Add a truly unique centerpiece to your large freshwater aquarium with the Albino Senegal Bichir (Polypterus senegalus). Often referred to as the "Dinosaur Eel," this captivating ancient fish features a striking creamy-white to soft pink body paired with bright red albino eyes. Its primitive look, prehistoric armor-like scales, and serrated dorsal finlets make it a mesmerizing bottom-dweller that stands out in any predatory or oddball community tank.

Quick Care Overview

• Scientific Name: Polypterus senegalus var. "Albino"

• Common Names: Albino Senegal Bichir, Albino Dinosaur Eel, Albino Dragon Fish

• Origin: African river basins (Nile, Congo, Senegal)

• Adult Size: Up to 10–12 inches in captivity

• Minimum Tank Size: 40 gallons (Breeder style preferred) for a juvenile; 55–75+ gallons for a full-grown adult

• Temperament: Semi-aggressive (Predatory scavenger)

• Water Parameters: Temperature: 75°F–82°F; pH: 6.2–7.8; Hardness: 4–15 dGH

Natural Origin & History

While the standard Senegal Bichir hails from the warm, slow-moving rivers, swamps, and floodplains of Tropical Africa—including the Nile and Congo River basins—the Albino Senegal Bichir is a selectively bred color morph highly prized in the aquarium hobby. As members of the ancient Polypteridae family, these living fossils have survived for millions of years, retaining prehistoric traits like a modified swim bladder that acts as a primitive lung, allowing them to breathe atmospheric air.

Tank Environment & Setup

Because they are bottom-dwelling fish with elongated bodies, floor space is much more important than tank height. A long or breeder-style aquarium is ideal.

• Substrate: Use a soft sand substrate or smooth, fine gravel to protect their sensitive bellies from scratches.

• Aquascaping: Provide plenty of hiding spots using large pieces of driftwood, smooth rock formations, and caves. Thick, hardy live plants like Anubias or Java Fern can be included, as they won't mind the shade.

• The Escape Artist Warning: A tight-fitting lid with no gaps is absolutely mandatory. Bichirs are notorious escape artists and can easily push their way out of a tank or slip through filter cutouts.

Care & Feeding

The Albino Senegal Bichir is a hardy, nocturnal carnivore with a massive appetite. They have relatively poor eyesight and rely on their excellent sense of smell to hunt down food at the bottom of the tank.

Feed them a high-protein diet consisting of sinking predator pellets, freeze-dried or frozen bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, and chopped meaty foods like earthworms, krill, or silversides. It is best to feed them in the evening when they are most active.

Ideal Tank Mates

While peaceful toward fish they cannot swallow, the Albino Dinosaur Eel is a predator by nature. Any fish small enough to fit into its mouth will eventually become a midnight snack.

Avoid housing them with small tetras, guppies, or small corydoras. Instead, choose robust, large tank mates that occupy the upper zones of the aquarium, such as:

• Medium-to-large Cichlids (Severums, Firemouths, Oscar fish)

• Large schooling fish (Silver Dollars, Congo Tetras)

• Knifefish

• Large, peaceful catfish or Plecos

Breeding the Albino Senegal Bichir

Breeding Polypterus senegalus in the home aquarium is challenging but entirely possible. In nature, breeding is triggered by the rainy season, which can be simulated in captivity by performing large water changes with slightly cooler, soft water.

During courtship, the male will use his cup-shaped anal fin to catch the female's eggs, fertilize them, and scatter them into dense vegetation or a spawning mop. The parents offer no parental care and should be removed immediately after spawning to prevent them from eating the eggs. The fry hatch in about 3 to 4 days and require microscopic live foods like baby brine shrimp once their yolk sacs are absorbed.

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