South American Lungfish

Well on Saturday I went to go and get my new "baby".
Fish shop that had it was quite far away - was a 300km round trip.

Drip acclimatised it in the polystyrene box for about 3/4 hour.
And then transfered it into my new tank.

First 24 hours it spent a lot of time swimming around exploring its new home.
It has now set up a home behind a piece of bogwood.
Comes out now and then to sniff around on the gravel. Or come up for air.

Waited 24 hours, before feeding. Dropped a small whole fish in (lfs sells frozen fish for predatory species)
It chewed it a bit but didn't eat any. I guess is still taking time to settle in.

 

This was the tank it was in at the fish shop.
Amazing Amazon/SA biotype.

My tank is smaller, but I will try copy it on a smaller scale

 

@lep2soma,
I had asked the fish shop (is part of a chain) to send it to the branch near me.
They would have charged me £75 for the driver. Was better that I went.

It's about 2 feet.

 

Friend of mine called it Fugly, and the name seems to have stuck :blushing:
Only a face a mother could love.

I have some wild type Angels, and some Red-Shoulder Severums. And the Lemon Tetras that were in the tank with the Discus.
Might either add some Threadfin Geophagus or one of the unusual types of Silver Dollars.
Will see how it goes first. SALs are supposed to be tolerant of other fish in their tanks, and won't eat them. Unlike the African species which have to be kept on their own.
But you never know.

I was thinking of going lightly planted. But so far, the Lung has spent a lot of time noseing in the gravel. I doubt plants will last long.
And if I do add the Silver Dollars, planted not going to happen.
I may try some Java Fern attached to the wood

 

@Broder,
Not too fussed re biotype planting tbh.
May try some Amazon Swords, and some Vallis along the back.

 

@mark stotesbury,

Have you kept a lungfish?

Yup, they are really awesome.

Fed it a Smelt last night. Chewed it, spat it out, and didn't eat it.
But this morning, the Smelt was gone.

After I got home from work yesterday evening I dug up some earthworms from the garden. Have them in a plastic box with some damp newspaper. Want them to pass the soil and anything else before they go into the tank.

 

@mark stotesbury,

I only have the SAL, not an African.
My fish was imported directly from South America.

 

Closeup of his head

 

Thanks.
In nature they get to about 4 ft.
But in capivitiy, it's likely to be smaller.

 

Well it seems to be settling in nicely.
Ate a cube of minced mussel last night.
When a new fish starts eating it's always a good sign.