protopterus amphibius

[BlueLineAquaticsSC]

I recently purchased my first lungfish, the gilled lungfish protopterus amphibius. I am having a hard time finding any information on this specific species or anyone who has kept them before. Does anyone have any experience with these guys? Are they similar to the other African LF in care, aggression, etc.

Mine is currently only 2” and growing out in 20L. I’m getting rid of all my CA Cichlids I’ve had for a few years to make room for him in my 90g. I would like to keep the Senegal Bichir and Striped Raphael I have in there but I’m not sure about compatibility. Some people have said it would be fine, some say the bichir and cat will rip off his legs, some say the LF will annihilate them, but none of them are going off this specific species.

 

[tlindsey]

I recently purchased my first lungfish, the gilled lungfish protopterus amphibius. I am having a hard time finding any information on this specific species or anyone who has kept them before. Does anyone have any experience with these guys? Are they similar to the other African LF in care, aggression, etc.

Mine is currently only 2” and growing out in 20L. I’m getting rid of all my CA Cichlids I’ve had for a few years to make room for him in my 90g. I would like to keep the Senegal Bichir and Striped Raphael I have in there but I’m not sure about compatibility. Some people have said it would be fine, some say the bichir and cat will rip off his legs, some say the LF will annihilate them, but none of them are going off this specific species. View attachment 1509468

Welcome aboard
Hopefully this will help until members with experience of the gilled lungfish chime in.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/lungfish-species-profiles.419534/post-5163676

 

[wednesday13]

Great pickup! IME small lungs of any species are kinda fragile. Id leave him solo until he hits atleast 8-10”. You can actually drown them also. Offer some floating plants and low current so it can breathe easy. Best to keep them in a shallow tank if possible, but if its alone with floating plants to rest on you should be fine. Ive never had a lung fish refuse pellets. They enjoy sand sifting for food particles. Pellets and any kind of frozen food like mysis should help him grow quickly. As for tank mates, id try later on. I dont think this species is too ill tempered or known for cutting fish in half like the africans (WAL and Aethiopicus)… You can probably house him with small tetras/guppies to clean up uneaten foods but be careful of anything that may pick on his gills and arms/legs. Arms/legs will grow back also. The little guys usually get picked on by tank mates until larger and the tables may turn. Ive always kept my lungs with some sort of cheap “dither fish”… they clean up after the lung and if they get eaten its not much of a loss lol… good luck with him! One thats not often kept and stays at a pretty manageable size.

 

[BlueLineAquaticsSC]

Thanks, he is currently in a 20L that’s 3/4 filled so it’s pretty shallow, I’ll throw a styrofoam disc in there for him to rest on. And I’m not planning on putting him in the 90 until he is equal size with the bichir who is 10”

 

[wednesday13]

Thanks, he is currently in a 20L that’s 3/4 filled so it’s pretty shallow, I’ll throw a styrofoam disc in there for him to rest on. And I’m not planning on putting him in the 90 until he is equal size with the bichir who is 10”

sounds like ur doing everything right, should b good!

 

[Hao]

My experience with gilled lungfish, It was quite an aggressive fish. Even more so than the other African lungs. Possibly just an aggressive individual fish (would snap immediately at any tankmates) but care is like any other lungfish. Mine grew extremely fast, about an inch a month. I’ll see if I can find old photos and share later.

 

[Hao]

The fish actually grew way faster than I remembered.
March 23, 2018: about 5"-6" ( forgot actual size but quite small), Was growing it out in 5g tank


April 13, 2018: I believe it's about 9"-10" judging from the width of the 10g tank (yeah upgraded its tank a little was growing fast!)



April 28, 2018: Looks more chunky now. Possibly 10"-11" now



June 6, 2018: I'm guessing it was around 13"-14" already. Still in the 10g



July 3rd, 2018 I upgraded it into a 40g breeder, it was about 15"-16" i believe. Sorry for bad photo


July 9th, 2018: betterphotos in the 40g breeder



July 31,2018 I sold it to friend (no photos) but it was 17"-18".

By February 2019, my friend told me the lungfish was around 24". (I think his tank was 225g), I don't remember.
Photos in his tank. I believe he sold it few months after that though.

 

[Friller2009]

Nice. Gilled lungs are my 2nd fav lungfish. AULs are epic. Sadly we can’t get gillys over here in Aus. Looks good!

The fish actually grew way faster than I remembered.
March 23, 2018: about 5"-6" ( forgot actual size but quite small), Was growing it out in 5g tank
View attachment 1509493

April 13, 2018: I believe it's about 9"-10" judging from the width of the 10g tank (yeah upgraded its tank a little was growing fast!)
View attachment 1509494
View attachment 1509495

April 28, 2018: Looks more chunky now. Possibly 10"-11" now
View attachment 1509496
View attachment 1509497

June 6, 2018: I'm guessing it was around 13"-14" already. Still in the 10g
View attachment 1509498
View attachment 1509499

July 3rd, 2018 I upgraded it into a 40g breeder, it was about 15"-16" i believe. Sorry for bad photo
View attachment 1509500

July 9th, 2018: betterphotos in the 40g breeder
View attachment 1509501
View attachment 1509502

July 31,2018 I sold it to friend (no photos) but it was 17"-18".

By February 2019, my friend told me the lungfish was around 24". (I think his tank was 225g), I don't remember.
Photos in his tank. I believe he sold it few months after that though.
View attachment 1509503
View attachment 1509504

nice man!

 

[BlueLineAquaticsSC]

Hao Thanks for the pics, did not realize how fast this guy was going to grow up, I’ll have to get my 90g ready sooner than I thought. Do you happen to know how to sex them?

 

[Hao]

Hao Thanks for the pics, did not realize how fast this guy was going to grow up, I’ll have to get my 90g ready sooner than I thought. Do you happen to know how to sex them?

There was very limited info regarding them back then. Most people said they did not get very big or grew slow. I was in for a surprise haha! But I believe they can probably max out around 30". No, i don't know how to sex them.