The giant arapaima (lat. Arapaima gigas) can hardly be called a fish for a home aquarium, since it is very large, but it’s also impossible not to talk about it.
In nature, it reaches an average body length of 200 cm, but larger specimens are documented, more than 3 meters in length. And in the aquarium, it is smaller, as a rule, about 60 cm.
This monstrous fish is also known as pirarucu or paiche. This is a formidable predator that eats mainly fish, fast and impetuous.
She can also, like a somewhat similar arowana, can jump out of the water and grab birds and animals sitting on tree branches.
Of course, due to its huge size, the arapaima is not well suited for home aquariums, but it can often be seen in zoos and animal exhibitions, where it lives in large pools stylized as its homeland - the Amazon.
Moreover, it is even banned in some countries, due to the danger that, if released into the wild, it will destroy local fish species. Of course, this does not threaten us, due to climatic conditions.
At the moment, detecting a mature individual in nature is not an easy task for biologists. Arapaima has never been a very common species, and now it has become even less common.
Most often it can be found in wetlands, with a low oxygen content in the water. To survive in such conditions, the arapaima has developed a special breathing apparatus that allows it to breathe atmospheric oxygen.
And to survive, she needs to rise to the surface of the water for oxygen every 20 minutes.
In addition, pyraruku has been the main source of food for the tribes inhabiting the Amazon for many centuries.
It was the fact that she rises for air to the surface that killed her, people tracked down this moment, and then killed her with hooks or caught her in nets. Such extermination significantly reduced the population and put it at risk of destruction.
Habitat in nature
Arapaima Amazonian (Latin Arapaima gigas) was first described in 1822. It lives along the entire length of the Amazon and in its tributaries.
Its habitats depend on the season. During the dry season, the arapaima migrates to lakes and rivers, and during the rainy season, to flooded forests. Often lives in swampy areas, where it has adapted to breathe atmospheric oxygen, swallowing it from the surface.
And in nature, sexually mature arapaima feed mainly on fish and birds, but juveniles are much more insatiable and eat almost everything - fish, insects, larvae, invertebrates.
Description
The arapaima has a long and elongated body with two small pectoral fins. The color of the body is greenish with a variety of tints, and reddish scales on the abdomen.
She has extremely hard scales that are more like a shell and are very difficult to pierce.
This is one of the largest freshwater fish, in the aquarium it grows about 60 cm and lives for about 20 years.
And in nature, the average length is 200 cm, although there are larger individuals. There is evidence of arapaima 450 cm long, but they date back to the beginning of the last century and are not documented.
The maximum confirmed weight is 200 kg. Juveniles remain with their parents for the first three months of life and reach sexual maturity only at 5 years of age.
Difficulty in content
Despite the fact that arapaima is very undemanding, but due to its size and aggressiveness, it is not realistic to keep it in a home aquarium.
She needs about 4000 liters of water to feel normal. However, it is very common in zoos and various exhibitions.
Feeding
A predator that feeds mainly on fish, but also eats birds, invertebrates, and rodents. Characteristically, they jump out of the water and grab animals sitting on tree branches.
In captivity, they feed on all types of live food - fish, rodents and various artificial foods.
Feeding at the zoo:
Sex differences
It is difficult to determine, during spawning, the male becomes brighter than the female.
Breeding
The female reaches sexual maturity at the age of 5 years and with a body length of 170 cm.
In nature, arapaima spawn during the dry season, from February to April they build a nest, and with the onset of the rainy season, the eggs hatch and the fry are in ideal conditions for growth.
They usually dig a nest in the sandy bottom, where the female lays her eggs. All the time, the parents guard the nest, and the fry remain under their protection for at least 3 months after birth.
Post navigationThe Amazon rainforest is a vast ecosystem that is home to strange and wonderful creatures such as the jaguar, poison dart frogs and basilisks. However, the forest is not only the habitat of those creatures that prowl, run or crawl in its wilds. In the depths of the Amazon River, the world's largest river, there are creatures so amazing and scary that, in comparison, the movie "Jaws" seems like a pleasant and relaxing swim in the ocean.
10. Black Caiman
Basically, the black caiman is an alligator on steroids. Black caimans can grow up to six meters in length, have larger and heavier skulls than Nile crocodiles, and are top predators in the waters of the Amazon River. This means they are basically kings of the river, eating anything they can get their teeth on, including piranhas, monkeys, freshwater perches, deer and anacondas.
