The Ornate Bichir is native to the central basin of the Congo River in Africa. These bichirs are nocturnal and have very poor vision, relying on their excellent sense of smell to hunt. As with other members of the Polypterus genus, the Ornate Bichir also has the unique ability to survive out of the water.
The Polypterus Genus have been linked to a very ancient species dating back to the Triassic Period - more than 200 million years ago! Because of this, they are sometimes referred to as the most primitive fish alive today.