He thinks he wants a lung...questions

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_Sushi_

_Sushi_

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 11, 2007
1,211
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South East Michigan
My fiance saw the pics of the lungs on the lungfish photothread, now he thinks he wants one.

I'm asking questions to see if it's something we really want to get, or if it's going to have to be something I'm going to have to tell him no to. It's not about money, it's not about space, it's all going to rest on the fact that I'm the one who takes care of ALL the fish. (hence is why most of them belong to me)

I don't know how big the largest ones actually get, but I want one that's going to stay around a foot, foot and a half in length. If it's a species with a relatively laid back temperament, all the better.

How agressive are they? Are they agressive with their keeper? or just with tankmates (which there won't be any)

Where can I buy them from in the US?

We have a 75 that I'm selling the inhabitant of soon, to make room for a black piranha, but I guess the piranha won't need a full 75 gallons, or I could reseal my fiance's 75 tall (which my Land hermit crabs have taken over) Is this enough space for a single lung?

As for food I'm guessing market shrimp & white meat fish filets?

What are the temp requirements? Do I need to add anything special to the water?

What are they sensitive to? Meds, chemicals in the water? that sort of thing

Tank Decor and lighting?

I would like to be as educated as I can get, in case I have to tell him no, and he asks "well, why not?" Which he will. lol Or if it's do-able I'll need to know how to take care of it.

Oh last question what sort of TEETH do they have? I read where they could remove a finger (another thread on this board) But do they have teeth like piranhas? or like pikes? If anybody has a pic of their lung's gnashers laying around, I'd like to see what I'd be up against....lol

Thanks in advance for your information.
 
Hi bogwood!!

You didn't put any water on my fire....if it gets bigger, ohwell, looks like we'll have to build a bigger tank!! ^_^ My fiance's been talking for about a month or 2 about using Milkman's DIY acrylic tank post to BUILD a big *** tank. For what fish, I have no clue. But hey, maybe he can build one for the lung he wants! I find that to be a fabulous idea!! lol

What dimensions am I looking at here?
 
_Sushi_;1184535; said:
Hi bogwood!!

You didn't put any water on my fire....if it gets bigger, ohwell, looks like we'll have to build a bigger tank!! ^_^ My fiance's been talking for about a month or 2 about using Milkman's DIY acrylic tank post to BUILD a big *** tank. For what fish, I have no clue. But hey, maybe he can build one for the lung he wants! I find that to be a fabulous idea!! lol

What dimensions am I looking at here?
Click to expand...
I reckon that get awy with a 72x24x24 or a 72x30x24. Inches.
 
thanks bogwood!!

I'll let him know that's the tank he has to build BEFORE he can get it!! Like I said, we're getting rid of the CK since I can't afford a bigger tank. On the other hand, since it'll be his fish that'll be going into it, Brian can afford to build a tank. Which is different I guess, because you can buy the pieces to build one at a time, whereas buying a tank, you have to pay all of it at once.
 
A lung is a good choice it's an interesting and impressive fish.
(I personally prefer African Lungfish)
Keeping lungs is not that difficult.
Make sure it has enough room and keep the tank clean.
and feed it feed it feed it.
When you clean out your tank watch your hands.
I have one lung who started to attack when it got bigger.
Before that I would push it out of the way when I cleaned out his tank.
Now I clean out my tanks with a sponge tied to a stick.
As long as I keep calm and don't bother them they won't bother me.
I keep the current down and the light dimmed.
I feed them 2x a day in the morning I feed them algae waffers.
And at the end of the day I give them tiger shrimp, mussels, and sprot.
In the morning I siphon out the tanks from leftovers and lung poop...they are real messy eaters.
I keep my tanks at 26 degrees Celsius.
I make sure the water is not to deep so they can come up for air without too much hustle.
I do +/- 50% waterchange per week. (this is if the water parameters are o.k.)
I test the water on a regular basis if the water quality is off I refresh more.
And be carefull with heaters. Lungs tend to crush stuf. (they have plates instead of teeth)

p.s this is the way I care for them(it works for me), some people do it different.

Check: http://www.rehobothaquatics.com/stock.htm for lungs in the US.
They have some nice lungs in stock...
 
Thanks for all the info, grif. It sounds like something I can deal with. I keep a piranha currently, and when I'm doing maintenance, I'm always keeping an eye out for where he is, b/c if he gets cornered, he'll bite.

Gah!! I don't know any of the latin names!! and it has no pics of the spotted lung...:(
 
spotted lung is the protopterus dolloi. or slender lungfish.
check my personal gallery, it is the one in the top tank.
 
GriF;1184648; said:
A lung is a good choice it's an interesting and impressive fish.
(I personally prefer African Lungfish)
Keeping lungs is not that difficult.
Make sure it has enough room and keep the tank clean.
and feed it feed it feed it.
When you clean out your tank watch your hands.
I have one lung who started to attack when it got bigger.
Before that I would push it out of the way when I cleaned out his tank.
Now I clean out my tanks with a sponge tied to a stick.
As long as I keep calm and don't bother them they won't bother me.
I keep the current down and the light dimmed.
I feed them 2x a day in the morning I feed them algae waffers.
And at the end of the day I give them tiger shrimp, mussels, and sprot.
In the morning I siphon out the tanks from leftovers and lung poop...they are real messy eaters.
I keep my tanks at 26 degrees Celsius.
I make sure the water is not to deep so they can come up for air without too much hustle.
I do +/- 50% waterchange per week. (this is if the water parameters are o.k.)
I test the water on a regular basis if the water quality is off I refresh more.
And be carefull with heaters. Lungs tend to crush stuf. (they have plates instead of teeth)

p.s this is the way I care for them(it works for me), some people do it different.

Check: http://www.rehobothaquatics.com/stock.htm for lungs in the US.
They have some nice lungs in stock...
Click to expand...
Some great info there even for those who already keep lungfish.
 
What's the big yellowish one? we like that one, he's awesome!!

I just showed him the tank dimensions 72x24X30 and it's bigger (in length) than our DR table!! lol
 
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