Growing up on banks of the mighty Mississippi, I didn't even know what a bowfin was until I started seeing them in aquarium reference books. Then I realized that the fish I'd called dogfish all my life was a fish of many names. John A. Grindle, lawyer, grinnell, cypress trout, cottonfish, blackfish, mudfish, speckled cat, beaverfish, scaled ling, and spot tail are some of the names I've seen used for these ancient fish. The bowfin, Amia calva, are the last of an ancient family of fishes that lived 200 - 50 million years ago. The dogfish of today has remained relatively unchanged for the last 100 million years.

The bowfin has many features that makes it a top predator and a survivor. The long dorsal fin that is its namesake allows it to move forward and backwards with relative ease. The torpedo-like body is covered with protective cycloid scales and has a wide rounded tail for speed. The skeleton is a mixtures of bone and cartilage that suggests its prehistoric lineage. The eyes are forward facing, like most top predators, and the mouth is full of razor-sharp teeth. And finally, it has a swim bladder that allows it to absorb atmospheric air. It has even been suggested that the fish can aestivate if conditions deteriorate.

Bowfin are found from the St. Lawrence river, west to the Mississippi, south to Texas and down in Florida in the southeast. They inhabit weedy backwaters and vegetation-choked swamps. They are able to survive where many fish perish. Bowfin are relatively easy to collect. Sweeps though vegetation with dip nets or seining or minnow traps baited with dog food can yield results. Dogfish breed in the late spring, digging pits in the substrate and lining it with vegetation. The males vigorously defend these nests against all comers and often retain scars from such battles. After hatching, the young fish feed on plankton and are herded by the male. Male bowfin guard their young for up to an amazing 9 weeks, defending them from harm. There have even been reports of the fish attacking humans, leaping out of the water at the offending mammal.

In the aquarium the bowfin, except for its size, makes an easy captive. The females can reach sizes of three feet and over twenty pounds - the males are smaller at about 20 inches. They are messy feeders and good filtration is recommended. The fish can survive in water temperatures in excess of 85 degrees, but much cooler temperatures are obviously preferred. As the water temperature rises so does the bowfin's rate of air-breathing. Dogfish prefer live fishes as food. Young bowfin adapt easier to aquarium conditions, quickly accepting a diet of pieces of meat and fish. They are intelligent, inquisitive fishes - they constantly investigate their environments and are aware of the world outside the tank. One young fish became hand-tamed after only being in my possession two weeks. Bowfin are not especially aggressive, although they are very voracious. They will attempt to eat fishes half their size, and usually succeed. Fishes too large to eat are investigated, then ignored. Dogfish prefer hiding places and lower light levels when first acclimated, but the fish quickly becomes more outgoing. Two special notes are worth mentioning, though. First - the bowfin has very sharp teeth, so be careful when hand-feeding. Second, the fish is known for gluttony - they will continue to eat long after they're full. I found this out way too late, after losing a couple of fish to over-eating. The fish does well with periods of fasting - I feed mine about three times a week.

So, if you want an interesting, long lived fish (bowfin have lived for over twenty years in aquariums) try the bowfin. You won't be disappointed.