Arapaima gigas

Brief intro..
The Arapaima fish is also known as the Pirarucu, and is one of the biggest freshwater fish species in the world. Its scientific name is Arapaima gigas. This fish can only be found wild in the Amazon River Basin in South America. It can reach a length of 450 centimeters (177.17 inches) and weigh up to 200 kilograms (440 lbs). The Arapaima is grey and decorated with an orange speckling at the posterior end. The scales can grow up to six centimeters long on the largest Arapaima specimens. You will find two symmetrical fins on the body, located at the posterior end.

The Arapaima is a predatory fish that eats fish, birds and any other animal that it can catch. The major part of its diet consists of fish, but since it is a large opportunistic hunter it will happily gulp down other animals as well. Arapaimas prefer to hunt close to the surface since they need to breathe oxygen from the air. This does however not prevent the Arapaima from occasionally diving very far down. The fact that this fish needs to breathe air from the atmosphere every 10-20 minutes must of course be taken into consideration if you intend to keep an Arapaima in captivity. The aquarium must be arranged in a way that makes access to fresh air possible. Arapaima is found in various habitats in the Amazon River Basin which means that you can have some freedom when you decorate its aquarium. You will find Arapaima in the Amazon River, in the tributaries and in the floodplain lakes. It lives in white water as well as clear water, and the fact that it breaths oxygen from the atmosphere makes it possible for this fish to live in oxygen depleted swampy waters as well.















credits to: markus