You guys weren't kidding!!!......

[E_americanus]

it's interesting how lungs will react to cleanings/intrusion by the fishkeeper into the tank. my big congicus has gotten meaner as he's gotten older, but once he realizes it's a whole arm in there (not just fingers) he tends to back off.

still, a good practice (as you are already doing) is to keep one eye on what you are doing in the tank, and the other eye on the lungfish at all times!--
--solomon

 

[Speed3drvr]

Ya, I would like to just have a bare tank, but my fiancee said it was a stretch getting rid of my "pretty fish for this ugly thing". So taking out the plants is pushing it, got to compromise I think I will look at a sponge on a stick and have my bro over to keep chompers at bay I know SAL's are more placid, but Chompers was screamin my name at the pet store

 

[beblondie]

I once had an evil bichir.When i had to fuss with the tank I kept a net in my free hand
just in case it attacked-Anne

 

[sauroid]

since my annectens is just about 9" long, it doesnt try to bite me/the siphion yet. will it become a biter eventually as it gets bigger/older?

 

[E_americanus]

since my annectens is just about 9" long, it doesnt try to bite me/the siphion yet. will it become a biter eventually as it gets bigger/older?

very likely, but the individual personality of these fishes can differ quite a bit--
--solomon

 

[Arapaimaman]

Why do you have to strip you tank down once a week ? If your filtration is good,you won't have to go thru that once a week.I'am speaking from experience
Good luck,just trying to help out.

 

[Opiate]

screw that lol!

 

[GriF]

Why do you have to strip you tank down once a week ? If your filtration is good,you won't have to go thru that once a week.I'am speaking from experience
Good luck,just trying to help out.

I clean out my tanks everey day...A 3 ft lungfish creates a bigger turd than a cat.
Just imagine a cat taking a dump in your tank every morning.
+ a lungfish chews on his food spits it out and than eats it again (real messy)
When I feed shrimp, the whole tank is filled with little pieces of shrimp.

I personally prefer to clean it out as often as possible. no matter how good the filtration is.

 

[Speed3drvr]

Ya, my finacee was like, "what is that thing on the bottom of the tank?", when I told her it was lungfish poo, she reiterated how disgusting my lungfish is. I will stick with my once a week cleaning, filtration is one thing, but sucking up lungfish poo and cleaning gravel is another. Chompers doesnt mind the water change, but still attacks me and the python siphon.

 

[Markpajak]

I used to let stan my african lungfish bite me on purpose/accidentally at parties when he was very small - it really hurt but no damage.

A year later he got me as I reached in to pick a bit of plant out and he clenched hold biting straight through the middle of my thumb nail and didn't let go until he was on the floor. Blood should not come out of the middle of you thumb nail.

The pain is almost as unbelievable as the strength of these animals.

WARNING WARNING - BELIEVE THE HYPE do not get bitten!

Despite this I don't think it is aggression - just curiosity/hunger, for example if he knows it is not food he will just watch without biting.

FINGERS+FOOD

I can tell when I feed him pellet food with my hand in the tank he has his eyes on my fingers more than the food. I think they must have good eyesight because he spends most of the time watching for people in the room.

again - incredible animals