African Lung Fish

[Christi]

I just received this in my email - Toirtis, can you help? Or anyone else?

"I HAVE TRIED EVERY OUTLET I COULD FIND AT THIS TIME...NOBODY SEEMS TO RESPOND OR DOSEN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I RESCUED THIS AFRICAN LUNG FISH FROM AND ABANDONED HOUSE 8 YEARS AGO. IT WAS 18.25 " LONG THEN. IT HAS GROWN TO OVER 36" IN LENGTH. 5 DAYS AGO IT CLIMBED OUT OF IT'S 250 GAL. TANK . I BELIEVE IT WAS IN SEARCH OF MUD FOR HYBERNATION. HOWEVER, IT TOOK SOME OUTER DAMAGE NOT PENITRATING THE FAT LAYER AND THEN PROCEEDED TO GO INTO THE TORPOR STATE.(HYBERNATION) IT SEEMS TO BE FINE AS FAR AS THIS HYBERNATION STATE BUT I'M CONCERNED MEDICALLY ABOUT IT'S SURVIVAL OF IT'S EXPEDITION AND WONDER IF I SHOULD INDUCE A PERMANENT SLEEP? NO ONE SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE FISH ITSELF AND I 'M
JUST TRYING HELP IT SURVIVE. IS THERE ANY HELP HERE?? SEATTLE AQUARIUM WON'T RESPOND. THANKS FOR ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE ME..."

[Christi]

I received this today:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. I AM SAD TO SAY, URGENT CARE WILL NO LONGER BE NEEDED. I WISH TO EXPRESS A CONCERN WITH FACT THAT WE IMPORT ANIMALS AS PETS WITHOUT THE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC, KNOWLEDGE OF THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF THESE OF THESE RARE ANIMALS.
IF YOU RUN ACROSS ANY OTHER AFRICAN LUNGFISH OWNERS,PLEASE DIRECT THEM MY WAY. MY FISH DESERVED THE RESPONSIBILITY I WILL TAKE IN EDUCATING ANYONE OF MY 8 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS ANIMAL. HOPEFULLY, WE CAN HELP THIS SPECIES LIVE ANOTHER 350 MILLION YEARS. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS IN RESPONDING.