First lungfish, I have some questions

[xTHExHOUZx]

I saw a lungfish in a local fish store the other day, and fell in love with it. Someone had ordered it and never come by to pick it up, and the owners really wanted to use the tank it was in for other fish, so they gave me a great deal. I asked them some questions about taking care of it, and they told me that water quality wasn't a big deal, and neither was the aeration. They had a couple feeders in with it, but it didn't seem very interested.
Since then I've read that you can feed them lean meats cut into strips, earthworms, slow moving fish (which is why the feeders didn't work), and sometimes dry foods.
I was wondering what I should use as a staple for it's diet, how important water quality REALLY is, what type of substrate I should use (if any), and pretty much any other tips.
It's 18" long right now, and I have it in a 29 gallon. I'm setting up a 65 in a few weeks which I'm planning on moving it into.
Thanks for the help.

 

[beblondie]

What species is it?
''how important water quality REALLY is''well it has to be clean what they were reffering to
was pH and hardness tho.The smallest lungfishes common in the hobby reaches 3 feet +-Anne

 

[xTHExHOUZx]

I'm next to positive that it's a South American lungfish, as it doesn't really have anything that might resemble pectoral fins. It's actually the one that's my avatar.

 

[beblondie]

Lepidosiren paradoxa - South American Lungfish
Freshwater
Subtropical
Temp.76-82F
pH: 4.5-7.5
dH: 0-12
Size:4'
Description:The young look like tadpoles with four external gills. During the first weeks of their life they breath only through the external gills.Within 2 months the gills begin to disapear
and air breathing begins
Tank:Furnish the tank with bog wood and a dark, fine gravel substrate.
There can be subdued lighting and still water. Ideally, woody material should be the most prominent decoration in the tank.and open swimming areas.
Distribution:Argentina,Bolivia, Brazil,Colombia, Fr Guiana, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela
Enviroment: Prefers stagnant waters where there is little current.
Foods:juveniles eat larval insects.Adults:snails, clams and shrimp,algae and plant matter
Plants: Echinodorus tenellus,E. intermedius Cabomba aquatica or myiophyllum brasiliense,Sword plants, Vallisneria, Heteranthera, Ceratophyllum, Lemma, Limnobium,water lettuce,and lemna
Notes: Same as african except they are reported more tolerant of tankmates

They have pectoral fins the one you have may have been damamged but they should grow back -Anne

 

[lizardfishman]

cool lung. the 65 will be too small in the long run.

 

[xTHExHOUZx]

thats awesome, thanks. ya, the 65 should be ok for a while, it'll give me time to plan for something bigger

 

[xTHExHOUZx]

alright, one more thing, just wondering how often i should feed it. I gave it half of a pretty big shrimp yesterday, then gave it the other half today. Does once a day sound right? Are lungfish piggy and will eat as much food as you'll give them, or are they pretty good about watching their figure?

 

[guppy]

If it has large scales it is an aussie, tiny scales it is african and medium scales it is SA,
Top pic is African, middle is SA, bottom is Aussie.

 

[beblondie]

''one more thing, just wondering how often i should feed it.?''Every couple of days is fine, actually we tend to overfeed or fish-Anne

 

[xTHExHOUZx]

ok cool, thanks