Reedfish
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
Not Kosher
Has fins but no scales
Fins
Yes
Scales
No
Description
The reedfish, ropefish, or snakefish, Erpetoichthys calabaricus, is a species of fish in the family Polypteridae alongside the bichirs. It is the only member of the genus Erpetoichthys.
Reedfish are regarded as a good food fish and are commonly caught in local subsistence fisheries in West and Central Africa.
Reedfish live in West and Central Africa, from the Oueme River in Benin to the Sanaga River in Cameroon, including Nigeria. They favor slow-moving or standing fresh and brackish tropical water, usually among reeds or dense plant growth, and they have a pair of lungs that let them breathe air.
Also known as
- ropefish
- snakefish
Reedfish in foreign languages
| Scientific | Erpetoichthys calabaricus |
| Spanish | bichir de Calabar |
| Portuguese | Peixe-corda |
| French | poisson roseau |
| Italian | Erpetoichthys |
| German | Flösselaal |
| Greek | Καλαμοϊχθύς Καλαμπάρικους |
| Russian | Каламоихт |
| Chinese | 蘆鰻 |
| Japanese | アミメウナギ |
| Vietnamese | Cá nhiều vây bụi sậy |
| Thai | ปลารีดฟิช |
Gallery
Warnings & Kosher Issues
- Reedfish have fins, but their armor-like ganoid scales don't detach the way kosher law requires, so they are not kosher.