Marbled Lungfish

he Marbled Lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) is found in the African countries of Tanzania, Ethiopia, the Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and referred to by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Leopard Lungfish, or African Lungfish .

Marbled Lungfish live in the Nile River as well as lakes Albert, Edward, Tanganyika, Victoria, Nabugabo, No, and Kyoga.   Different subspecies are found in the Nile River and lakes Victoria and Tanganyika, (Protopterus aethiopicus aethiopicus) the middle and upper Congo River, (Protopterus aethiopicus congicus) and the lower Congo, (Protopterus aethiopicus mesmaekersi).

As adults, Marbled Lungfish are found in swamps, riverbeds, floodplains, and river deltas throughout their range.    Juvenile members are often collected between the roots of papyrus plants and despite being an aquatic species, adults can live in riverbeds and other areas that seasonally dry up during portions of the year.   Like all Dipnoi, they have the ability to estivate in mucous lined burrows in the ground, and breathe out of a hole in the cocoon they form, for up to several years.

The Marbled Lungfish is a smooth, cylindrical, elongated, species with deeply embedded scales and a long tail that tapers at the end.   In their natural habitat, fully grown adults can reach almost 7 feet in length.    They have very long, thin, spaghetti like pectoral and pelvic fins that they use for gliding through the water column.   Newly hatched specimens have branched external gills that look like those of newts or water dogs.   After after 2 to 3 months when they metamorphose into their adult form, the gills are replaced by small gill openings that enable them to breathe air.