Oh yes, it is worth noting that they readily attack people. In 2010, a biologist named Deise Nishimura was attacked by a black caiman while she was cleaning fish in her houseboat. Despite the fact that she managed to fight him off, the black caiman took one of her legs with him. This caiman lived under her houseboat for eight months, apparently waiting for a convenient opportunity to attack.
9. Anaconda (Green Anaconda)
Continuing the theme of giant reptiles, we present to your attention the largest snake in the world that lives in the Amazon River - the anaconda. While reticulated pythons can be longer in length, anacondas are much heavier. Female anacondas are usually larger than males and can weigh up to 250 kilograms. The body length of the anaconda can be about 9 meters, and the body diameter can reach 30 centimeters. They are not venomous, but use their formidable muscular strength to constrict and suffocate their prey, which include capybaras, deer, caimans, and even jaguars. Preferring shallow waters that allow them to sneak up on their prey, they tend not to live in the Amazon River itself, but in its branches.
8. Arapaima
Arapaima, also known as puraruku or paiche, is a giant predatory fish that lives in the Amazon and adjacent lakes. Equipped with armored scales, they swim without much fear in piranha-infested waters, and are themselves quite effective predators, feeding on fish and the occasional bird. Arapaima prefer to stay close to the surface, because in addition to the oxygen they get from the water through their gills, they still need to take breaths of air when rising to the surface of the water. Appearing on the surface, they make a characteristic sound, similar to a cough. Their body length can reach 2.7 meters, and weight 90 kilograms. These fish are so ferocious that they even have teeth on their tongues.
7. Brazilian otter (Giant Otter)
Brazilian otters are the largest freshwater otters. Brazilian otters have the longest body length of the mustelid family, and adult males can grow up to two meters when measured from head to tail. Their diet mainly consists of fish and crabs, which they hunt in family groups of three to eight individuals. They can eat up to four kilograms of seafood per day. However, many people find them cute, but don't let their cuteness fool you, they're just as harmless as the other creatures on this list. There have been cases where groups of Brazilian otters have killed and eaten adult anacondas. They can also kill the caiman with ease. During the observation of one of the groups of Brazilian otters, it was noticed that they killed and ate a one and a half meter caiman in 45 minutes. Although their numbers are declining rapidly due in part to human interference, they are considered one of the strongest predators of the Amazon rainforest, hence their unofficial nickname "river wolves".
5 Bull Sharks
Despite the fact that bull sharks tend to live in the salty waters of the ocean, they thrive in fresh waters. There were cases when they swam so far along the Amazon River that they were seen in the city of Iquitos (Iquitos) in Peru, almost 4,000 kilometers from the sea. Their specific kidneys sense changes in salt levels in the water and adapt accordingly. And you definitely wouldn't want to meet one of them in the river. These sharks often grow up to 3.3 meters in length, and the weight of especially large individuals caught by fishermen reached 312 kilograms. Like other sharks, bull sharks have several rows of sharp, triangular teeth and incredibly strong jaws, providing a bite force of 589 kilograms. They are also not averse to eating humans, and it is this type of shark that most often attacks people (second and third places are occupied by tiger and great white sharks, respectively). The above characteristics, combined with the fact that these sharks prefer to live near densely populated areas, have led many experts to consider them the most dangerous sharks in the world.
4 Electric Eels
Electric eels are actually more closely related to catfish than to other eels, but you probably don't want to get close enough to see for yourself. They grow up to 2.5 meters in length and can generate electrical discharges with the help of special electrical organs located along their sides. These discharges can reach 600 volts, five times the power of an average American outlet, and enough to knock a horse down. Although one shock is not enough to kill a healthy adult, repeated shocks can lead to heart or respiratory failure, and cases of people passing out and drowning after an electric eel attack are not uncommon. Many of the reported disappearances near the Amazon River have been linked to eel attacks that stunned people with electricity and left them drowning in the river's waters. Luckily for our species, although eels are carnivores, they tend to eat a diet of fish, amphibians, birds, and small mammals. They detect prey by sending out small, 10-volt shocks with their electrical organs, and when they find it, they kill it by releasing strong shocks.
