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Learn how to keep the fish which outlived the dinosaurs!

With contributions from biologists, paleontologists, ecologists, veterinarians and fishers, The Bichir Handbook explores everything from the identification for all fourteen extant species of the ancient family of freshwater fishes, Polypteridae, the most comprehensive delve into their aquarium husbandry, and some of the first reconstructions of never-before-seen extinct species of bichir. Whether you’re an aquarist, scientist, or someone just interested in natural history, this book will keep you turning the pages.

Illustrated by award winning paleoartist and ichthyologist, Dorian Noël, every illustration is hand-painted to define their most  identifiable features, in the best full colour illustrations of Polypteridae to date. This beautifully crafted publication contains stunning images of these living fossils, and infographics which will have you referencing back to for years!

RRP: £24.99 (First edition, 2019) - OUT OF PRINT

ISBN 978-1789727708 (3 print runs)

210x210mm hardback, 138 pages. Dust jacket with a soft touch laminate. Comes with a FREE doubled-sided A3 poster and species checklist bookmark. 

RRP: £32.99 (Second edition revised, December 2025)

ISBN 978-1838167684

This book includes everything from the previous edition, but also features:

• Over 60 new images.
• 1 new illustration of a 240 million year old ancestor, reconstructed by Dorian Noël.
• 5 additional infographic elements.
• Over 30 new pages of content; covering breeding, hybridisation, rare colour morphs, how bichirs were discovered, their ancient ancestry, and more! 
• An exclusive bichir timeline on one side of the A3 poster, in addition to the returning species size comparison on the other side.
• There is also some minor changes/additions reflecting the latest science in existing pages throughout the book.

Yes, you still get a FREE doubled-sided poster and a species checklist bookmark with every copy ordered!

210x210mm hardback, 170 pages (ad pages removed). Dust jacket with a soft touch laminate.

First edition of The Bichir Handbook sold out after 3 print runs in January 2023, but a revised edition was sent to print in October 2025, which is shipping out now! The revised edition can be bought from this website (orders handled by Flikthru), and select retailers on our Stockists page. We do not trade with Amazon.

We post from the UK, so unfortunately shipping outside of Europe can be high; we have kept the book's price low to offset some of this cost. Some people like to do group orders to one address to save on postage cost (contact us on the website's messaging form for shipping quotes of 5 copies or more). Others like to request their local aquatic or book shop to import copies.

If you know or are a retailer who would like to stock The Bichir Handbook, please get in touch for bulk/retail discounts. 

DISPATCH

We try our hardest to dispatch all orders within 48 hours (depending on what time you placed your order). Items are dispatched from the United Kingdom.

DELIVERY

Wherever possible we use Tracked & Signed deliveries to ensure that you receive your item safely and securely. In some cases, this does mean a higher shipping cost than standard postal service, but our experience is that this is the safest and most reliable way to get items to you in a reasonable time span and good order. For orders where tracked shipping is double the cost of the book itself, then copies will be sent untracked.

UNITED STATES, EUROPE & REST OF WORLD

International shipping is carefully calculated on the weight, size and value of your order, so the options can vary depending on what you have purchased. The simplest way to see is to head through to the checkout and enter your delivery address/country; we’ll automatically show you the wide variety of available options you have, don’t worry, you won’t be charged.

Deliveries are set by priority mail, and the following timescales should be allowed:

•  United States - Please allow 2 weeks (Books are exempt from tariffs)
•  Europe - Please allow 1-2 weeks
•  Rest of World - Please allow 2-4 weeks

Allow 2-6 weeks during holiday periods, or for untracked orders.

UNITED KINGDOM
Typically, deliveries should take 2-5 working days but please allow 1 week.
We typically use a Royal Mail 48 hour Tracked & Signed service, although we will sometimes use couriers if advantageous.