Bichir Questions

[Ornate Bichir]

What species of bichir has the most no. of dorsal finlets and how many exactly? Also, I noticed that ornate bichirs have different shade of color. I have one that's black-REAL black with yellow spots while I saw others at fish shops with lighter black and yellow spots. Are they different sub-species or has their colors faded?

 

[synodontisjack]

polypterus bichir bichir has the most from memory but someone correct me if i'm wrong, i believe it can have up to 18. I would imagine the reason for colour differences in your ornates to be the same as with the farmed endlicheri, whereby they have vastly different patterns from fish too fish but i'm not entirely sure why this occurs.

 

[beblondie]

Q.What species of bichir has the most no. of dorsal finlets and how many exactly?
A.P.b.bichir has the most dorsal finlets 14-18.


Q.Are they different sub-species or has their colors faded?
A. Not subspecies the base color on all Polypterids can varie ie.P.senegals can range from grey dorsal and side surfaces to almost olive drab.Also as they age ornates base color tend to fade to grey and the spots to a very light yellow almost white

 

[Ornate Bichir]

What about Ornate Bichirs? What is the maximum number of dorsal finlets they can have? It would be best if you could post a picture of it. Thanks in advance.

 

[beblondie]

between 9-11 sorry if the site doesn't host i don't post pics-Anne

 

[Ornate Bichir]

What about your three ornate bichirs? How many do they have?

 

[beblondie]

actually i am down to my orginal 1 female ornate (digger) do to health reasons I have had to cutback my fishkeeping.-Anne

 

[Ornate Bichir]

Does the number of dorsal fins increase as my Ornate Bichir grows older?

 

[beblondie]

No, and i have to ask why the fascination with the dorsal spines?

 

[Ornate Bichir]

No, and i have to ask why the fascination with the dorsal spines?

I'm trying to find out what changes does it undergo as my Ornate Bichir gets older.
Also, you mentioned in your previous posts that ornate bichir's color tend to fade as it grows older but that wasn't the case for mine. I went back to the shop and found a samller ornate bichir also with faded color, like the rest of the older ornate bichir found there. Can you explain why?

 

[beblondie]

You're assuming they all start out with a black base color actually when they first hatch they have stripes that fade into the more common brown mottled pattern.And as i said as they age meaning years this color often fades into a grey coloration with the yellow spots
becoming an off white color.Polypterus ornatipinnis reach 18-24 inches and life spans of 15 years is not uncommon.So as your ornate ages the biggest change you will notice is the coloration/pattern change-Anne

 

[Ornate Bichir]

Having a colorful anal fin, how do I differentiate a male and a female ornate bichir? It's hard to see if the anal fin is thicker and broader with the black and yellow stripes. Any idea how to do so?

 

[beblondie]

The difference in the anal fin is the only reliable way.However the sexual dimorphism is not not generally evident until the are 7-10 in lenght

 

[Ornate Bichir]

Is it true that ornate bichirs with more dorsal fins tend to be longer in length as compared to its size? Also, my senegal bichirs are already 6 inches long but I've yet to see any changes with their anal fins. Is that normal or are they both females?

 

[beblondie]

Is it true that ornate bichirs with more dorsal fins tend to be longer in length as compared to its size? Also, my senegal bichirs are already 6 inches long but I've yet to see any changes with their anal fins. Is that normal or are they both females?

most likely but the size increase wouldd be minimal and yes they could both be the same sex or the dimorpism hasn't deveoped yet