3 Common Piranhas (Red-Bellied Piranhas)
The quintessential horror of the Amazon River, so frightening that it inspired a number of controversial Hollywood films, the common piranha is actually a scavenger first and foremost. However, this does not mean that piranhas do not attack healthy creatures. They can grow up to 30 centimeters in length and usually swim in large groups, so they pose a significant threat to most animals. Like all types of piranhas, common piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth that are arranged in a row on the upper and lower jaws of these fish. These teeth interlock completely, making them the ideal tool for ripping and tearing the victim's flesh. Their intimidating reputation mainly comes from "fever-eating", when a whole group of piranhas surround an unfortunate victim and eat their flesh to the bone in a few minutes. Such attacks are usually the result of a long hunger or provocation.
2. Mackerel Hydrolic (Payara / Vampire Fish)
Despite their diminutive name, hydrolic mackerels are ferocious predators capable of catching and devouring fish that are half their own body size. Given that their body length can reach 1.2 meters, this is quite an impressive feat. Most of their diet consists of piranhas, which should give you some idea of just how ferocious these fanged fiends can be. From their lower jaw grow two fangs that can grow up to 15 centimeters in length. They use these fangs to literally impale a victim on them after they rush at it. In fact, their fangs are so big that they have special holes in their upper jaw to prevent them from piercing themselves with their fangs.
1. Brown pacu (Pacu)
One creature that lives in the Amazon River is much scarier for men than for women. The brown pacu is a much larger relative of the piranha, well known for its distinctive human-like teeth. Unlike many of the other creatures on this list, pacu are actually omnivores and most of their diet consists of fruits and nuts. Unfortunately, for some pacu, "nuts" are not just things that fall from trees. Yes, you understood correctly. There have been several cases of pacu being bitten off the testicles of male swimmers. In Papua New Guinea, several men have died after a pacu mistook their genitals for easy prey. Oh yeah, don't worry if you can't get to the Amazon to see these male-defying monsters - they've already begun to spread across Europe.
Arapaima is a real living relic, a fish that is the same age as dinosaurs. This amazing creature that lives in the rivers and lakes of South America is considered one of the largest freshwater fish in the world: only some individuals of the beluga can exceed the size of the arapaima.
Description of arapaima
Arapaima - a relic freshwater fish that lives in the tropics. It belongs to the Aravan family, which, in turn, belongs to the Aravan-like order. Arapaima gigas is exactly what its scientific name sounds like. And this living fossil has a number of unique features.
Appearance
Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish: it usually grows up to two meters in length, but some of the representatives of this species can reach a length of three meters. And, if you believe the testimony of eyewitnesses, then there are also Arapaims up to 4.6 meters in length. The weight of the largest specimen caught was 200 kg. The body of this fish is elongated, slightly flattened laterally and strongly tapering to a relatively small elongated head.
The skull has a slightly flattened shape from above, the eyes are shifted to the lower part of the muzzle, the not too large mouth is located relatively high. The tail is strong and powerful, thanks to it the fish can make powerful, lightning-fast throws, and it also helps it jump out of the water, chasing prey. The scales covering the body are multi-layered in structure, very large and embossed. The head of the fish is covered with bony plates.
It is interesting! Thanks to its unique, incredibly strong scales, which are ten times stronger than bone, the arapaima can live in the same reservoirs with piranhas without any harm to itself, which do not even try to attack it.
The pectoral fins of this fish are located quite low: almost near the belly. The dorsal and anal fins are relatively long and seem to be shifted towards the tail itself. Thanks to their arrangement, a kind of oar is formed, which gives the fish acceleration when it rushes to prey.
The front part of the body of this living relic is colored olive-brown with a bluish tint. Near the unpaired fins, the olive color gradually turns into reddish, and at the level of the tail it becomes dark red. The tail is set off by a wide darkish border. Gill covers can also be painted in a reddish tone. Sexual dimorphism in these fish is quite well expressed: the male has a more slender body and is brighter colored. And only young individuals, regardless of their gender, have a similar, not too bright color.
Behavior, lifestyle
Arapaima tries to stick to the bottom lifestyle, but she can also hunt closer to the surface of the reservoir. This large fish is constantly in search of food, so it is rarely possible to see it motionless, except perhaps at the time of tracking down prey or a short rest. Arapaima, thanks to its powerful tail, can jump out of the water to its entire length, that is, 2-3, and possibly 4 meters. She often does this when she is chasing her prey, who is trying to fly away from her or run along the low growing branches of a tree.
It is interesting! The surface of the pharynx and swim bladder of this amazing creature is permeated with a dense network of blood vessels, and in its structure resembles cells, which makes it similar in structure to lung tissue.
Thus, the pharynx and swim bladder of this fish also perform the functions of an additional respiratory organ. Thanks to them, the arapaima can breathe atmospheric air, which helps her survive the drought.
