My 1st Lungfish.....

[Dovii dude]

Picked up a Marbled African Lungfish yesterday,he is about a foot long(maybe a little less)I paid 30 bucks for him(is this a good deal??)I was told that he will eat anything,Shrimp,smelt,feeders,tankmates,etc.My question is how do you know when they are hungry??He doesnt move much,will he swim around when he gets hungry??Any info on this guy would be greatly appreciated!!Thanks guys!!!

 

[me_wee_todded]

30 dollars is pretty good for a foot long.

 

[davo]

Hope you got a big tank, its a tankbuster and the biggest african lungfish there is. Get some pics up though. Its only about 1/6th its full size

 

[beblondie]

Protopterus aethiopicus-marbeled lungfish 6'
PH: 6.5-9.0
dH ;12-20
Temp;75-82F
spawn Nov-Apr
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)
Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No
It inhabits river and lake fringes, swamps and floodplains In Lake Victoria it is found in open lake and marginal swamps, in basin only near rivers and deltas.
Lake Tanganyika
PH: 7.8-9.0
dH ;12-20
Temp;75-82F
This lake has 2 easily defined regions the first very rocky with only algae growth as plant life.The second sandy bottom with growths of Vallisneria spirella(use coral sand to buffer the ph at an alkaline level.

African Swamps
Reedy plants line the shores of waterways and shallow pools. Floating grasses and lilies are found where there is little current. Banks along moving waterways drop off quickly, creating cliff-like formations with overhanging roots. Many fish seek refuge under these root overhangs and inside caves.
WATER:
pH 7.2-7.8,
2-8 dH,
70-85 F (21-24 C)
TANK:
The tank should have fine gravel, sand, or clay for a substrate.
Plant grassy vegetation along with rear and corners of the tank. Use dense leafy vegetation in the center of the aquarium and scattered floating plants (if desired).
Use submerged wood to provide hiding places akin to those created by overhanging roots and clay caves in the natural setting.
The lighting should be bright and the water should be clear. Current should be still to moderate depending on whether the aquariast is amining to recreate a still pool or flowing channel.
PLANTS:
African Water Fern, Ammannia, Marsilea, Eleocharis, Anubias, Nymphaea, Water Lettuce
,Potamogeton
Possible subspecies
Protopterus aethiopicus congicus
Protopterus aethiopicus mesmaekersi
Notes:Tanks must have secure lids
these are species only fish (or with fish you don't care about being eaten)
caution when handling they have an incredible bite

 

[davo]

Protopterus aethiopicus-marbeled lungfish 6'
PH: 6.5-9.0
dH ;12-20
Temp;75-82F
spawn Nov-Apr
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)
Nile; Lakes Albert, Edward, Victoria, Nabugabo, Tanganyika, Kyoga and No
It inhabits river and lake fringes, swamps and floodplains In Lake Victoria it is found in open lake and marginal swamps, in basin only near rivers and deltas.
Lake Tanganyika
PH: 7.8-9.0
dH ;12-20
Temp;75-82F
This lake has 2 easily defined regions the first very rocky with only algae growth as plant life.The second sandy bottom with growths of Vallisneria spirella(use coral sand to buffer the ph at an alkaline level.

African Swamps
Reedy plants line the shores of waterways and shallow pools. Floating grasses and lilies are found where there is little current. Banks along moving waterways drop off quickly, creating cliff-like formations with overhanging roots. Many fish seek refuge under these root overhangs and inside caves.
WATER:
pH 7.2-7.8,
2-8 dH,
70-85 F (21-24 C)
TANK:
The tank should have fine gravel, sand, or clay for a substrate.
Plant grassy vegetation along with rear and corners of the tank. Use dense leafy vegetation in the center of the aquarium and scattered floating plants (if desired).
Use submerged wood to provide hiding places akin to those created by overhanging roots and clay caves in the natural setting.
The lighting should be bright and the water should be clear. Current should be still to moderate depending on whether the aquariast is amining to recreate a still pool or flowing channel.
PLANTS:
African Water Fern, Ammannia, Marsilea, Eleocharis, Anubias, Nymphaea, Water Lettuce
,Potamogeton
Possible subspecies
Protopterus aethiopicus congicus
Protopterus aethiopicus mesmaekersi
Notes:Tanks must have secure lids
these are species only fish (or with fish you don't care about being eaten)
caution when handling they have an incredible bite

perfect as usual

 

[beblondie]

did ya know lungfish don't have teeth, millions of years they fused into 2 plates

 

[davo]

No, dont remember that, maybe they missed it out on the documentry on them i watched not long ago.

 

[Dovii dude]

He/she is not a dark color,in fact at times i would say it is a cream color,but sometimes it will darken up a bit,havent seen it eat in a week,is this normal?????Have heard that females have a forked tail like mine,is this true??Thanks guys!!

 

[E_americanus]

He/she is not a dark color,in fact at times i would say it is a cream color,but sometimes it will darken up a bit,havent seen it eat in a week,is this normal?????Have heard that females have a forked tail like mine,is this true??Thanks guys!!

not a problem if it hasnt eaten in a week...or if you havent seen it eat in a week. is the food disappearing? either way, the fish will come around. when my aethiopicus was just a few inches it was very shy with eating. most Africans start out kind of shy when they first arrive anyway.

as for forked tails, no lungfish species has a forked tail, so it is probably just recovering from fin damage, which should heal up pretty quickly. there is also no way to externally sex African lungfishes, so without internal examination there's no way to know if it's a female or male.

good luck and keep us posted--
--solomon

 

[Star-Flog]

What is the most situable plant recommeded for Marbled Lungfish's tank ?