All fish / Protopteridae

West African lungfish

Protopterus annectens

Also known as african lungfish, tana lungfish, lungfish, protopterus annectans, annectens lungfish, west african lung fish, ปลาปอดแอฟริกา, ikan paru-paru afrika, プロトプテルス・アネクテンス, アフリカハイギョ, 西非肺鱼, 非洲肺鱼

The West African lungfish has a long, eel-like body, thread-like paired fins and grey to brown skin with dark spots. It must breathe air from the surface, and in the wild it can survive dry seasons buried in a mucus cocoon in the mud. Keepers value it as a hardy, long-lived and very personable oddball that gets to know its owner.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 8

Smallest tank

700 litres

Keep as

Keep alone

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, prawns, mussels, fish fillet, snails and sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

20 years or more

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

West and Central Africa, including the Senegal, Gambia, Niger, Volta and Chad basins

Breeding

In the wild, males dig a burrow nest in shallow flooded vegetation during the rainy season and guard the eggs and larvae. It has not been bred reliably in home aquariums, and the few successes have come from large outdoor ponds.

Good to know

It can reach up to 100 cm, bites hard and will eat or attack any tankmate, so it needs a large, tightly covered tank of its own and careful handling. Its skin is soft and easily damaged, so avoid sharp decor, and leave it easy access to air at the surface.