Home / Fishes / Bichirs and ropefish / Barred bichir
No federal permit to keepBarred bichir
Polypterus delhezi
Fishes › Bichirs and ropefish (Polypteriformes) › Polypteridae (Bichirs and ropefish)
The barred bichir, armoured bichir, bandback bichir, or banded bichir (Polypterus delhezi) is a species of fish belonging to the class Actinopterygii, or the ray-finned fish, which constitute an order of the class of the bony fish. an elongated fish…
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 72 in long and 36 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 17.3 in / 44 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 79–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Availability: Mostly kept by public aquariums; private keeping is uncommon.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 54 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 75–86 °F, pH 6–8, 5–25 dGH.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Floor space is more important than depth with this species.”
- Tankmates: “Not to be trusted with tankmates it can fit in its mouth but is relatively peaceful otherwise.”
- Breeding: “Has been achieved in aquaria but details are very scarce.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Bichirs and ropefish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These African freshwater bottom predators use rivers and vegetated shallow waters, with ropefish especially associated with dense vegetation (rope, setup). Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Small bichirs such as P. senegalus: published minimum footprint 122 × 38 cm; small/medium groups: 153 × 46 cm (setup).
- Large P. ornatipinnis, endlicherii and bichir: published starting footprint 183 × 61 cm; assess the actual adult size and stocking (setup).
- Adult ropefish: Seriously Fish specifies 150 × 60 × 60 cm, approximately 540 L (rope).
- Use heavy, tight lids, seal cable gaps, and leave an air gap with unobstructed surface access (setup, rope).
- Provide soft sand, wood/cave refuges and subdued lighting (setup).
- Provide ample biological filtration and protect heaters from physical damage (setup).
Climate & lighting
| Water | 77–82.4°F |
Diet
- Earthworms (rope).
- Prawns and mussel meat (rope).
- Bloodworms for appropriately sized specimens (rope).
Social life
- Avoid swallowable companions; ropefish can live in groups but lose food to vigorous feeders (rope).
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity from inadequate biofiltration (fish_health).
- Parasitic skin and gill infections (fish_health).
- Nutritional deficiencies from unsuitable diets (fish_health).
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This species is one of the more commonly available in commercial pet stores.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Barred bichir” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes. Stays near the bottom. This carnivorous fish lives in streams, lakes and zones of flood. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 79–82 °F (26–28 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 79–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 67°F (down to 64°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 76–78°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 78–84% on average (driest month about 75%) |
| Rainfall | about 1605 mm a year |
Measured at 19 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The barred bichir, armoured bichir, bandback bichir, or banded bichir (Polypterus delhezi) is a species of fish belonging to the class Actinopterygii, or the ray-finned fish, which constitute an order of the class of the bony fish. an elongated fish found in the Congo River, specifically in the upper and middle portions. This species is one of the more commonly available in commercial pet stores. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Behavior | A nocturnal species, P. delhezi relies significantly on their sense of smell, rather than their poor sense of sight when it comes to hunting and locating food. In the wild, the barred bichir will hide during the day, only emerging at night to hunt prey. Their diet is entirely carnivorous and includes more or less anything which can be sucked into their mouths, including small fish, insects, and worms. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Reproduction occurs during the rainy season. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | P. delhezi is greyish in color, and specks of yellow or green coloration have also been observed. Compared to the dorsal side, the ventral surface seems to be lighter in color. It is a rather unique species from a notably old group of fishes, possessing several traits than set them apart from their close relatives. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; This carnivorous fish lives in streams, lakes and zones of flood. Reproduction and spawning occurs during the rainy season. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 54 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Sean Evans: Tank Setup for Bichirs and Ropefish Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Erpetoichthys calabaricus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of Aquarium Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
More bichirs and ropefish
Cross River Bichir
Polypterus teugelsi
Aquarium hobby
Mottled bichir
Polypterus weeksii
Aquarium hobby
Reedfish
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
Aquarium hobby
West African bichir
Polypterus retropinnis
Aquarium hobby