The Retropinnis Bichir or Polypterus retropinnis is one of the few fish that can actually survive outside of water. Like the Mudskipper and the Snakehead, these Bichir fish can be like watching evolution in action! They have a lung like swim bladder and gills that allow this freshwater fish to survive for short period of time on land. You can check out the Retropinnis Bichir in action in this video below...Growing to about 1' in length the bodies of the Retropinnis Bichir look a lot like that of a Ropefish. They are long with a flattened head and are yellowish brown in color. The Retropinnis Bichir is also known as the West African Bichir or Speckled Bichir and was first discovered in the Congo in Africa.
These freshwater fish work well in an aquarium setting that has a tight lid, several hiding spaces and is over 50 gallons. The Retropinnis Bichir is a carnivore that should be fed meaty food including beef heart. They are quite disease resent and considered to be a fairly easy fish to take care of. The following water conditions are recommended, 77-83° F, KH 1-12, and pH 6.5-7.5. 
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