92 Year Old Australian Lungfish Who Loves Belly Rubs and Figs Is Most Likely the Oldest Fish in Human Care

A gorgeous 92 year old Australian Lungfish named Methuselah, who lives at the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, enjoys a varied diet that includes fruit, especially fresh figs, and belly rubs that her carers give to her on a daily basis. Methuselah was brought from Australia to San Francisco in 1938 and is considered the oldest living fish in human care.

A primitive Australian fish living in a San Francisco museum is believed to be the oldest living aquarium fish in the world. Methuselah is a four-foot-long (1.2-meter) Australian lungfish, weighing around 40lb (18.1kg).

While Methuselah is full of personality, she also provides information about primitive species.

She’s also kind of a time machine: As a member of a genus (Neoceratodus) that has essentially stayed the same for over 100 million years, Methuselah is a “living fossil,” offering a fascinating glimpse into the prehistoric past.

Lungfish are an amazing species as they have both lungs and gills, which allow them to breathe both under water and on land when necessary.

The vast majority of fish species don’t have lungs and breathe with their gills, but the Australian lungfish can supplement its oxygen intake by gulping air at the surface. This usually only occurs when water levels are low, water quality is poor, or during periods of unusual activity—like spawning season.

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