View Full Version : Lungfish tank setup?
Star-Flog
05-06-2006, 3:02 AM
Just wondering any ideal lungfish tank setup such as bare-bottom tank, low water level, minimum water movement, plants & rocks background etc etc. Anyone got any biotope setup for the lungfish tank? :headbang2
I'm here borrowing this photo for the illustration purpose.
http://hasselblad.fc2web.com/lungfish/aetho40.jpg
beblondie
05-06-2006, 3:16 AM
African Swamp
The waters support a variety of species and vigorous plant growth making it an ideal subject for a biotope aquarium.
Reedy plants line the shores of waterways
WATER:
pH 6.5-7.4
TEMP, 75-85 F
TANK:
The tank should have fine gravel, sand, or clay for a substrate.
Dense vegetation and floating plants help recreate the natural setting.
Use submerged wood to provide hiding places.
The lighting should be bright and the water should be clear.
Species tank
PLANTS:
Bolbitis heudelotii, Ammannia, Marsilea, Eleocharis, Anubias, Nymphaea, Water Lettuce
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African Swamps
Reedy plants line the shores of waterways and shallow pools. Floating grasses and lilies are found where there is little current. Banks along moving waterways drop off quickly, creating cliff-like formations with overhanging roots. Many fish seek refuge under these root overhangs and inside caves.
WATER:
pH 7.2-7.8,
2-8 dH,
70-85 F (21-24 C)
TANK:
The tank should have fine gravel, sand, or clay for a substrate.
Plant grassy vegetation along with rear and corners of the tank. Use dense leafy vegetation in the center of the aquarium and scattered floating plants (if desired).
Use submerged wood to provide hiding places akin to those created by overhanging roots and clay caves in the natural setting.
The lighting should be bright and the water should be clear. Current should be still to moderate depending on whether the aquariast is amining to recreate a still pool or flowing channel.
PLANTS:
African Water Fern, Ammannia, Marsilea, Eleocharis, Anubias, Nymphaea, Water Lettuce
,Potamogeton
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African River
West and Central Africa are full of rivers.
pH 6.9-7.2,
3-8 dH,
75-81 F (24-27 C)
TANK:
The tank should be furnished with wood for hiding places, and fine gravel or sand for a substrate.
The lighting should be muted, and the water should have a slight current.
PLANTS:
Bolbitis heudelotii , Anubias, Vallisneria, Eleocharis
---------------------------------------------------------------------
West African River
Temp: 75° to 85°
ph:6.9-7.4
4° to 6° DH
Territory:Senegal, Niger, Gambia, Volta and Chad basins, also in temporary tributaries of Chari River in Western Sudan,Bandama and Comoé basins in Côte d'Ivoire and certain basins of Sierra Leone and Guinea
Found in marginal swamps and backwaters of rivers and lakes
PLANTS:Bolbitis heudelotii , Anubias, Vallisneria, Eleocharis.-Anne
Star-Flog
05-06-2006, 3:48 AM
Hi beblondie, thank you for the info.
For marbled African lungfish (P. aethiopicus) is from Lake Victoria of East African and particulary what is the ideal biotope acquarium setup?
beblondie
05-06-2006, 6:41 AM
Protopterus aethiopicus-marbeled lungfish 6'
PH: 6.5-9.0
dH ;12-20
Temp;75-82F
spawn Nov-Apr
Dark slate-grey above, yellowish-grey or pinkish below; often with numerous dark spots or flecks on the fins and body (some specimens bright yellow ventrally)
Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No
It inhabits river and lake fringes, swamps and floodplains In Lake Victoria it is found in open lake and marginal swamps, in basin only near rivers and deltas.
Lake Tanganyika
PH: 7.8-9.0
dH ;12-20
Temp;75-82F
This lake has 2 easily defined regions the first very rocky with only algae growth as plant life.The second sandy bottom with growths of Vallisneria spirella(use coral sand to buffer the ph at an alkaline level.And plan on a fairly large tankin your future.This is the lungfish that scae the natives when they catch it be warned with time it has a very powerful bite-Anne
starrfish71
05-06-2006, 9:49 AM
I had a marble lungfish- and as he grew, he moved and dug and shifted anything in the tank that was not heavier than him. He liked having some clear space to live in, and I kept him in a full tank which he had no problem reaching the top to get some air. Plants didn't stand a chance with mine, unless it was floating.