When the reservoirs become shallow, she burrows into wet silt or sand, but at the same time rises to the surface every few minutes in order to take a breath of air, and she does it so noisily that the sounds from her loud breaths are carried far throughout the district. It is impossible to call arapaima a decorative aquarium fish, however, it is often kept in captivity, where, although it does not grow to particularly large sizes, it can reach a length of 50-150 cm.
This fish is often kept in zoos, aquariums. Keeping her in captivity is not too easy, if only because you need a huge aquarium and constant maintenance of a comfortable temperature. After all, a decrease in water temperature even by 2-3 degrees can lead to very unpleasant consequences for such a heat-loving fish. However, arapaima is even kept by some amateur aquarists, who, of course, can afford to create suitable living conditions for her.
How long does arapaima live
There is no reliable data on how long such giants live in natural conditions. Given that in aquariums such fish, depending on the conditions of existence and the quality of care for them, live for 10-20 years, it can be assumed that in their natural habitat they live at least 8-10 years, unless, of course, they are caught earlier. fishermen in a net or on a harpoon.
Range, habitats
This living fossil lives in the Amazon, on the territory of countries such as Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and Brazil. Also, this species was artificially populated in the reservoirs of Thailand and Malaysia.
Under natural conditions, the fish prefers to settle in river creeks and lakes overgrown with aquatic vegetation, but it is also found in other floodplain reservoirs with warm water, the temperature of which is from +25 to +29 degrees.
It is interesting! During the rainy season, arapaima tends to move to flooded floodplain forests, and with the onset of the dry season, return back to rivers and lakes.
If, with the onset of drought, it is not possible to return to their native reservoir, the arapaima experiences this time in small lakes that remain in the middle of the forest after the water recedes. Thus, back to the river or lake, if she is lucky to survive the dry period, the fish returns only after the next rainy season, when the water begins to recede again.
Arapaima diet
Arapaima is an agile and dangerous predator, most of the diet of which is small and medium-sized fish. But she will not miss the chance to hunt small mammals and birds sitting on the branches of a tree or descending to a river or lake for a drink.
Young individuals of this species are generally extremely promiscuous in food and eat everything: medium-sized fish, larvae and adult insects, small snakes, small birds or animals, and even carrion.
It is interesting! Arapaima's favorite "dish" is its distant relative, Aravana, also belonging to the Aravan-like order.
In captivity, these fish are mainly fed with protein food: they are fed with butchered sea or freshwater fish, poultry meat, beef offal, as well as shellfish and amphibians. Considering that arapaima spends a lot of time chasing prey in its natural habitat, small fish are launched into the aquarium where it lives. Adults feed in this way once a day, but juveniles should feed three times, no less. If the feeding is delayed, then the grown up arapaims can begin to hunt fish living in the same aquarium with them.
Reproduction and offspring
Females can breed only after they reach the age of 5 years and a size of at least one and a half meters.. In nature, spawning in arapaima occurs at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring: approximately, in February-March. At the same time, the female prepares the nest for spawning in advance, even before spawning. For these purposes, she chooses a shallow and warm reservoir with a sandy bottom, where there is no current at all or it is hardly noticeable. There, at the bottom, she digs a hole 50 to 80 cm wide and 15 to 20 cm deep, where later, returning with the male, and lays eggs that are large in size.
After about two days, the eggs burst and fry come out of them. All this time, starting from the laying of eggs by the female and until the moment when the juveniles become independent, the male is next to his offspring: he protects, takes care of, takes care of him and even feeds him. But the female also does not go far: she guards the nest, while moving away from it no more than 10-15 meters.
It is interesting! At first, the fry are constantly near the male: they even feed on white matter, which is secreted by glands located near his eyes. The same substance, due to the specific smell, also serves as a kind of beacon for little arapaim, telling the fry where they should swim so as not to lose sight of their father.
At first, juveniles grow rapidly and gain weight well: on average, they grow by 5 cm per month and add 100 grams. The fry begin to lead a predatory lifestyle within a week after their birth, and at the same time they become independent. At first, starting to hunt, they feed on plankton and small invertebrates and only later switch to medium-sized fish and other "adult" prey.
Nevertheless, adult fish continue to look after their offspring for another three months. Perhaps this guardianship, so unusual for other fish, is explained by the fact that arapaim fry up to a certain age do not know how to breathe atmospheric air and their parents later teach them this.
natural enemies
In its natural habitat, the arapaima has practically no enemies, since even piranhas are unable to bite through its surprisingly strong scales. There is unconfirmed information that these fish are sometimes hunted, but this, according to eyewitnesses, is extremely rare.
