Fish Out of Water: The Ornate Bichir (Polypterus ornatipinnis)

The Ornate Bichir is a stunning species, with shades of yellows, greens and dark greys dappling its creamy white, lobe-finned body, is often regarded as the most attractive Bichirs within its family. This primitive piscine, hailing originally throughout Africa, P. ornatipinnis possesses a lung-like swim bladder along with its gills, allowing for the incredibly unique ability to survive out of water. Don’t go throwing a leash on this beauty for a stroll around town, however, as after a bit of brief terrestrial exploration, the Ornate Bichir must return to a freshwater aquatic environment to avoid risk of death by dehydration.

This handsome carnivorous fish can reach an impressive length of two feet, so it’s best suited to systems of 200 gallons or more. Considered semi-aggressive, P. ornatipinnis will consume any tankmate that’ll fit in its mouth, but is quite passive with other larger fishes. Avoid overly aggressive tankmates, however, as this fish is easily dominated. The Ornate Bichir would do well with larger cichlids, catfishes, arowanas or stingrays. Make sure to equip your tank with a well fitting lid, as this bichir will show off his land-breathing abilities by jumping straight out of his aquatic residency! If you opt to enjoy the unique presence of the Ornate Bichir in your freshwater aquarium, offer a mix of live and frozen meaty foods along with large carnivore specific pellets.