Star-Flog
05-07-2006, 1:17 AM
I had a marble lungfish- and as he grew, he moved and dug and shifted anything in the tank that was not heavier than him. He liked having some clear space to live in, and I kept him in a full tank which he had no problem reaching the top to get some air. Plants didn't stand a chance with mine, unless it was floating. Thanks for the experience sharing. I guess perhaps bare-bottom or minimal set-up thank is the best for this monster fish. :WHOA:
LakeMonster
05-07-2006, 7:00 PM
I had a protopterus annectens (african lungfish (ALF for short)) for 8 years. He/She was 3inches when I got it and grew to about a meter when I donated it to the local aquarium.
I have found that a bare bottom wide tank (a large hexigon or bow) with a good filter system and outside heater, subded lighting and even a sterilizer ( to keep the algae blooms down) to be ideal. As one commentator writes, ALFs will 'wreck' any type of 'biotopic scene' in search for food. They will shift and crunch on anything with their powerful jaws. Keeping the water clean, clear, warm and varying the food (heck they'll eat just about anything, including your finger) with keep them content. ALF's are truelly beautiful, long lived and hardy animals to keep.
Hope this helps...I will post a more complete experience of my ALF.
USMCtanker
05-07-2006, 7:06 PM
wow never new all that thanks
Star-Flog
05-08-2006, 12:46 AM
I had a protopterus annectens (african lungfish (ALF for short)) for 8 years. He/She was 3inches when I got it and grew to about a meter when I donated it to the local aquarium.
I have found that a bare bottom wide tank (a large hexigon or bow) with a good filter system and outside heater, subded lighting and even a sterilizer ( to keep the algae blooms down) to be ideal. As one commentator writes, ALFs will 'wreck' any type of 'biotopic scene' in search for food. They will shift and crunch on anything with their powerful jaws. Keeping the water clean, clear, warm and varying the food (heck they'll eat just about anything, including your finger) with keep them content. ALF's are truelly beautiful, long lived and hardy animals to keep.
Hope this helps...I will post a more complete experience of my ALF. Appreciated for your feedback. Therefore the biotope setup is really not necessary as this 'monster' will wreck it to left, right and centre sooner than later? :D :grinyes:
Steve_89
05-13-2006, 7:04 AM
Lungfish are quite easy to care for. They don't need much.
Just provide places to hide and the right water conditions.
Star-Flog
05-13-2006, 9:24 AM
Lungfish are quite easy to care for. They don't need much.
Just provide places to hide and the right water conditions. Thanks for the comment. I visited Shanghai Public Aquarium lately and kind of interested of lungfish tank set-up.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/data/503/DSC06532.JPG
starrfish71
05-13-2006, 10:52 AM
nice set up!
khaski13
05-20-2006, 8:38 AM
nice set up
Star-Flog
05-20-2006, 10:46 PM
I keep a small Protopterus aethiopicus (Marbled African Lungfish). Is it true that to use dark/black substrate will help to bring out its color and marking?
THANKS. :D :grinyes:
Star-Flog
06-07-2006, 9:07 AM
Thanks for all the comments, finally set-up my 3ft tank for Marble Lungfish. :frog: :shark:
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/data/503/DSC06751.JPG
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/data/502/DSC06766.JPG
LakeMonster
06-11-2006, 9:56 PM
Stunning display Star!....I like the spray fall...
got a few questions.
What is your filter system?
Do you have a heater attached to your set-up?
How long is your ALF?
And has your ALF jumped out of the tank yet?
Star-Flog
06-12-2006, 6:03 AM
Stunning display Star!....I like the spray fall...
got a few questions.
What is your filter system?
Do you have a heater attached to your set-up?
How long is your ALF?
And has your ALF jumped out of the tank yet? Hi, thanks for the kind compliment. :thumbsup:
I use Eheim Pro II 2026 for this 3ft tank and no heater attached as I live in hot climate country in Singapore.
This Marble lungfish is about 1ft now and never jump out of the tank yet but I cover the tank just in case. ;)
I kept a 29 inch annectens in a stock tank for awhile and had to cover it as he kept trying to carpet crawl around the room. He's a beast but one of my favorite fish, eats anything. I tried keeping him in a 75 when he was smaller but he flipped his driftwood around, shoved rocks around and heaped up gravel where ever he felt like it.
