Polypterus Delhezi Bichir Care Guide: Banded Bichir
Prehistoric dorsal ridges, serpentine crawling along the substrate and the habit of gulping air at the surface make Polypterus delhezi an endlessly watchable tank occupant. This polypterus delhezi bichir care guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park captures what decades of keeping Congo-basin fish in Singapore have taught us about husbandry that avoids the common pitfalls. Banded bichirs reward straightforward care with 15-plus years of personality.
Identifying the Banded Bichir
Delhezi displays 8-12 vertical dark bands over a pale olive to yellow-green base, with a blunter snout than ornate or endlicheri bichirs. Mature adults reach 35-40 cm, smaller than the true tank-buster species. The dorsal finlets — 11 to 13 depending on individual — give the characteristic sawtooth silhouette. Source from Congo-basin exporters; tank-bred stock is increasingly common in Asia.
Minimum Tank and Footprint
A single delhezi lives comfortably in 300 litres with a footprint of at least 120 cm by 45 cm. Polyculture or multiple bichirs needs 450-600 litres. Floor space matters more than depth — bichirs crawl and rest along the bottom, rarely using the upper third. A tight-fitting lid is non-negotiable because bichirs absolutely escape through any gap wider than their body diameter. Cable entry cutouts must be foam-blocked.
Water Parameters
Target 25-28°C, pH 6.5-7.5, GH 4-12 and moderate hardness. Singapore tap water after dechlorination suits them without adjustment. Bichirs tolerate brief parameter swings better than most predators but still deteriorate with chronic nitrate above 30 ppm, so weekly 25-30% changes remain standard practice.
Filtration and Air Gap
Leave a 5-8 cm air gap between water surface and lid so bichirs can surface-breathe without smashing their snout on glass. They have a functional lung and must breathe atmospheric air periodically; sealing a tank to the brim drowns them paradoxically. Canister or sump filtration with moderate flow suits the species — these are not current-lovers.
Diet and Feeding Tactics
Bichirs are scent hunters with poor eyesight. Sinking pellets (Hikari Carnivore, NLS Thera+A), frozen prawn, krill, silverside and occasional live earthworms form the backbone of a healthy diet. Target-feed with tongs so boisterous tank mates do not steal their rations. Two feeds weekly as adults; three to four times weekly for juveniles. Overfed bichirs develop fatty liver and a distended belly that never recedes.
Avoid feeder goldfish and rosy reds — thiaminase risk is real and persistent. See our live food vs dry food aquarium comparison for rotation planning.
Substrate and Hides
Fine sand is mandatory. Bichirs ingest substrate during feeding and sharp gravel lacerates the gut lining. Provide two or three broad low caves and a piece of driftwood long enough to cover the fish. Our aquascape hardscape only no plants notes offer layout ideas that suit bottom-dwelling predators where plants get crushed.
Tank Mates
Avoid anything small enough to swallow — guppies, tetras and juvenile corydoras are food. Suitable companions include medium Geophagus, clown loaches, Severums, larger catfish such as Synodontis, and other bichir species. Do not pair with aggressive cichlids or fin-nippers; bichirs cannot outmanoeuvre attackers and develop stress lesions. Multiple bichirs often cohabit well when introduced together as juveniles.
Breathing Behaviour and Tank Setup
Bichirs gulp air every 10-30 minutes. If you see constant dashes to the surface and gulping every few seconds, dissolved oxygen has crashed — add an airstone, check for warm-water dead zones, and verify filtration. Singapore’s ambient 29-31°C during wet season drops dissolved oxygen significantly; a small cooling fan across the sump keeps tanks at 26-27°C and restores normal breathing cadence.
Health Issues
Scaleless ganoid scutes still leave bichirs copper-sensitive during parasite treatment. Halve malachite green dosing and extend the course. Watch for Macrogyrodactylus, a bichir-specific monogenean that causes excessive mucus and scraping — praziquantel at 2.5 ppm for three consecutive weekly doses clears it reliably. Quarantine all new arrivals using our freshwater quarantine tank setup protocol before adding to the display.
Singapore Sourcing and Pricing
Delhezi juveniles at 10-15 cm retail around $60-120 SGD locally. Specialist predator shops along Pasir Ris Farmway and Serangoon North Avenue 1 carry quality stock; verify the fish has eaten in the last 24 hours before purchase because starved bichirs often fail to transition to pellets.
Longevity and Display Value
A well-kept delhezi lives 15-20 years and eventually recognises the keeper. They are less flashy than arowanas but develop charming quirks — favouring one cave, predictable feeding stations, distinctive breathing rhythms. A species-focused 450-litre display with sand, driftwood and low light showcases them far better than cluttered polyculture.
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Drop by Gensou Aquascaping — most walk-in questions get answered in under 10 minutes by someone who has set up hundreds of tanks.
5 Everton Park #01-34B, Singapore 080005 · Open daily 11am – 8pm
