info on african lungfishes

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K

kido

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 10, 2005
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hi guys, i'll be getting an african lungfish next week and i need some info on them.. first of all i'm not really sure what species it is, from the pics that i've seen here i've narrowed it down to either the Protoperus annectens or Protopterus aethiopicus.. could you give me some tips on how to easily differentiate the two so i can figure out exactly what species i got ? the one's i've seen are about 8" tip to tip so if anybody can provide some pics of the 2 species at that size i might be able to compare them with mine..

also, what are the max sizes of either? aggressiveness? can either of them have any tankmates? if so what can i put with them? which one is better in terms of coloration and personality? and what do you feed your lungfishes? would it be possible to convert it to frozen foods?

please add any info that i missed.. any inputs would be greatly appreciated :)
 
West African lungfish (P. annectens)3'
Dorsal side olive or brown colored, ventral side lighter; great blackish or brownish spots on the body and fins except on the belly

Marbled African lungfish (P. aethiopicus)6'
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)


Species only tank or wil fish you want eaten African lungs are known to terminate tankmates pretty much on a whim on day alls fine the next they become lunch

Feeding: any lean meaty food will work.Yes they will take frozen food thawed of course

A cpl of warnings1) these fish both have a fierce bite and adults can take fingers off easily
2) Make sure the lid of the aquarium is secure
Hope this helps -Anne
I forgot to mention
Possible subspecies
Protopterus aethiopicus congicus
Protopterus aethiopicus mesmaekersi
Southern Lungfish (Protopterus annectens brieni)
 
Yup a big part of their diet in the wild are various shellfish including clams which they crush the shells to eat so a finger is nothing -Anne
 
beblondie said:
Yup a big part of their diet in the wild are various shellfish including clams which they crush the shells to eat so a finger is nothing -Anne
Click to expand...
Very cool, I bet they would love crayfish.
 
several individuals seem to start out as nocturnal feeders, although this can be changed in captivity with when you happen to feed them. the slender or spotted African lungfish, Protopterus dolloi seems to be one of the most shy, and mine will not eat during the day at all. many SAL's will start off as nocturnal feeders as well.

in terms of being laid back, they usually are, but this depends on the individual and what you consider laid back. my P. annectens will go crazy if its startled, but other than that it will come and great people as they approach the tank by standing up on its pelvic fins (or 'hind legs' :)). my P. aethiopicus will dance around when someone gives it the slightest glance or inclination of attention. although the Africans are similar in appearance, their personalities definitely seem to vary with the species and further with individuals.

great fishes overall :)

ps - kido, if you get an image of the lungfish i can ID it for you; the text descriptions you can find online are usually not terribly helpful, especially with relatively similar species such as the annectens and aethiopicus.
 
E_americanus said:
ps - kido, if you get an image of the lungfish i can ID it for you; the text descriptions you can find online are usually not terribly helpful, especially with relatively similar species such as the annectens and aethiopicus.
Click to expand...

thanks for the reply guys :) ..

sol, i'll post some pics as soon as i can for easier identification. thanks :)
 
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