I like your set up, i'll have to try that with my new P dolli i just got.
Nice looking pattern on the fish as well.
Jason
big E
06-13-2006, 12:13 AM
Great tank set-up, that really looks great ! I hear that Lungfish are almost like puppies and have lots of personality?, Look for Darth lung fish , he has have some cool ones too. Hey. LAkemonster do collect godzilla ? I used to have a pretty nice collection of G-stuff myself,
Star-Flog
06-13-2006, 2:14 AM
I kept a 29 inch annectens in a stock tank for awhile and had to cover it as he kept trying to carpet crawl around the room. He's a beast but one of my favorite fish, eats anything. I tried keeping him in a 75 when he was smaller but he flipped his driftwood around, shoved rocks around and heaped up gravel where ever he felt like it.
I like your set up, i'll have to try that with my new P dolli i just got.
Nice looking pattern on the fish as well.
Jason Hi Jason, thanks for the comment.
I didn't know lungfish produces a lot of waste and therefore cleaning is quite a hardwork on this kind of set up. When LF grows bigger, may consider to go barebottom tank and no decoration.
Notice that this fella swim a lot and very very active at night.
Also, I normally change water twice in a week and each time about 50%. Is this good for lungfish based on your experience ?
Actually its not too bad my large one passes a very noticeable small dog turd sized dropping a few days after a good meal. I just net it out. When i was moving apartments he lived in a rubbermaid tub for awhile and i only offered him token meals about every ten days, usually just a single shrimp. After about two weeks i never saw any solid waste during a water change, even after a few meals nothing of notice came out. After a few good meals though he started right back up on his four day routine.
I will be honest sometimes i overlook his water changes for two weeks (and occasionally more) with no ill effects. But that kinda water change routine should put size on him rapidly. But i suppose thats relative with big water changes and all the food he can eat mine only grows about 1/4 inch a month on a good month. Probably faster length gain at smaller sizes since the fish isnt putting on so much body mass.
Jason
Star-Flog
06-15-2006, 3:49 AM
Actually its not too bad my large one passes a very noticeable small dog turd sized dropping a few days after a good meal. I just net it out. When i was moving apartments he lived in a rubbermaid tub for awhile and i only offered him token meals about every ten days, usually just a single shrimp. After about two weeks i never saw any solid waste during a water change, even after a few meals nothing of notice came out. After a few good meals though he started right back up on his four day routine.
I will be honest sometimes i overlook his water changes for two weeks (and occasionally more) with no ill effects. But that kinda water change routine should put size on him rapidly. But i suppose thats relative with big water changes and all the food he can eat mine only grows about 1/4 inch a month on a good month. Probably faster length gain at smaller sizes since the fish isnt putting on so much body mass.
Jason Thank you once again for experience sharing.
I want to pump up this guy so feed as much as possible. Hopefully it will grow to 2ft within next few months.
Also, I notice the pattern on the head starts to broken into small patches..nice.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=21554&size=1
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=21555&size=1
The pattern almost looks like lace work, very well defined....i really need to get that species :). You're giving me lungfish envy.
Puttin on size should be as easy as keeping him clean and very well fed....lungfish never ask for much...well maybe P. amphibious seems to be a bit more challenging to keep (once you get over the miracle of finding one somewhere)....but i've never worked with that species either but i've emailed back and forth with a person who had one for a few years.
Jason
I wouldn't think they would need much for a fish. Decent space. Lotsa food really good filtration tough. I dunno if decorations matter though mine used to loafe on a log
Star-Flog
06-23-2006, 5:16 AM
I wouldn't think they would need much for a fish. Decent space. Lotsa food really good filtration tough. I dunno if decorations matter though mine used to loafe on a log Hi thanks for the experience sharing. I do notice some people keep their lungfish in barebottom tank because of easily maintance. But after a while, it can be quite boring and therefore a beautifully set-up tank will add interest to this amazing fish..:thumbsup:
Hi thanks for the experience sharing. I do notice some people keep their lungfish in barebottom tank because of easily maintance. But after a while, it can be quite boring and therefore a beautifully set-up tank will add interest to this amazing fish..:thumbsup:
Oh mine is kept with gravel. I know the Africans just love to dig there head in it or redecorate the tank .