Barred Bichir Polypterus delhezi

Bichirs are prehistoric fish which have specially-adapted swim bladders to enable them to breathe air and survive out of water for long periods. Their fossil relatives date back 200 million years.

Looking and behaving like a fish-amphibian hybrid, the Barred Bichir is native to lakes, streams and flooded areas of the upper and middle Congo River basin.

They have poor eyesight but a good sense of smell and are mainly nocturnal, hunting small fish, worms and other invertebrates at night in shallow water and on banks.

The elongated fish can grow to 44cm long.