculator