ARAPAIMA GIGAS

 ARAPAIMA GIGAS

This fish can grow to a maximum length of 5m and a weight of 400kg. It is thus not suitable to breed in aquatic tank. It is a food of aborigines in Brazil. With its black colour, its round fat shape, its rough scales and its utterly hard head which is as big as a tiger's, it looks quite different from a typical Arowana.

When it grows up, its frames of scales will turn red. It has no barbels and it grows fast, gaining 3 to 5kg a year. When it reaches 4 to 5 years old, it can lay 180 thousand eggs and the diameter of each egg is 1.8cm. 
 

BLACK AROWANA

BLACK AROWANA

It was found in 1966 in the Rio Grande River of Brazil. Its body is similar to the Silver Arowana. The only difference occurs during the infant period, when its body is slightly black and this will fade gradually as the fish grows. The scales will then become silver in colour while each fin will turn into blue colour. When it grows very big, its colour will incline to black with purple and green.

This kind of fish is easily frightened and thus is now considered a protected species in Brazil.