Dinosaur Bichir Care Data & Species Profile

The dinosaur bichir, additionally known as the Senegal bichir, gray bichir, or dragon fish, is a freshwater fish of the Polypteridae family. Dinosaur bichirs have prolonged, cylindrical our our bodies spherical one foot in measurement, and are gray or beige with refined, splotchy patternings.

This fish’s protruding nostrils, sturdy scales, and serrated dorsal fin have been as compared with a dragon, and the species has grow to be widespread amongst hobbyists.

Whereas the dinosaur bichir could possibly be missed by beginning aquarists because of its carnivorous feeding pattern, its smooth swimming and distinctive look are visually pleasing to aquarium keepers, and with right care, the fish can reside fortuitously with totally different large tank mates for just a few years.

Dinosaur Bichir Particulars & Overview

Origin

Throughout the wild, the dinosaur bichir is commonly found inside the lakes, swamps, and floodplains of Africa and India. The dense vegetation and gradual water movement in these environments allow this hardy fish to thrive, and in captivity, it needs a similar environment with good hiding places.

Grownup Measurement & Lifespan

In captivity, the dinosaur bichir is significantly smaller than inside the wild. Captive females typically attain 14 inches nevertheless could possibly be as long as 18 inches, and males attain barely shorter lengths. Throughout the wild, this fish can lengthen as a lot as 28 inches. Dinosaur bichir owners can rely on the fish to reside as a lot as 15 years, making it an beautiful long-term aquarium dweller if well-cared for.

Availability

Hobbyists can merely uncover the dinosaur bichir of their native aquarium retailer. At a worth of spherical $10 for a small specimen, this fish is an fairly priced addition to any freshwater tank. The fish may even be found on-line on PetSmart, LiveAquaria, and Worldwide Fish and Pets.

Look & Conduct

The dinosaur bichir’s distinctive, dragon-like seems to be like and predatory nature might seem intimidating to a beginner aquarist. Nonetheless, the fish’s gradual, meandering swimming tempo and predictable behaviors make this fish a superb beginner-to-intermediate freshwater aquarium fish.

Colors, Patterns, Fins, and Intercourse Variations

Most dinosaur bichirs are gray, beige, or brown with an irregular pattern of monumental darkish brown or black splotches. Like eels, dinosaur bichirs are prolonged and cylindrical, nevertheless their pores and pores and skin is scaled and sturdy.

This species’ head is spherical and clear, and two pectoral fins are positioned behind and beneath the gill area. These fins current most locomotion, whereas a serrated dorsal fin of 8–11 spines runs alongside the once more leading to a flat, pointed caudal fin.

Juvenile specimens have gills that disappear with age, and some have a darkish stripe pattern that fades as a result of the fish ages. Male dinosaur bichirs develop to a barely smaller dimension than females and possess a much bigger anal fin for reproductive features.

Typical Conduct

The dinosaur bichir is carnivorous and makes an try and eat any fish it deems as prey — normally one thing under 3 inches. The dinosaur bichir cohabitates with larger non-prey fish.

This fish makes use of its protruding nostrils to hunt out prey, as its imaginative and prescient is weak, and it slowly paces throughout the tank with its pectoral fins, making a smooth look as a result of it explores. This bichir can be acknowledged to periodically dart to the best of the tank, using a set of primitive lungs to take gulps of air from the ground. At night or at midnight, it rests on the bottom of the tank, using suction to feed on crustaceans, worms, prey fish, or totally different carnivorous fish.

Dinosaur Bichir Care & Tank Requirements

Caring for a dinosaur bichir is relatively straightforward, no matter its distinctive seems to be like. This fish enjoys a lush vegetative tank and feeds on crustaceans, worms, fish pellets, and flakes. Meals doesn’t must be alive, and the fish isn’t a picky eater — it’ll try and eat one thing it would most likely swallow.

Tankmates for a dinosaur bichir must be large, daring species, in another case, the tank mate shall be eaten or injured by the dinosaur bichir.

Habitat and Tank Requirements

Whereas the dinosaur bichir isn’t notably shy in its tank, this bottom-dweller requires some hiding spots and resting areas. Use an aquarium sand substrate as a base, together with clear rocks and driftwood to create crevices and caves. Java fern and java moss add a superb vegetative environment and offers the fish areas to find.

