08/31/2026
🐟🦖 MEET OUR RESIDENT AMBASSADOR — THE SADDLE BICHIR! 🦖🐟
Say hello to one of the coolest prehistoric-looking residents here at Swift Serpents! 💙
Our Saddle Bichir is a living reminder that some fish look like they came straight out of prehistoric times! 😍 These incredible fish belong to the genus Polypterus and are among the few living fish groups with characteristics that resemble some of the earliest ray-finned fishes.
🦖 A few cool bichir facts:
🐟 They have been around in some form for hundreds of millions of years.
🌬️ They can breathe atmospheric air! Bichirs have modified lungs and can gulp air from the surface, allowing them to survive in oxygen-poor water.
🦎 Their paired fins and body shape give them an almost reptile-like appearance when they move along the bottom.
🌙 Bichirs are primarily nocturnal, so they’re often most active after the lights go out.
👃 They have an excellent sense of smell and use it to locate food.
🛡️ Their bodies are covered with thick, armor-like scales that provide protection.
🐉 And yes… that long dorsal fin with all those little finlets is one of the things that makes bichirs so incredibly unique!
Our ambassador isn’t here to be sold — they’re here to educate, inspire, and help people appreciate some of the amazing animals that share our planet. 🌎💙
Hopefully, soon you’ll be able to be visiting Swift Serpents in person , make sure you say hello to our little living dinosaur! 🦖🐟
