Palmas merupakan ikan yang tergolong dalam Family Polypteridae (Bichir), artinya ikan bersirip banyak. Ikan ini termasuk ikan primitif dan sering disebut sebagai "snake like fish" (ikan mirip ular). Penyebaran adalah di Afrika Barat.
Palmas adalah ikan pemangsa (predator), carnivora. Ikan ini mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengambil udara dengan alat yang telah termodifikasi sedemikan rupa menyerupai paru-paru, disamping itu ia mampu untuk merayap diatas tanah dengan menggunakan sirip dadanya yang kuat. Oleh karenanya dalam mememihara palmas dianjurkan agar memberikan penutup yang baik untuk mencegah ikan tersebut kabur. Palmas dapat dipelihara bersama-sama dengan ikan golongan Cichlidae yang memiliki ukuran lebih besar.
Panjang rata-rata ikan palmas adalah 30 cm. Hidup pada kisaran pH 6.5 - 7, dan temperatur 16-27 ° C. Sebagai carnivora, pakan utama palmas adalah pakan hidup berupa ikan kecil, atau daging-dagingan lain seperti daging udang atau daging ikan.
Jenis-jenis ikan palmas :
Palmas adalah ikan pemangsa (predator), carnivora. Ikan ini mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengambil udara dengan alat yang telah termodifikasi sedemikan rupa menyerupai paru-paru, disamping itu ia mampu untuk merayap diatas tanah dengan menggunakan sirip dadanya yang kuat. Oleh karenanya dalam mememihara palmas dianjurkan agar memberikan penutup yang baik untuk mencegah ikan tersebut kabur. Palmas dapat dipelihara bersama-sama dengan ikan golongan Cichlidae yang memiliki ukuran lebih besar.
Panjang rata-rata ikan palmas adalah 30 cm. Hidup pada kisaran pH 6.5 - 7, dan temperatur 16-27 ° C. Sebagai carnivora, pakan utama palmas adalah pakan hidup berupa ikan kecil, atau daging-dagingan lain seperti daging udang atau daging ikan.
Scientific classification : Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Polypteriformes Family: Polypteridae Genus: Polypterus
Jenis-jenis ikan palmas :
Polypterus Endlicheri Endlicheris
Species Name : Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri
Common Name : Saddled bichir/Tiger Bichir
Size : max. 30”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location: Gazetteer Africa : Nile, Lake Chad, Chad basin, Niger, Volta, Bandama, Upper Comoé and Ouémé.
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Common Name : Saddled bichir/Tiger Bichir
Size : max. 30”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location: Gazetteer Africa : Nile, Lake Chad, Chad basin, Niger, Volta, Bandama, Upper Comoé and Ouémé.
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus endlicheri congicus
Species Name : Polypterus endlicheri congicus
Common Name : NA
Size : max. 38”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer Central Africa: Congo basin and Lake Tanganyika
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Species Name : Polypterus ornatipinnis
Common Name : Ornate Bichir
Size : max. 24”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 125 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer East and Central Africa: Congo River basin (Dem. Rep. Congo, Angola, Cameroun); Lake Tanganyika
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus delhezi
Species Name : Polypterus delhezi
Common Name : Barred bichir/armoured bichir
Size : max. 17”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 75 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer Central Africa: central basin of Congo River
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus bichir lapradei
Species Name : Polypterus bichir lapradei
Common Name : Bichir
Size : max. 29"
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location : West Africa: found in Senegal River, Gambia River, Geba River, Volta River, Niger, Benoue River and Ouémé River.Also known from Lake Chad and Logone and Chari Rivers
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : piscivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus bichir bichir
Species Name : Polypterus bichir bichir
Common Name : Nile bichir
Size : max. 47”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer Africa: Nile River, Lake Turkana and Omo River; Lake Chad, Chari River and Logone River
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : piscivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus palmas palmas
Size : max. 12”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 75 gal
Native Location : West Africa: known from the Cavally River basin in Côte d'Ivoire and the river basins of eastern Liberia up to the St.John River.
