Lungfish dumb question...

[Cyclop3000]

Heya all. I recently ordered a SA lungfish for one of my monster tank, and was wondering about a few things that are not really clear to me even after all the research.

Some of you said that they found the lung on the ground several times, no harm done. Of course I know they can breath, but is it bad to get them out of the water or not? I mean think of puffers...they can puff, but that's definitely not something you want them to do, since it's stresses them a great deal and can be dangerous. Know what I mean? Could I just take a lung out of his tank, roll him up in a wet towel and move him around? That would be interesting for kids y'now, discovery thing etc...

Next question. I've always had substrate in my tanks, but lately i've been thinking of removing it. With my biggest eaters, like my Mbu puffer, the substrate becomes filled with crushed shells and junk that my vacuum can't pick up, and i'm thinking bare bottom (or at least just a very very thin layer of sand) would be helpful in keeping the tank clean. Would that affect a lungfish? Do they actually need the substrate? I'm planning my next big tank for my two pacus and this lungfish.

I'd like your opinions please...thanks!

 

[Cyclop3000]

Wow 13 views, no replies...great !

 

[Masvita]

I can imagine that being out of the water is stressful for any fish, and lungfish are probably no exception. In the wild, it's not like their habitat just dries up in two seconds - they have several days, or at least hours, to create their burrows that protect them once the water dries up. Hence, just yanking them out of the water isn't a fair simulation of that experience. On the other hand, they're tough critters and if something does happen to put them out of the water for a while, they'll probably be able to handle it.

But I wouldn't really recommend putting the lungfish on the floor for the kids to play with. Also, many of them can give a nasty bite once they're big enough, and like other fish, touching them isn't good for their slime coating.

Hope that helps.

 

[E_americanus]

SAL's are a bit more docile than their African cousins, but they can still freak out from time to time if they are spooked while in the tank...and if they are removed from the tank. that being said, they would be "fine" with you taking them out as long as you could keep them wet. i know a few people who have done this for educational purposes in showing kids...just keep the kids away from the mouth of the fish as they can easily take off a finger (large specimens). the key is keeping the skin wet, but you also wouldn't want them to get too cold either.

as for substrate, they would likely do just fine with no substrate, just make sure that your filtration is up to par (substrate often houses beneficial bacteria, and without the substrate you're relying solely on water changes and your filter).

regarding tankmates...it's generally inadvisable to keep pacu and similar fishes with lungfishes as they will often chew off the fins ("legs") completely and will often take chunks out of the lungfish...this happens quite frequently--
--solomon

 

[Cyclop3000]

regarding tankmates...it's generally inadvisable to keep pacu and similar fishes with lungfishes as they will often chew off the fins ("legs") completely and will often take chunks out of the lungfish...this happens quite frequently--
--solomon

Mmm...you're right about that, my Pacus are somewhat annoying the other fish in their current tank. Judging from what i've seen in terms of lungfish, they don't seem like the kind who could defend themselves. They are kindof slow-ish.

Thanks to you two for the comments

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

I wouldnt risk it they can really do some damage.

 

[channarox]

sa lungs arent aggressive.
in fact,near opposite of african lungfish.
solomon has pretty much covered everything.

 

[Atkin]

anything with a small mouth or beak can be an issue for lungs, my oscars never touched him but one of my severums did a real number on him about a year ago and had to be removed.

I wouldnt advise getting him out of the tank, i have done in the past but that was only because he needed moving to a new tank so he was out for a relatively short time

plus lungs and kids dont mix