The Senegal Bichir (Polypterus senegalus) is the most popular Bichir among those taking care of Fishes in the Philippines. Arguably anyone who has them decided to keep them because they were the very first Bichirs introduced to the country.
AS FILIPINO AS ADOBO
P. senegalus was probably introduced in the Philippines back in the 1970s, if not earlier. They do not look like any of the typical aquarium Fishes you might find in the store. They are long like Eels and have several dorsal finlets on their back. They do not swim in the middle of the tank like most Fishes but would rather slither at the bottom where they spend most of their time, only breaking the surface when gulping for air.
I was just a kid when I first set eyes on this exotic Fish. And if, just like me, you were to be mesmerized by this oddball, you might ask the store owner the name of the species, to which he would reply, “They’re called Dragonfin.”
What a cool name!
So, you would probably go home to rummage through your Fish books, searching for the Dragonfin. After all, there was no such thing as the internet back then. Alas, you would not find any information, because the common name “Dragonfin” is as Filipino as “adobo.”
A FISH BY ANY OTHER NAME
Apparently, the name “Dragonfin” is used only in the Philippines when pertaining to the P. senegalus. Sadly, none of the Fish books were written by Filipinos. All were written by westerners who have never heard of the Dragonfin.
Luckily, the pictures revealed that the Dragonfin is more commonly known by western fishkeepers as Senegal Bichir, Cuvier’s Bichir, or Grey Bichir. Today, a quick search on the internet discloses that the Polypterus senegalus is also called the Dinosaur Eel, Dinosaur Bichir, or Dragon Fish in other countries.
THE MANY SHADES OF P. SENEGALUS
The Polypterus senegalus in theirnnatural form are usually gray or beige in color, but through the years of captive breeding, other color variants appeared in the market. The albino variant is cream to yellowish with red eyes. The leucistic variant is cream to white in color with black eyes. The platinum variant is shiny white with black eyes.
In recent years, a new color variant has appeared in the aquarium fish trade: the marble variant. The Marble Senegal Bichir has a base body color of cream to white with dark blotches of grey. Animals with two colors are oftentimes considered “piebald”, a word that originates from a combination of “pie,” from Magpie, and “bald”, meaning white patch or spot. It references the distinctive black-and-white plumage of the Magpie.
We have been seeing Marble Senegal Bichirs being cared for by foreigners in the last two to three years. But it was in late 2023 when I got hold of them in the Philippines.
Piebaldism is a condition characterized by the absence of cells called melanocytes in certain areas of the skin, in this case the ganoid scales of a Bichir, resulting in a combination of light and dark colors in the Marble Senegal Bichir.
Angel Ampil
MARBLE SENEGAL BICHIR BASICS
The Marble Senegal Bichir is the same Senegal Bichir — but in a new dress! They boast the same characteristics we love with the Senegal Bichirs since many decades back. If you’re on the lookout for this Fish, here are some things you need to know.
WATER PARAMETERS
The Marble Senegal Bichir is hardy as they can tolerate our water’s normal parameters. They do well in a wide range of pH from 6.2 to 7.8, water hardness of 5 to 20 dH, and water temperature of 24 to 32°C.
These values are within the range of our local tap water, so there is no need to alter our water parameters to suit their needs.
BEHAVIOR
Among the Bichirs, they are one of few active swimmers.
While most Bichirs tend to sit around in the bottom of the tank and do nothing, the Senegal Bichir, as well as the Delhezi and Polli Bichirs, are the most active swimmers of the bunch.
The Senegal Bichir spends half of their time swimming around the tank.
DIET
The Marble Senegal Bichir is easy to feed. They are not choosy in terms of what food they eat. My Marble Senegal Bichirs are given fresh Fishes or Shrimp readily available in local wet markets.
Occasionally, they are given live Fishes, whom they hunt down around the tank. They also take commercially available pellet Fish food by picking off sinking pellets from the bottom of the tank or gobbling up floating pellet food from the surface.
SIZE
While wild caught Polypterus senegalus is said to reach 20 inches, it is most likely not going to happen with the Marble Senegal Bichir. Being a captive bred Fish from Asian farms, the Marble Senegal Bichir will probably max out at about 10 to 12 inches.
This is still an impressive size that would suit most Filipino aquariums. They should do well in aquariums 75 gallons or less. This means fewer expenses and less space compared to other Bichirs who grow much bigger.
PRICE
The only disadvantage I see with keeping Marble Senegal Bichirs is the price. Since they are a recently introduced color variant of a common Fish, they are still pricey as supply is low.
In the Philippines, the common Senegal Bichirs are priced modestly, with smaller specimens being only a few hundred pesos. The Marble Senegal Bichir, however, will set you off a few thousand pesos.
However, I predict that in the future, they will cost much less.
WHAT COMES NEXT
Being a classic Bichir in a new color variant, I would expect more Filipinos to want to give them a home once there are more of them available. I foresee a high demand for this Fish, especially when the price begins to taper off.
Presently, the importation of the Marble Senegal Bichir is still infrequent. But for those who already have them at home, they are probably happy to take pictures and videos of this old time classic in their new appearance, if only to show off in local groups. After all, it’s nice to be one of the first to have the Marble Senegal Bichir in the country!
Angel Ampil
