Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus

Alternative names

 * Ethiopian Lungfish,

Sexing

 * Difficult to visually sex.

Tank compatibility

 * Best kept alone in a species tank as it can pose a threat to smaller fish, larger fish may bully it.

Diet

 * A carnivorous fish that does well on a diet of shrimp, chopped mussels or cockles and fish fillets.

Feeding regime

 * Feed once or twice a day when juvenile, two or three times a week when adult.

Environment Specifics

 * This is an unusual fish in that it can survive out of water for long periods of time, an adaptation used in the wild during dry season. This is a very large fish that requires a very large tank with ample room to turn around. A soft substrate is ideal with bogwood hiding places, it will not appreciate bright lights. Excellent filtration is a must but oxygenation is not important as in captivity this fish is an obligatory air breather.

Behaviour

 * A slow moving predatory fish.

Identification

 * This is an unusual prehistoric-looking fish. It has a smooth, slimy, cylindrical body with deeply embedded scales. The caudal fin is pointed and the dorsal and anal fins attach to it. The pectoral and pelvic fins slender and filamentous, they are almost used as legs to move along with. Young fish have true external gills, but these are usually absent in fish larger than . In colouration this fish is dark slate grey above, yellow-grey or pink below, often with numerous dark spots or flecks on the fins and body (some fish have bright yellow bellies). The sensory canals on head and body are outlined in black. Albino variations have been seen.