West African Lungfish

About

Found across a vast sweep of West and Central Africa, this West African lungfish (Protopterus annectens annectens) is one of the most biologically extraordinary vertebrates you can keep in an aquarium. It belongs to a lineage that has remained essentially unchanged for hundreds of millions of years, and its body reflects that ancient heritage: four long, fleshy, limb-like fins used primarily for touch and occasional crawling, rudimentary gills supplemented by a pair of true lungs derived from a heavily modified swim bladder, and a four-chambered heart more reminiscent of a tetrapod than a typical fish. When seasonal waters retreat in the wild, this species digs a burrow into the mud, curls into a chamber, seals itself inside a dried mucous cocoon, and enters a dormant state called aestivation. Sometimes lasting several years. Young fish even sport external gills that disappear as they mature. In the aquarium it is the most manageable of the lungfish available to hobbyists, and it is genuinely hardy, but the commitment involved is serious. It must be housed alone, as it is completely unpredictable with tankmates and capable of inflicting severe bites. On fish and on careless hands alike. With a potential lifespan exceeding two decades and a need for a very large system, this is a species that demands real dedication before you take the plunge.