Aussie Lungfish

[AdamsZoological]

Was talking to a supplier of ours a little while back about F1 Australian Lungfish. Since then, been researching them a bit, so I know whether or not they're a smart thing to bring in or not. A little information on them, they're F1, so, the parent fish are WC, they have all appropriate CITES papers, as well as breeding records, and get this...they're micro-chipped. Will be imported directly from Australia, and are far from cheap, we'd wholesale them for about $2,000 each. Anyone with any input?

 

[Christmasfish]

My lfs guy keeps trying to get me to buy his. It is near 3ft and 75 bucks.
It is in the back big tank with some 10-11 inch pike gourami, a fish type I can't remember (except they are not the best of tankmates for most fish) and used to be a huuuge Arrowana and 2- 20in snakeheads (I think they were turn ins/returns because their new illegal status. they were there then gone) in there too. I believe it is an african species. It is mostly black with the belly fading to grey black.

As he tries to enamour me of the fugly thing, I get more info. It is a bit more aggresive in personality than my bichir
and would make a better "culling machine" than Wu and my BKG combined. I wouldn't have to worry about prey stress like with "wait and hide" Dutch or "Mr. gulp" Wu and therefore wouldn't need to kill the prey (guess they are a quicker predator). That he can do allright with large tankmates because they are firm about their personal space (read:territorial).
It can fit in the same tank size as I will have planned for the bichir (read big adult) is less fussy of water than the bichir (read adaptable). Sometimes can leave a nasty bite (read has something sharp in mouth). Are more likely to try to escape a tempting setup than the bichir (oh..greeeat), And are "an interesting animal....look seeeee? it breaches for air like all the labyrinths you love". 'You can even have these Pike gourami in with him for a quite some time' (read slow growth). You like different gourami. Right? It does need effecient filtration if you lay a substrate (means ..Messy? digs?) and plants anchored to rocks if I want them. they do like them. They like same temps you keep all your fish at.

Phagh! It looks like a huuge garter snake that drowned and bloated. My bichir has a face like a big cute froggy with super long antennae and my BKG has a face that looks like one of my favorite ponies. This thing just looks creeepy. Maybe It'll grow on me as it lounges in the back room. Maybe if they had a cute juvenile form to hook me......>shudder< I just don't know.... :? I may end up with it later if it is still whiling away there.

That help any?

 

[AdamsZoological]

Good stuff, thanks for the info. Any idea what area that one is from? I know there a re several lungfish fairly readily available on the market, but the Aussies are still supposedly very hard to come by, there's where the high pricetag comes from

 

[Christmasfish]

He's had it forever..(well a year) I can ask. I wouldn't know how to begin to search it's species. I can peep around for a photo match. i took a pic to put on boards for more info on ity anyway. He also has one at his home' fishery too.(wants me to take both and see what happens (yeah..one will eatt he other I bet! )

iedit:Found It!t looks like this one....eeew
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=2384&genusname=Protopterus&speciesname=annectens%20annectens

For hibernating the fish literally chews its way into the substrate ejecting mud out of its gill openings. It may reach a depth of 3- 25 cm below the bottom depending on the length of the fish.

I see where messy comes from. I am so gald of that site this week!

 

[Menagerie]

Phagh! It looks like a huuge garter snake that drowned and bloated.

LOL
That sounds disgusting. Is there a market for such a beast?

 

[AdamsZoological]

Believe it or not, the market is there. I agree the things are ugly as all hell, but people seem to take to the things, dont ask me, I just sell em, not buy em

 

[Christmasfish]

Exact species I'll have to get from my guy this weekend when I make my weekly pilgrimage.. ^_^ And if it is from his one guy and wild caught it will have an info sheet on place.(need snails! Dern loaches). That one I found looks like it to a point, but it doesn't have a prominent dorsal/anal fin combo


I know he has a mondo cheap personal friend/importer for many Asian species.
He is a hobbiest with a store to support his habit. He is not too retail oriented. Only serious people buy from him. And he gets tank grow out species fre a lot. Consumer types look at his natural tanks and go...eew it has moss and stuff..must be diiirty. He only keeps 3 display tanks.
But the parameters in the fish bags is almost drinkable. his water is harder than mine at 7.4

Not sure about the weird stuff suplier. And I have no idea what the lungfish's original price ever was (and he keeps offerin a 2-1 deal. Ack! Do I have I need weird beastiary in my home written on a card on my back?)

Bet they aren't legal in Texas

 

[Fruitbat]

Actually....all lungfish are legal in Texas!! The Australian (or Queensland) Lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, is VERY endangered and only captive-raised specimens (which have an embedded microchip for identification purposes) are available on the market. There is a fellow who frequents the Piranha-Fury forum who just got in six juveniles at a price of $600 each.

N. forsteri gets to about 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) long in the wild and requires a VERY large tank to keep successfully. They grow fairly quickly when young but their growth rate will slow significantly when they reach young adult size. Here's a link to a picture of a wild-caught specimen:

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/images/8733.jpg

 

[Plecostomus]

that's sounds interesting.

 

[AdamsZoological]

Great info, thanks Fruitbat. $600 is definately a great price, are the ones he got in actually captive bred, or just raised, and where did he get them in from?

 

[Christmasfish]

0_o Looks like he is holding an ugly dog!!

I can see why the aussie species isn't around much. Not too many are clamouring for a monster that size. And that makes shipping kinda individual. What a big pug!

 

[Fruitbat]

I know the ones this character got are F1 captive-bred and have embedded microchips. He ordered and received six of them and is keeping two for himself. I'm not sure who he ordered them from but I'll see if I can find out!

 

[Fruitbat]

OK....as far as I can tell he got them from Wildgrove Pty Ltd....a lungfish breeder out of Australia. He's about to do another group order....price this time is $650 each.

A link to Wildgrove Pty Ltd is below:

http://www.lungfishbreeders.com/company.html

 

[Christmasfish]

Found out what he has..
He has protopterus doloy that was a tank grow out and two paradoxa. The small paradoxa is the one at the shop tank. The neater one was the african. He switched them this week, ,the new one is even uglier than the old one ^_^. that's the one of a pair he wants me to have..hahah)



He just got kuhli loaches for the first time in his misc lot. 7- wee tiny 2-3 inchers... and losin the whole lot today.
I helped him do a 50% in case his not to bright teen son put too much salt in the tank. they were acting like they were frying!

I noticed when I tested the bag water on a while ago on a whim his pH is much higher than mine (with half my 7.0 water the bag was still 7.7). I thought he said earlier his water was artesian, like mine. Wonder if the city gave a surprise?

 

[AdamsZoological]

Thanks a million, Fruitbat. Big difference on the price, I'm guessing if he imported them no problem they have all the mandatory CITES paperwork as well? The place I was going to get them from were only F1 as well, so I'd definately grab up that huge price break. Thanks again