Polypteridae

Congo Bichir

Polypterus congicus

Eight detached dark vertical bands

• Tropical
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• Africa
• Elongated
• Compressed cross-section
• Large
• Tropical fish

Polypterus congicus, the Congo bichir, is a species of bichir with a maximum recorded size of 970 millimetres (38 in). The colour also varies from yellowish brown to grey, darker in the top, paler in the ventral area. It has a pattern of around 8 irregular vertical bands along the flanks of the fish, that do not extend completely onto the ventral surface.