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Amia calva
Fishes › Bowfin (Amiiformes) › Amiidae (Bowfin)
The ruddy bowfin (Amia calva) is a ray-finned fish native to North America.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 84 in long and 42 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 21.0 in / 53.35 cm; the largest recorded was 42.9 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 59–68°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Availability: Mostly kept by public aquariums; private keeping is uncommon.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 71 × 24 in (roughly 171 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 59–75 °F, pH 6–7.5, 3–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: kept alone.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Decor isn't critical, although the fish will appreciate plenty of cover.”
- Diet: “Carnivorous, but is easily weaned onto dead food.”
- Tankmates: “Given its highly piscivorous nature, potential size and need for cool water this fish should be given (and deserves) a tank of its own.”
- Breeding: “Not thought to have been bred in aquaria.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Ancient fishes (bichirs, gars, sturgeons and lungfish)
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers, swamps and lakes. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Large tanks or ponds; gars and sturgeons grow very large. Tight lids for bichirs.
Diet
- Meaty foods: fish, shrimp, worms and carnivore pellets.
Health watch
- Sturgeon and paddlefish are regulated in many states.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Common names include mudfish, mud pike, dogfish, grindle, grinnel, swamp trout, and choupique. It is regarded as a relict, being one of only two surviving species of the Halecomorphi, a group of fish that first appeared during the Early Triassic, around 250 million years ago.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Bowfin” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes. Stays near the bottom. It inhabits swamps, sloughs, lakes, and pools and backwaters of lowland streams. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 59–68 °F (15–20 °C). |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters, paternal parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 59–68 °F.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 26°F (down to 3°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 43–68°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 70–74% on average (driest month about 65%) |
| Rainfall | about 1143 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
| Winters | Cool to cold winters (lows around 26°F) in much of its native range. Seasonal slowdown may be relevant, but species-specific biology determines whether brumation or hibernation occurs. |
Measured at 1073 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The ruddy bowfin (Amia calva) is a ray-finned fish native to North America. Common names include mudfish, mud pike, dogfish, grindle, grinnel, swamp trout, and choupique. It is regarded as a relict, being one of only two surviving species of the Halecomorphi, a group of fish that first appeared during the Early Triassic, around 250 million years ago. The bowfin is often considered a "living fossil" because it has retained some morphological characteristics of its early ancestors. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Wild diet | Amia calva is a non-specific predator. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Behavior | Amia calva are a very aggressive predatory species. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | Males build and guard nest and young, usually nesting in colonies, and clearing out vegetation for the nest. Most active at twilight and dawn; spawn at night. Eggs hatch in 9 days; newly hatched young measuring 8 mm. — FishBase |
| Lifespan | Bowfin do not normally live longer than 12 years in the wild. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 109 cm tl male/unsexed; maximum published weight 9.8 kg; maximum reported age 30 years. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Adults inhabit swamps, sloughs, lakes, and pools and backwaters of lowland streams. They are usually found near vegetation. They are air-breathers that can withstand high temperatures, which enable them to survive in stagnant areas; even known to aestivate; lethal temperature is 35.2°C. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Female maturity
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 71 × 24 in (about 171 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Otoliths suggest lifespans more than 30 years for free-living bowfin Amia calva: Implications for fisheries management in the bowfishing era Lackmann AR et al., Journal of fish biology 2022
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.