Arapaima (Arapaima gigas) is a representative of freshwater tropical fish of the family Urovnevye (Osteoglossidae). Arapaima is also found under the names - the Brazilian arapaima, pirarucu, pirarucu, pace.
Arapaima belongs to the biggest presnovodnyi fish in the world, its length, on average, up to 2 meters, but some specimens 3 metres or more, the maximum registered weight - 200 kg.
The body of Arapaima elongated, slightly compressed laterally, the head is elongated, much flattened at the top. Elongated dorsal fin of Arapaima is at the rear of and in tandem with anal creates a kind of paddle.
Large and very crisp, textured (resembles the scales of dragons as they are pictured) scales of Arapaima protects her from the neighbors on the habitat of piranhas. The color of Arapaima olive with a brownish tinge (in front of the body) to dark red (in the tail).
Arapaima - a large predator, its main diet is fish, but, on occasion, arapaima are not averse to eat a bird or small animal, incautiously approached the pond. Teeth Arapaima include not only the jaw but also the language.
Amazing feature of Arapaima is its ability to obtain oxygen directly from the air - this property allows the Arapaima to survive droughts in wetlands, little saturated with oxygen, the floodplains of the Amazon. This feature of Arapaima sometimes used by local anglers that you harpooned a giant when it comes to the surface for more air - time in 5-20 minutes.
The arapaima lives in the Amazon, preferring overgrown with dense vegetation and marshy flood-plain water bodies during the rainy season may migrate to flooded riparian forests. Arapaima is found in Guyana, Peru, and Brazil.
Arapaima successfully bred in captivity, necessary for the maintenance conditions: the reservoir volume is at least 1000 l, water temperature - 22 - 28 °C, pH - 6,0—7,5 pH, hardness (dH) is 2-15°, required aeration and filtration.
In connection with an active commercial fishing specimens of more than 2 metres fall less often. Arapaima refers to fossil species and listed in the Red book, in many areas the fishing is prohibited, but in some areas fishing is possible, however if you have a license to catch.
The Essequibo river is the best fishing river of Guyana, a special glory which is brought to the giant arapaima.