Mottled Bichir Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Mottled Bichir is a striking primitive fish with an elongated, serpentine body, a broad flattened head and a series of separate dorsal finlets along its back. Its olive-brown to grey-brown body is marked with irregular darker mottling, providing effective camouflage among roots, leaf litter and shadowed river margins.

The Mottled Bichir is native to the central Congo Basin in Central Africa, particularly parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It inhabits slow-moving rivers, floodplain areas and other warm, soft-bottomed freshwater environments.

A single adult should have at least 450 litres, with a footprint of roughly 180 x 60 cm; larger is preferable as this species can become very substantial. Use a secure, tightly fitted lid because Mottled Bichirs are powerful escape artists and can breathe atmospheric air. Provide a soft sand substrate, smooth rocks, sturdy driftwood, caves and shaded areas, while leaving open floor space for nocturnal movement. Filtration should be strong but not excessively turbulent, and the aquarium must have clear access to humid air above the waterline.

Up to about 54 cm (21 in) in total length. Females are generally larger and heavier-bodied than males, although individual size varies.

Mottled Bichirs are carnivores that feed on aquatic invertebrates, small fish, crustaceans and other meaty prey. Offer a varied diet of sinking carnivore pellets, prawns, mussel, earthworms, bloodworm and other frozen or suitably sized foods. They rely heavily on smell and often feed after dark, so food should reach the bottom rather than remain at the surface.

Suitable companions include large, peaceful or moderately robust fish such as Congo Tetras, larger barbs, peaceful medium-to-large cichlids, Datnioides and other appropriately sized bichirs. Avoid small tetras, livebearers, shrimp and other creatures that can fit in its mouth, as well as highly aggressive cichlids or fin-nipping species. Mottled Bichirs may be territorial with one another, especially in cramped quarters, so multiple specimens need considerably more space and cover.

Mottled Bichirs are rarely bred in home aquariums, but spawning can be encouraged with a large, mature aquarium, excellent conditioning and a simulated rainy season involving a gradual change in temperature and water chemistry. The pair scatter adhesive eggs among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, with the male receiving and fertilising the eggs using his modified anal and caudal fins. Remove the eggs or parents after spawning, as the adults may eat them. The larvae hatch after several days and require very small live foods before accepting larger fare.

Females usually grow larger and have a broader, fuller body. Males are typically smaller and can be identified by their noticeably thicker, more muscular anal fin, which is used during spawning.