Protopterus Aethiopicus Albino

[jjohnwm]

Magnificent critter! I had a standard-colour one back in Ontario, left it behind when I moved; one of my all-time favourites. The head-shape on this fish is odd, much more "duck-billed" in appearance than mine or than most others I have seen. Is this a characteristic of aethiopicus? Very distinctive.

I haven't seen a small one for sale locally in many years; not sure if I could resist the temptation if I did.

 

[wednesday13]

Magnificent critter! I had a standard-colour one back in Ontario, left it behind when I moved; one of my all-time favourites. The head-shape on this fish is odd, much more "duck-billed" in appearance than mine or than most others I have seen. Is this a characteristic of aethiopicus? Very distinctive.

I haven't seen a small one for sale locally in many years; not sure if I could resist the temptation if I did.

Thank you! Def. A favorite species of mine as well. I waited 10+ years to aquire/afford one. Gave up an 8yr old WAL to my friends at ohio fish rescue when i decided to go “all in” with the largest specie of african and white lol… had a cple other WAL’s and SAL. Head shape seems “right” to me for Aethiopicus. Alot of the albinos i see in particular have an upturned top jaw or somewhat of a smashed/deformed face. This specimen was wild caught congo origin. Got him at 5” around the thickness of a sharpie marker. May just be my camera angles or him being white, but Aethiopicus do have more of a “schnauze” then the WAL’s. WAL’s have more of a blunt face. Tough to tell tho really, almost any pictures i find all look different to an extent for individual head shape even on the regular colored specimen. Its hard to judge their size in pictures. Seems the “nose” becomes more prominent with size/age.

 

[jjohnwm]

...but Aethiopicus do have more of a “schnauze” then the WAL’s. WAL’s have more of a blunt face. Tough to tell tho really, almost any pictures i find all look different to an extent for individual head shape even on the regular colored specimen. Its hard to judge their size in pictures. Seems the “nose” becomes more prominent with size/age.

Mine might very well have been a WAL, I never determined the exact species. He certainly never showed any of that upturned piggy snout, much more blunt for sure. Got him when he was only about 3 inches, just a little blackish worm at that point, grew into a beautiful mottled gray monster. I miss that fish!

 

[wednesday13]

Mine might very well have been a WAL, I never determined the exact species. He certainly never showed any of that upturned piggy snout, much more blunt for sure. Got him when he was only about 3 inches, just a little blackish worm at that point, grew into a beautiful mottled gray monster. I miss that fish!

Sounds like a WAL…Always hard to give up “old friends” u grew out from micro machine size… feel bad every time i see my old lung in the Ohio Fish Rescue vids lol ?‍?… I do enjoy they have my distichodus sexfasciatus in their 50kg pool tho so it goes both ways ???‍…

 

[wednesday13]

Not much change in 6 months… still very active and just putting on girth.

 

[wednesday13]

 

[justink]

so awesome to see this thread!! cant wait to see mine reach this size one day

 

[wednesday13]

so awesome to see this thread!! cant wait to see mine reach this size one day

Thank you! Def. One of my all time favorites ive kept. Been debating giving him another tank upgrade or not. Gets a bit cloudy when he poops for a day … Tank is on autodrip change tho so its clear again in 24 hrs.

 

[wednesday13]

My 7yr old and my 16 month old, there both 32”+ haha. Recently started feeding together he really enjoys it

 

[wednesday13]

Tried to get some different shots of this guy… 1st time hes ever not been “pristene”… a 5”10yr old filamentosus barb decided to eat his back fin. Def. a surprise as i expected the barb to be consumed eventually lol… pulled him out immediately. Still can’t believe a 5” fish damaged a 36”+.