As you know, aquarium breeding is a very popular hobby: it calms the nervous system, gives aesthetic pleasure, and some even make money on this hobby. Previously, in our aquariums they lived mainly and, few amateurs could boast of rarer species. At present, small representatives of the overseas aquarium fauna are no longer a rarity, but giants living in a private reservoir are a rare phenomenon. And the fish itself, which will be discussed today, is not often found in nature.
What is this fish?
Arapaima, or piraruku, is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Scientific name Arapaima gigas quite justified - in length this giant fish reaches 2 meters or more.
Lives in the Amazon basin. The local Indians gave it a second name - piraruku, which means "red fish", because of the shade of its scales. It has a long elongated body, outwardly somewhat reminiscent of a moray eel, and two small lower fins.
Very strong and hard scales, with a greenish tint on the sides and red on the belly. It was first described in the 19th century. There is oral evidence that some individuals of pyrarucu reached a length of more than four meters. There is no documentary evidence for this.
Did you know?Locals use the Arapaima language as a grindstone or emery.
It is considered a living fossil, outwardly it really looks like a prehistoric monster - a half-fish half-reptile. However, this does not prevent the natives of the Amazon from eating it in various cooking options.
Main types
Arapaima is a unique creature, preserved from ancient times to the present day. It belongs to the monospecies Arapaima of the Aravaniformes family, that is, in the zoological classification, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world has no close relatives. Her appearance is literally one of a kind.
Important!Arapaima has not changed for the last 135 million years. That is, it was already like this in the era of dinosaurs.
Features of life in the wild
Piraruku prefers to live in wetlands, of which there are a lot in the basin of the most full-flowing river in the world. It feeds on fish and invertebrates, hunting them. From her distant relative, Aravans, she inherited the ability to hunt by jumping out of the water. 
At the same time, they can also diversify the diet of a huge river predator.
Did you know?Arapaima also lives in the waters of Southeast Asia - in Thailand and Malaysia. It was inhabited there artificially.
Dimensions should not be misleading - arapaima is very aggressive and swift, in its environment it has practically no competitors. Contributes to this and one feature of pyraruku - the ability to breathe air. Wetlands, which the predator loves so much, are usually poor in oxygen. In the tropics, this is especially noticeable.
Under native conditions, arapaima breeds in November, in the Southern Hemisphere - at the height of spring. Fry grow to their usual size only after 5 years. Due to the presence of strong scaly armor, it is not even afraid of piranha - it is simply not able to gnaw through a powerful cover.
The breathing process of arapaima is interesting - every 15-20 minutes the fish emerges to the surface of the reservoir, sticks out its head, exhales the exhaust air and draws in a fresh portion.
The whole process takes a few seconds, but it is accompanied by circles on the water, thanks to which local gourmets hunt pyraruk. The Indians throw harpoon darts into circles on the water, hoping to hit a huge carcass. Hunting for pyraruk is strictly regulated. But the fact is that in its habitats, in addition to the Arapaima, local Indians live, the tribes are very independent. The laws of Brazil or Guyana do not prevent them from eating fish, the taste of which can be compared with salmon or salmon.
Can it be kept in an aquarium
What do they feed arapaima
In captivity, arapaima consumes almost any protein food - rodents, birds, fish, artificial protein food.
Important!The price for a ten-day tour to the Amazon basin, with arapaima hunting, costs from 15,000 euros per person.
Breeding features
Although the fish breathes atmospheric oxygen, in captivity it needs good aeration and frequent water changes. Arapaima is very sensitive to changes in water temperature, because of its size, it needs a warm habitat for normal metabolism.
The fish grows very quickly: in a month - up to seven centimeters. One of its features that makes it difficult to breed in captivity is that the pirarucu moves very quickly in the water. Moreover, the trajectory of its movement is straight, which is why the fish often breaks against the walls of an aquarium or pool. Did you know?A special secret is secreted from the glands on the head of the male pyrarucu, thanks to which the fry do not lose their father.
A way out of this situation was found. They began to plant other fish to the arapaima, after which she chases in a circle. The best bait turned out to be a relative of the arapaima, the aravana, who lives in the same regions as the piraruku.
In general, according to experts, arapaima is an unpretentious fish. But due to its size, it requires special treatment.
