SKU: H1218
Polypterus & Ropefish Care Tips
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Polypterus (Bichars) and Ropefish
History: Polypteriformes date back to the cretaceous period and the time of the dinosaurs, more than 60 million years ago. The family polypteridae has two main genera. The first, Erptetoichthys, contains only one species, E. calabaricus also known as Ropefish or Reedsfish. The next is Polypterus, which contains nearly a dozen different species, some of the most popular species found here at Elmer's will be covered below.
Ropefish (E. calabaricus)
General: Adults can get up to 15". These are hardy bottom dwellers that will feed at night.
Temperature: 75-80F
Housing: Best kept in groups of one or more. They are jumpers and need a tight cover, make sure to provide hiding spots on the bottom.
Feeding: Feed frozen bloodworms, live worms, brine shrimp, and live
guppies.
Compatibility: Compatible with medium size fish such as gouramis, sharks, swordtails, but may attack small fish such as guppies and neons.
Polypterus
General: Adults can range from 12-38" depending on the species. Provide a tight cover as they are jumpers. Provide hiding spots at the bottom and around the edges of the tank.
Housing: Can be kept in groups or as singles. More popularly kept as singles as you would need a large amount of space to accommodate more than one at their adult size.
Feeding: Feed meaty, frozen foods and high protein pellets. Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, Mysis Shrimp, Krill, and Clam Meat are great options, the addition of a Garlic scent enticer to the food may help guide these poor sighted fish to their food.
Compatibility: Compatible with medium to large sized fish like gouramis, swordtails, silver dollars, barbs, and cichlids.
Below are some of the most popular species of Polypterus sold here at Elmer's Aquarium.
Polypterus angsorgii (Guinea bichir): Grows to 36". Greenish/black in appearance with large black spots on the flanks.
Polypterus bichir (Nile bichar). Grows to 36". Mostly found in or around Lake Tanganyika.
Polypterus delhezi (Armored bichr, barred/banded bichir) Found in the upper to middle portions of the Congo River.
Polpyterus endlicheri (Saddled bichir). Grows to 30". Found in waterways of Nigeria, Chad and White Nile.
Polypterus ornatipinnis (Oranate bichir). Grows to 24". Found in Central/East Africa, in the Congo river basin and Lake Tanganyika.
Polypterus senegalus (Senegal bichir/Gray bichir): Grows to 20". Found in the Nile River Basin
Polpyerus palmas (Shortfin bichir): Grows to 12". Found in Congo, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
History: Polypteriformes date back to the cretaceous period and the time of the dinosaurs, more than 60 million years ago. The family polypteridae has two main genera. The first, Erptetoichthys, contains only one species, E. calabaricus also known as Ropefish or Reedsfish. The next is Polypterus, which contains nearly a dozen different species, some of the most popular species found here at Elmer's will be covered below.
Ropefish (E. calabaricus)
General: Adults can get up to 15". These are hardy bottom dwellers that will feed at night.
Temperature: 75-80F
Housing: Best kept in groups of one or more. They are jumpers and need a tight cover, make sure to provide hiding spots on the bottom.
Feeding: Feed frozen bloodworms, live worms, brine shrimp, and live
guppies.
Compatibility: Compatible with medium size fish such as gouramis, sharks, swordtails, but may attack small fish such as guppies and neons.
Polypterus
General: Adults can range from 12-38" depending on the species. Provide a tight cover as they are jumpers. Provide hiding spots at the bottom and around the edges of the tank.
Housing: Can be kept in groups or as singles. More popularly kept as singles as you would need a large amount of space to accommodate more than one at their adult size.
Feeding: Feed meaty, frozen foods and high protein pellets. Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, Mysis Shrimp, Krill, and Clam Meat are great options, the addition of a Garlic scent enticer to the food may help guide these poor sighted fish to their food.
Compatibility: Compatible with medium to large sized fish like gouramis, swordtails, silver dollars, barbs, and cichlids.
Below are some of the most popular species of Polypterus sold here at Elmer's Aquarium.
Polypterus angsorgii (Guinea bichir): Grows to 36". Greenish/black in appearance with large black spots on the flanks.
Polypterus bichir (Nile bichar). Grows to 36". Mostly found in or around Lake Tanganyika.
Polypterus delhezi (Armored bichr, barred/banded bichir) Found in the upper to middle portions of the Congo River.
Polpyterus endlicheri (Saddled bichir). Grows to 30". Found in waterways of Nigeria, Chad and White Nile.
Polypterus ornatipinnis (Oranate bichir). Grows to 24". Found in Central/East Africa, in the Congo river basin and Lake Tanganyika.
Polypterus senegalus (Senegal bichir/Gray bichir): Grows to 20". Found in the Nile River Basin
Polpyerus palmas (Shortfin bichir): Grows to 12". Found in Congo, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
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