South American Lungfish

[Hao]

Just thought I’d make a thread for my SA lungfish that I’ve been growing since December 2023. Been documenting its growth. Will be continuing to do so here.

December 2nd, 2023 (7.5” / 19 cm), Started it off in a 10g (20"x10"x12") tank.
Remember the heater, it will be a nice size reference for later.


December 5th, 2023


December 7th, 2023

December 15th, 2023

December 20th, 2023

December 25, 2023

December 27th, 2023 (I wish I started tape measuring earlier but it was definitely growing well. Been feeding just sinking pellets)

December 30th, 2023


January 2nd, 2024


January 3rd, 2024


January 7th, 2024

January 9th, 2024


January 11th, 2024 (notice the arms grown back)

January 13th, 2024 (heater reference)

January 14th, 2024

 

[Hao]

January 20th, 2024



January 24th, 2024

January 30th, 2024




February 3rd, 2024

February 5th, 2024 (basically 2 months now as this point, right about 12” / 31 cm)


February 10th, 2024


February 12th, 2024





February 15th, 2024

 

[Hao]

February 26th, 2024

March 6th, 2024 (about 14” / 35.5 cm, moved it into a 24”x18”x18”)





April 6th, 2024

May 17th, 2024
I moved it into a 24”x13”x16” (I think it wasn’t eating as well in the other tank)

March 21st, 2024 (probably was around 15”-16” already)

March 27th, 2024

I guess I didn’t take any photos during April and May.
June 15th, 2024 (back in 24”x18”x18”)


June 21st, 2024 (remember the heater from the first post?)

June 30th, 2024


July 10th, 2024 (I’d estimate around 17” / 43 cm here, I think it was not eating as much in the past few months)

July 13th, 2024

 

[Hao]

July 16th, 2024


August 23rd, 2024 (probably was around 18”-19” /46-48 cm)

October 9th, 2024


October 27th, 2024 (tank is 24” long for reference)

November 10th, 2024 (roughly 20.5” / 52-53cm)

November 22th, 2024

December 26th, 2024 (moved it into a bigger tank that was 30” width, I believe lungfish was around 22”-22.5” / 56-57 cm) basically been a little over a year now! Look how much bigger it is compared to my hand in first post.

December 27th, 2024

January 3rd, 2025
That’s a 20” weeksii behind the lungfish for some reference (although it’s not perfectly
Iined up)


March 1st, 2025
Moved the lungfish into a 40g breeder (36”x18” footprint). It wasn’t competing for food too well against so many bichirs and someone was nipping its tail/fins. I actually had it in the 24”x18” to recover during February. It was probably already about 24”-24.5”/61-62 cm at this point.


March 2nd, 2025

March 4th, 2025 (used to be thinner than my finger )

 

[Hao]

March 8th, 2025

March 13th, 2025


March 16th, 2025 (looks like it would be 63-64 cm or 25” if straighten out)

March 23rd, 2025
Lungfish getting thick! I forgot to mention,
It’s been eating various pellets and frozen fish since like 16”-18” / 41-46 cm.

March 25th, 2025
Check out the lungfish compared to the same heater (from original post!). It’s crazy how far this lungfish has come!


April 1st, 2025
Lungfish looking cute and saying hello

Also managed to tape it against the tank. Appears to be 25.5” / 64.5-65 cm

April 15th, 2025


Hoping to grow the lungfish a few more inches before reintroducing with the bigger Polypterus squad. It’s crazy how thick it’s gotten over the year. Stay tuned for future updates as it grows bigger.

 

[troublesum]

WOW!! that lungfish is awesome i see your holding it in a lot of pictures is it friendly like that? does it come up to you to be held?

 

[danotaylor]

That’s amazing mate! I had no idea they grew so thick so far….though I’ve never kept one. Love the yellowy colored freckles on its face when it was smaller. That small Dat in a few pics looks terrified
Thanks for sharing!

 

[Kayden]

Gorgeous species of fish that definitely needs more love than it gets! You have an amazing specimen

 

[jjohnwm]

Thanks for posting that lovely specimen of one of my faves from way back! I had mine for about three years, and when I rehomed it during a move it was only about a foot and a half in length. I remember wondering if that was typical growth or unusually slow...looking at yours, I'm inclined to think it was the latter! Mine had also gotten pretty thick, like yours, and I seem to recall that its orange/yellow spots faded pretty early, mostly gone by the time it was a foot in length, maybe even less than that. Very cool fish, I hope you keep this thread updated as time passes.

 

[RyanScanner]

That growth rate is crazy, best timelapse I’ve seen. So much dedication to a single post.