Author(s): Wiggles92 (Ryan Bing)
Photo(s): Wiggles92
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by: Wiggles92
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South American lungfish
Species Information
Scientific Name:
Lepidosiren paradoxa
Common Name(s):
South American lungfish (SAL)
Distribution:
South America: Amazon, Paraguay and lower Paraná River basins.
Description:
This lungfish is able to aestivate and is an obligate air-breather which means that it must breathe air in order to survive.
South American lungfish typically attain lengths of about 36” in the wild, but individuals have been reported to be as long as 4’. This lungfish is believed to have a maximum life span of about eight years.
Gender Determination:
If the pelvic fins (rear fins) of a SAL look like the picture that's below, then it is a male, specifically a male that's ready to breed.
The little fleshy, furry-looking things (filaments) on the fins develop on males and are believed to be used to oxygenate the nest which the male guards. These filaments are purported to release oxygen and take in carbon dioxide. The filaments are supposed to develop at the beginning of the breeding season and disappear after the end of the breeding season.
Please keep in mind that these filaments are only supposed to develop in sexually mature males during the breeding season, so just because a SAL lacks the filaments does not necessarily guarantee that it's a female.
Comments:
These lungfish are widely available in the pet trade.
Captive Care Guide
Average Captive Max Size:
36” – 48”
Average Captive Growth Rate:
[Insert Captive Growth Rate Information Here]
Suggested Husbandry:
Tank Size:
A standard 180 gallon aquarium (72” x 24” x 25”
will be sufficient for housing the average adult South American lungfish (
Lepidosiren paradoxa) for life. Please remember that these aquarium sizes are just the recommended minimums and a larger aquarium will certainly be appreciated by your lungfish.
Water Parameters:
South American lungfish are insensitive to most water conditions. One does not have to have much, if any, aeration as they are obligate air-breathers. A moderate pH is recommended, though others (whether notably low or high) can be tolerated. Remember to keep up on water changes and have abundant filtration in order to deal with the excessive waste left over by these large fish.
Tankmates:
South American lungfish can be kept with pretty much any other fishes that they do not consider food e.g. fish too small to see as a food source or too large to fit easily in their mouth. Some of these compatible fishes include true gars (Lepisosteids), bichirs, arowanas, peacock bass and other various cichlids, and many other fishes. Please keep in mind that just because these fishes are compatible with these two lungfish species does not mean that they are compatible with each other. Plecos and other slime-sucking fishes are not recommended because they may suck on the lungfish’s slime coat which can lead to an infection. It is also noteworthy that South American lungfish should not be kept with their own kind (one per aquarium).
Diet:
South American lungfish are not very picky fishes, so they can be fed a variety of foods, and they must have a varied diet that is both rich in proteins and plant matter. They should be fed mostly proteins on a regular basis with plant matter being offered occasionally. The plant matter helps to prevent lateral line erosion on the head of the lungfish, so be sure to include at least algae wafers in the lungfish’s diet. Acceptable food items include shrimp, fish fillets, whole fish, earthworms, sinking pellets (Massivore, etc.), algae wafers, and various nontoxic vegetables such as cucumber.
Young lungfishes should be fed daily or multiple times daily, if desired; older lungfishes can be fed every other day or even more infrequently (every three days), if desired. No matter what your feeding schedule consists of, let the lungfish eat as much as it wants and do not leave much, if any, leftover food in the aquarium after feeding. Feedings may take a little bit of time since the lungfish will “chew” its food before swallowing it; please take that into consideration when deciding on a feeding time for the lungfish.
