Edit Lepidosiren paradoxa

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Name

Scientific name

Lepidosiren paradoxa

Described by

Not recorded

Family

Lepidosirenidae

Common names

South American Lungfish

Photograph credits

Not recorded

Summary

The South American lungfish, Lepidosiren paradoxa, is found across the Amazon, Rio Paraguay and lower Paraná basins. The only lungfish know…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

1250mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 240 cm, Minimum depth 90 cm, Minimum height 150 cm, Water movement Low: still or sluggish water

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 24–28°C, pH 6–8

Hardness

2–20dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Not recorded

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Amazon, Paraná

Writing

Etymology

Not written yet

Distribution

It's very widely distributed in nature, and is found throughout much of the Amazon, Rio Paraguay and lower Rio Paraná basins. Populations exist in parts of Col…

Habitat

Slow moving and stagnant waters, including weedy creeks, swamps and tributaries. Many of these biotopes are hypoxic (starved of oxygen), and some are completel…

Aquarium size

A massive tank is needed to adequately house one of these. Length and width are the most important dimensions and it can actually be quite shallow if you wish.…

Maintenance

Decor is unimportant, but water movement should be kept to a minimum. Some cover can be provided in the form of roots, branches or large, smooth rocks. Ensure …

Decor is unimportant, but water movement should be kept to a minimum. Some cover can be provided in the form of roots, branches or large, smooth rocks. Ensure that any such furnishings are too heavy to be moved around or secured to the tank in some way. A sandy or muddy substrate is beneficial but not essential, and the tank base can actually be left bare if you wish. Any artificial lighting should be very dim. What's most important is that the cover of the tank can't be moved by the fish, and contains no gaps around its edges. A lungfish can and probably will escape given the opportunity. A gap of around 6" should be also left between the water surface and the cover to allow it access to the atmospheric air it needs to survive.

Obviously a massive and efficient filtration sustem is needed to cope with the amount of waste produced by a fish of this bulk. If possible choose a sump-type arrangement, as this allows most of the equipment to be located outside the tank. A large specimen can easily destroy glass heaterstats, thermometers etc.

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Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

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DOI

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Title

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Authors

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Year

Journal or publisher

Pages

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Anything worth adding

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Water conditions

Temperature: 24 – 28 °C pH: 6.0-8.0 Hardness: 2-20°H

Diet

Omnivorous in nature, feeding on fish, shellfish, amphibians and plant matter. It will adapt to a variety of foods in the aquarium. Offer prawn, mussel, lancef…

Behaviour and compatibility

Generally peaceful with tankmates too large to be considered food. It can be a little unpredictable, with some specimens taking exception to other bottom-dwell…

Sexual dimorphism

Unknown.

Reproduction

Unreported in the hobby. In nature it spawns during the wet season and the eggs are deposited into a nest guarded by the male. This consists of a deep burrow l…

Notes

Lungfish are among the most intriguing of "oddball" aquarium species, being able to survive in extreme conditions. They are very ancient fish, having remained …

References

No references

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References