Albino Longfin Senegal Bichir

Albino Longfin Senegal Bichir (Polypterus Senegalus)

The Albino Longfin Senegal Bichir is an exotic and fascinating fish, boasting an otherworldly white hue, elongated body, and uniquely elongated pectoral fins.

Albino Longfin Senegal Bichirs can grow up to 14 inches long. Bichirs are not usually aggressive toward tank mates when they are provided with plenty of open swimming areas, rocks, and crevices and do well with other large, passive fish.

When selecting tank mates, it is important to choose fish that are large enough to avoid being seen as food (anything small enough to fit into their mouth), yet not overly aggressive to the point of harassing the Bichir. The Albino Senegal Bichir can coexist well with other large semi-aggressive tank mates, including larger South American and African Cichlids. However, they should not be kept with aggressive Cichlids or Cichlids that consider the Bichir as a potential food source.

As a nocturnal species with limited vision, Albino Senegal Bichirs tend to feed more actively in dimly lit or unlit conditions, taking advantage of their keen sense of smell to locate food. Turning off the aquarium lights during feeding time can thus help these Bichirs find food more effectively, outpacing tank mates that rely on sight. Bichirs are carnivorous, accepting a variety of foods, including live or frozen meaty options, such as bloodworms, shrimp, and small fish. While some may accept commercial meaty pellets and wafers, they thrive on live or frozen foods. They should be fed once or twice daily, consuming the provided food within 5 minutes.

Given that the Albino Senegal Bichir is a nocturnal species, they appreciate areas in the aquarium that are either dimly lit or shaded by vegetation or driftwood with plenty of hiding spots, such as caves to seek shelter in. Include smooth rocks and a soft substrate that mimics their natural riverbed homes. For an adult Albino Senegal Bichir, an ideal aquarium setup should have a minimum footprint of 6 x 2 feet or larger. Since the Albino Senegal Bichir has a unique body shape and swimming behavior, it is crucial to provide an aquarium with ample depth and length, while the height of the aquarium is relatively less important.

As Albino Senegal Bichir can breathe atmospheric air using their lung-like swim bladder, an aquarium with at least 75 gallons capacity and some access to the water's surface is recommended. They can adapt to various water conditions, but a pH of 6.2 to 7.8, a hardness of 5-20 dGH, and a temperature between 72-82°F (22-28°C) are ideal.

Due to their tendency to escape from aquariums, it is necessary to have a tightly fitted cover for the aquarium.