Polypterus ID: P. bichir bichir or P. bichir lapradei

[PhullTank57]

Is this... Polypterus bichir bichir? or Polypterus bichir lapradei??

The pair look very much the same, (besides the black spotting on one of them. Both look almost identical to the P. Bichir Bichir pics in the 'MONSTER FISH KEEPERS Vol.02' What do you think??

 

[BGG]

WOAH! Looks like P. bichir bichir to me. Where'd you get them? And more importantly, are there more availible?

 

[PhullTank57]

WOAH! Looks like P. bichir bichir to me. Where'd you get them? And more importantly, are there more availible?

Yeah, I'm almost certain that these are P. bichir bichir myself.

BGG, I got these bichirs a couple years back... picked one up from a friend of mine, and the other was a trade-in at a LFS near me. Have always thought they were Lapradei until now. here's a couple more pics of them...

 

[PhullTank57]

Here's a few pics of P. bichir bichir from the net. Mine look similar??

P. bichir bichir

 

[Loubard]

Wow that's cool!

 

[Kenta]

They don't really have the typical pattern of a lap, or it couls just be very faint....

And BTW, Thats some major anal cupping your male lap, or p.b.b. is doing!

 

[BGG]

Yeah, I'm almost certain that these are P. bichir bichir myself.

BGG, I got these bichirs a couple years back... picked one up from a friend of mine, and the other was a trade-in at a LFS near me. Have always thought they were Lapradei until now. here's a couple more pics of them...

Oh man, P. b. bichir at a lfs... LOL! I wish I had people trading in fish like that around here.

 

[cougar579]

They are lapradei, IMO,. Sorry to burst your bubble, as I am waiting on a few from Singapore.

 

[PhullTank57]

They are lapradei, IMO,. Sorry to burst your bubble, as I am waiting on a few from Singapore.

Cougar579, what criteria do you go by to distinguish the two species?

 

[cougar579]

I go by head shape and finlet count. However I am no expert, thats why I said IMO. I have seen many pictures of p. bicher bicher and I was using this as my judgement.