Shallow tanks allow optimum swimming and feeding, and a tightly sealed cowl is a ought to because of the dinosaur bichir will dart as a lot as the ground shortly to breathe air, and may escape. Free aquarium hoods allow the fish to leap out of the tank.

Tank Conditions

The dinosaur bichir species requires a freshwater tank, and whereas it’s a sturdy fish, owners ought to ensure clear circumstances.

Specific tank circumstances embody:

• Water kind: Freshwater
• Tank dimension: Minimal 29 gallons
• Tank type: Huge bottom flooring area for feeding and resting
• Water temperature: 77–80°F (25–27°C)
• Substrate: Aquarium sand
• Tank setup: Straightforward rocks, driftwood, dense vegetation
• Acidity: pH 6.5–7.5
• Water hardness: cheap, 8–12 dGH
• Filter: Useful, to chop again information cleaning of feces
• Bubbler: Not wanted. The bichir naturally surfaces to breathe

Common, this species has low maintenance needs and is a sturdy, sturdy species for model new aquarists to take care of.

Sickness

One advantage of conserving a dinosaur bichir is the fish’s resistance to sickness. This breed isn’t weak to any express illness, making it resilient and easy to maintain. Nonetheless, owners ought to look at that wild-caught specimens sometimes carry a parasite, Macrogyrodactylus polypteri, which kills tank mates. A quarantine aquarium or change salt tub are straightforward choices to this draw back.

Tank Mates

No matter its carnivorous nature, the dinosaur bichir is peaceful in tanks amongst totally different large fish. As long as the tank mate is larger than half the bichir’s dimension, or a minimal of three inches prolonged, the potential for co-living is extreme.

Unimaginable tank mates for dinosaur bichirs embody:

• Completely different Polypterus specimens
• Bloch’s catfish (Pimelodus blochii)
• “Silver buck” fish (Metynnis argenteus)
• Lesser spiny eel (Macrognathus aculeatus)
• Black current (Cichlasoma bimaculatum)
• Bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus)

Meals routine and Feeding

As a carnivorous bottom feeder, the dinosaur bichir eats crustaceans, small fish, aquatic bugs, and amphibians inside the wild. In captivity, this species isn’t selective and enjoys all types of meals along with earthworms, shrimp, mussels, feeder fish, or dried pellets and flakes.

Feed the fish as quickly as daily, and, to stay away from dirtying the tank with meals waste, solely current ample meals for two to some minutes of feeding. Dinosaur bichirs select to feed at midnight, and use their nostrils to hunt out meals on the underside of the tank.

Breeding

The dinosaur bichir is often wild-caught, nevertheless this species can breed in aquariums as properly. Encourage breeding in an aquarium by providing a beautiful residing environment to foster courtship, along with high-quality water with frequent changes, a diversified variety of reside meals, and a big tank with applicable vegetation for egg-laying.

Courtship and breeding occur by way of the moist season inside the wild and could possibly be simulated inside the tank by altering water with a colder temperature of 60.8–69.8ºF (16–21ºC). All through courtship, the female deposits 100–300 eggs over various days, which can be fertilized by the male after which deposited amongst crops inside the tank.

After courtship and egg fertilization occur, change the crops or breeding companions to a model new tank so the adults don’t eat the eggs. Bichir fry feed on their egg sacs for per week after supply, and owners can begin to feed them small reside shrimp, worms, or mosquito larvae after one week. Take away larger fry as needed to stay away from cannibalism.

Must You Get a Dinosaur Bichir for Your Aquarium?

Some beginner aquarists are intimidated by the dinosaur bichir’s carnivorous weight-reduction plan and aggression in captivity. Nonetheless, potential owners should not be pushed away by these distinctive traits.

This species’ soothing swimming pattern, versatile weight-reduction plan, and dragon-like look make it a extraordinarily fascinating addition to a freshwater aquarium. With dedication and a healthful tank environment, the dinosaur bichir is a versatile, long-living, and fascinating freshwater species to non-public.