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Polypterus palmas polli
Species Name : Polypterus palmas polli
Common Name : Marbled bichir
Size : max. 13”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 75 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer West Africa: Lower and central Congo basin
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus palmas buettikoferi
Polypterus senegalus senegalus
Species Name: Polypterus senegalus
Common Name: Gray Bichir
Size: max. 20”
pH: 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gal
Native Location: Gazetteer Africa: Nile basin, basins of Sénégal, Gambia, Niger and Volta and Lake Chad; Congo and Lualaba river basins.
Temperature:72°F-82°F
Diet: omnivore
Breeding: Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences: Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
>> albino variant
Polypterus ansorgii
Species name : Polypterus palmas ansorgii
Polypterus retropinnis
Species name : Polypterus retropinnis
Polypterus mokelembembe
Species name : Polypterus mokelembembe
Polypterus teugelsi
Species name : Polypterus teugelsi
Polypterus weeksii
Scientific name : Polypterus weeksii
Common Name : NA
Size : max. 38”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer Central Africa: Congo basin and Lake Tanganyika
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Common Name : Ornate Bichir
Size : max. 24”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 125 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer East and Central Africa: Congo River basin (Dem. Rep. Congo, Angola, Cameroun); Lake Tanganyika
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus delhezi
Common Name : Barred bichir/armoured bichir
Size : max. 17”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 75 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer Central Africa: central basin of Congo River
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus bichir lapradei
Common Name : Bichir
Size : max. 29"
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location : West Africa: found in Senegal River, Gambia River, Geba River, Volta River, Niger, Benoue River and Ouémé River.Also known from Lake Chad and Logone and Chari Rivers
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : piscivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus bichir bichir
Common Name : Nile bichir
Size : max. 47”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 180 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer Africa: Nile River, Lake Turkana and Omo River; Lake Chad, Chari River and Logone River
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : piscivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus palmas palmas
Species Name : Polypterus palmas palmas
Common Name : Shortfin bichir Size : max. 12”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 75 gal
Native Location : West Africa: known from the Cavally River basin in Côte d'Ivoire and the river basins of eastern Liberia up to the St.John River.
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Polypterus palmas polli
Common Name : Marbled bichir
Size : max. 13”
pH : 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size : 75 gal
Native Location : Gazetteer West Africa: Lower and central Congo basin
Temperature : 72°F-82°F
Diet : carnivorous
Breeding : Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences : Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
Polypterus palmas buettikoferi
Species name : Polypterus palmas buettikoferi
Common name(s) : Buettikofer's bichir
Origin : West Africa
Size : max.14"
Polypterus senegalus senegalus
Species Name: Polypterus senegalus
Common Name: Gray Bichir
Size: max. 20”
pH: 6.0 - 8.0
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gal
Native Location: Gazetteer Africa: Nile basin, basins of Sénégal, Gambia, Niger and Volta and Lake Chad; Congo and Lualaba river basins.
Temperature:72°F-82°F
Diet: omnivore
Breeding: Egg-layer
Gender Diffrences: Male with thicker and wider anal fin than female.
>> albino variant
Polypterus ansorgii
Species name : Polypterus palmas ansorgii
Common name(s) : Guinean bichir
Origin : Africa; described from the Corbal River (Corubal) in Guinea Bissau and recently reported in the Niger basin near Kouroussa in Guinea and in lake Kainji and the Ogun River in Nigeria
Size : max.28cmPolypterus retropinnis
Species name : Polypterus retropinnis
Common name(s) : NA
Origin : West and Central Africa
Size : max. 34cm (14")Polypterus mokelembembe
Species name : Polypterus mokelembembe
Common name(s) : NA
Origin : Central Africa, Congo River basin
Size : max.34cm (14")
Polypterus teugelsi
Species name : Polypterus teugelsi
Common name(s) : Cross River Bichir
Origin : Cross River, Nigeria & Cameroon Freshwater
Size : max.41,5cm Polypterus weeksii
Scientific name : Polypterus weeksii
Common name(s) : Weeks' bichir, Fat-headed bichir, Mottled bichir
Origin: Central Africa : Congo river basin
Max reported size (TL) : 54cm (22")
