Lapradei Bichir (Polypterus lapradei)

The Lapradei Bichir is a widespread species of Polypterus, found in various slow-moving shallow water habitats in much of lowland tropical West Africa. A large growing and robust species, this Bichir is capable of reaching sizes of over 30″ in the wild. Polypterus lapradei is one of several so-called “lower jaw” group of Polypterus, so named for their distinctive heavy lower jaw that protrude over the upper lip. In the aquarium, they are hardy and undemanding like most bichir species, but should be kept with a tight-fitting and possibly weighted lid as they will attempt to jump if spooked or at night