It is quite difficult to create conditions under which this giant will feel at home. If you still decide to have such a predator, try to take care of him and create all the conditions so that he does not need anything. 
The longest river in the world is the Amazon. Together with the tropical forests that spread in its basin, it is a whole separate ecosystem, full of a wealth of species of flora and fauna. It is here that some of the most dangerous predators on the planet live, such as jaguars, caimans and anacondas. The rapid waters of the river hide no less terrible monsters - piranhas, known for their powerful jaws and incredible gluttony. Among the more than 2,000 species of fish that inhabit the Amazon, the largest fish, the arapaima (arapaima), also lives in the muddy waters of the river.
Name
In science, she is known as Arapaima gigas, the name was given to her by the ancient Indians of Guiana. The Latin word "gigas" means "giant". For many centuries, the indigenous people of Brazil have called it pirarucu "pirarucu" (puraruku) - "red fish" due to the bright color of the meat. In Peru, the name paiche is common.
The first study by scientists dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, a little later it was concluded that this is a fossil species that has not changed at all over the past millennia.
Definition
This bottom fish is considered a real giant, as it reaches an average of 2 m, while the weight is about 90 kg.
Observers claim that specimens of 3 m can be found in this region, and the maximum possible length of the largest fish in the Amazon is 4.6 m. But, unfortunately, this data has not been officially confirmed.
According to the stories of local residents, in 1978, a fish 2.48 m long and weighing 147 kg was caught in Rio Negro in Brazil. This fact was recorded in local chronicles.
Arapaima has a long body compressed on the sides, an elongated flat head, a wide mouth with sharp teeth on the tongue and palate (for reliable fixation of prey). The dorsal and anal fins are long, the pectoral fins are located below. The color changes from olive and gray (front) to dark red (back) and black tail. As a rule, the male looks much brighter and slimmer than the female.
The main distinguishing feature is the presence of large embossed scales (4 cm wide), which are multi-layered and characterized by incredible strength. It is this feature that allows the arapaima to survive in the company of piranhas during the dry months, when shallow reservoirs form, separated from the main water artery.
In comparison with bone tissue, the strength of scales is 10 times higher.
From strong scales, local craftsmen make manicure tools and various souvenirs, and the dried tongue is used as sandpaper.
Where does he live
The main region of distribution is the Amazon River in South America in Peru and Brazil. Prefers muddy areas with dense vegetation, as well as swamps and flooded areas. The optimum water temperature is + 25 ... + 29 degrees Celsius, as it has a sharp reaction to changes in ambient temperature. In the dry period, it lives in rivers and lakes, in the rain it moves to flooded forests.
Behavior
The basis of the diet of this predator is small fish, small animals and birds, which are hunted almost on the surface of the water. Arapaima has the ability to breathe air, since its swim bladder and pharynx are densely covered with blood vessels, which are a kind of lung tissue. This function was formed due to the low oxygen content in the river, as a result of which there was a need for an additional respiratory organ. Floating up for a new portion of air after 5-20 minutes, it creates a loud sound that looks like a cough, it can be heard at a considerable distance. In a drought, the fish, having gained air, can burrow into the silt of swamps and successfully wait out adverse conditions.
The first spawning (April-May) in arapaima occurs at almost 5 years, when the body length reaches 0.6-2.15 m. Having chosen a shallow place, the female builds a hole-nest, where she lays large eggs. Observations of their behavior have shown that it is possible to use the same nest for several years. After 1.5-2 days, larvae appear, all this time the male is busy guarding the masonry, and the female controls the adjacent area.
Exemplary and caring fathers are obtained from males: thanks to special glands on their heads with the secretion of mucus, the parent manages to keep the born generation next to him. The fry do not swim far, as the secreted mucus contains a substance that lures them, they are constantly in the flock next to the father's head. Also, together with it, they rise to the surface for air intake. After 3 months, this relationship weakens. The growth of fry in a month is up to 5 cm.
Protection by the Convention
Due to uncontrolled fishing with nets and harpoons, this valuable commercial species may be endangered. Even now, individuals larger than 2 m are extremely rare, especially in regions with a high population density, in some of them it is already forbidden to catch arapaima.
Today it is officially included in the Red Book and the list of species of wild flora and fauna that are threatened with extinction. It is protected at the state level according to the international convention of countries and some environmental projects in South America.
To preserve the population, fishing is allowed only with a license from the Ministry of Agriculture in the amount strictly specified in the document.