Bichir gang

[Hao]

That’s interesting. Do the catch locations have significant trait that’s different? For example the lake turkanas getting bigger?

It depends on the location and species. Some location for certain species do have noticeable differences. While others (IMO), the difference is barely noticeable and could pass off as the same thing (slight differences could just be from individuality, which is common among wild bichirs of the same species/same location).

 

[Caveden]

Congrats on the pickup. Actually it’s hard to say if it was caught in Faranah region or Faranah prefecture or Faranah town. Since they are vague and just put Faranah.

also just wanted to fix some of those examples you listed:
Polypterus bichir “Lake Turkana”
Polypterus endlicheri “Tinkisso River” (aka “Dabola”)
Polypterus bichir “Nigeria”
Polypterus congicus “Lake Tanganyika”

Thx for correction. Did it change? Thought it was always polypterus bichir bichir, not just polypterus bichir.
Tinkisso river is in Dabola? Or a small river beside Dabala region?

 

[Hao]

Thx for correction. Did it change? Thought it was always polypterus bichir bichir, not just polypterus bichir.
Tinkisso river is in Dabola? Or a small river beside Dabala region?

Polypterus bichir bichir and bichir lapradei has both been classified as Polypterus bichir for a few years now. (I think at the same time when they reclassified Polypterus palmas)

I'm not 100% sure on location of Tinkisso river but I believe Toyin told me or I saw several years ago, that those 2 "variants" are considered the same thing. Tinkisso river used to be a common selling point from Guinea 10+ years ago but it vanished and now you see "Dabola" endlicheri instead. They also do look the same if you look for "tinkisso guinea"(sometimes typed as tikinso) endli photos from 10+ years ago and compare to the "Dabola" endlicheri now days. Although, now days I do sometimes see "tinkisso" bichirs being offered (it will sound new and enticing to people who have never heard of it before).

But honestly some of the more "specific" location (ie: tinkisso river, milo river, sankarani river, dabola, faranah, etc) don't matter too much in my opinion. As all those I listed could just be considered "Guinea" since they are all in Guinea, so arguably they are all the same thing. I think all the "specific" location mainly is just a marketing tactic from the African exporter/fishermen. I think Nigeria has lately started to do the same. We used to label as endli/laps from Nigeria as Polypterus endlicheri/bichir "Nigeria". Super general right? But in recent years, I'm starting to see Nigerian fish marketed with more specific names such as "Ogun", "Benue", "Nasarawa", "Bayesla"/"Ughelli"(I think these 2 are same location/area), etc. African exporters are learning that hobbyist want to collect "different"/"new" locations. That's just my 2 cents anyway since I generally don't see a significant difference amongst those "different specific" location within the same country. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely some differences amongst like P. bichir "Nigeria", P. bichir "Guinea", P. bichir "Chad", and P. bichir "Kenya".

I always advise people, don't buy the fish because of it's name/location. Buy it because you like how that specific fish looks.

sidenote: I believe Corubal river is the same thing as Koliba and Koulountou river is Koloton

 

[Caveden]

Polypterus bichir bichir and bichir lapradei has both been classified as Polypterus bichir for a few years now. (I think at the same time when they reclassified Polypterus palmas)

I'm not 100% sure on location of Tinkisso river but I believe Toyin told me or I saw several years ago, that those 2 "variants" are considered the same thing. Tinkisso river used to be a common selling point from Guinea 10+ years ago but it vanished and now you see "Dabola" endlicheri instead. They also do look the same if you look for "tinkisso guinea"(sometimes typed as tikinso) endli photos from 10+ years ago and compare to the "Dabola" endlicheri now days. Although, now days I do sometimes see "tinkisso" bichirs being offered (it will sound new and enticing to people who have never heard of it before).

But honestly some of the more "specific" location (ie: tinkisso river, milo river, sankarani river, dabola, faranah, etc) don't matter too much in my opinion. As all those I listed could just be considered "Guinea" since they are all in Guinea, so arguably they are all the same thing. I think all the "specific" location mainly is just a marketing tactic from the African exporter/fishermen. I think Nigeria has lately started to do the same. We used to label as endli/laps from Nigeria as Polypterus endlicheri/bichir "Nigeria". Super general right? But in recent years, I'm starting to see Nigerian fish marketed with more specific names such as "Ogun", "Benue", "Nasarawa", "Bayesla"/"Ughelli"(I think these 2 are same location/area), etc. African exporters are learning that hobbyist want to collect "different"/"new" locations. That's just my 2 cents anyway since I generally don't see a significant difference amongst those "different specific" location within the same country. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely some differences amongst like P. bichir "Nigeria", P. bichir "Guinea", P. bichir "Chad", and P. bichir "Kenya".

I always advise people, don't buy the fish because of it's name/location. Buy it because you like how that specific fish looks.

sidenote: I believe Corubal river is the same thing as Koliba and Koulountou river is Koloton

Ah thanks. I knew polypterus bichir lapradei was classified with PBB for some time now, think was giseok or josh Pickett that informed me a few years back. I just thought they were both named to polypterus bichir bichir. I was wrong, thanks for clarification.

Thanks for the new info. Didn’t know dabola and Tinkisso were the same. Previously SBA members sold their endlis as tinkisso, now I realise they’re just Dabola endlis.

You’re right. I don’t buy based on catch location (unless from turkana ). All are mostly from West African locations I believe, with slight differences only. I look firstly at defects, then body and headshape, followed by patterns. Although some people rather look at patterns, followed up by body and headshape.