Bowfin (Amia calva) is a ray-finned fish in the family Amiidae. It is the only living species in the genus Amia and is the sole surviving member of the family Amiidae.
Bowfin inhabits fresh waters from northern Mexico to central Canada and from the Atlantic east to the Rocky Mountains. They prefer swamps, marshes, ponds, and sluggish shallow streams with soft mud bottoms.
Bowfin are bony fish with a long, thick body, a large and long head, and a long caudal (tail) fin. Their gills are large and located directly behind their eyes.
Bowfin is solitary night feeders that consume crustaceans, insects, amphibians, small fish, and even small mammals.
Bowfin can breathe air through its like-like, coming up to the surface and gulping a respirometric bubble of air.
Bowfins have extraordinary anatomy, clear lateral lines, aggressive teeth, and fly spines on their gill covers.
Bowfin can spawn multiple times during the breeding season, with 500 to 15,000 eggs laid during each spawning.
Bowfin fertilize and guard the eggs until they hatch and the fry becomes independent after about two weeks.
Bowfin can tolerate extreme temperatures, so they are found in diverse areas of the world and can survive in bodies of water that other fish cannot.
Bowfins have fascinating courtship and mating behaviors. For example, male bowfin will construct a spawning nest and guard it while attracting female bowfin by fanning their fins.
Bowfins are plentiful and can live up to 25 years with proper care and an aquarium environment that provides suitable temperature, pH levels, and oxygen content.
