The Amazon rainforest is a vast ecosystem that provides habitat for such strange and beautiful creatures as the jaguar, the poison dart frog, and helmed basilisk. But this environment is home to more than just animals that prowl, swing and slide through the trees. The murky waters of the Amazon River, the deepest river in the whole world, are home to such amazing and terrible creatures that the sight of their jaws is more terrible than some jaws floating in the marine environment.
10. Black caimans (lat. Melanosuchus niger)
Photo. Black caiman
The black caiman is like an alligator on steroids. It can grow up to six meters in size and has a larger, heavier skull than the same Nile crocodile, placing it at the top of the food chain in Amazonian waters. What this means is that they are primarily kings of rivers, eating almost anything they can get their teeth on, including groupers, piranhas, monkeys, anacondas and deer.
And, of course, they are capable of attacking people, which happens periodically. In early 2010, biologist Diis Nishimura was attacked by a caiman while cleaning fish on her houseboat, and although she managed to fight it off, she lost one of her legs. This particular caiman had been waiting for her under the houseboat for nine months, apparently waiting to strike.
9. Giant anacondas (lat. Eunectes murinus)
Photo. Green anaconda
Continuing the theme of gigantic reptiles, we should remember the largest snake in the whole world, living in the Amazon: the anaconda. Although reticulated pythons are actually considered to be the longest snakes, green anacondas are much heavier; females are generally larger than their male counterparts and are capable of growing up to nine meters (over 29 feet) in length, gaining 250 kilograms (550 pounds) in weight, and reaching 30 centimeters (12 inches) in diameter. Is not Poisonous snakes, but instead of venom, they rely on their enormous muscular strength to squeeze and strangle their prey, which can include capybaras, caiman, deer and even jaguar. She likes shallow water, which allows her to stealthily sneak up on her prey. As a rule, these snakes live in the tributaries of the Amazon, and not in the main channel of the river.
8. Arapaima (lat. Arapaima)
Photo. Caught arapaima
Arapaima, according to the IGFA world record, is the largest fish living in water bodies. Arapaima, also known as "pirarucu" or "paiche", are giant carnivorous fish that live in the Amazon and nearby lakes. Being studded with armored scales, they do not hover and live in waters saturated with piranhas, since they are quite agile predators that eat fish and randomly passing birds. As a rule, arapaima are located near the surface because they need to breathe regular air and also obtain oxygen from the water using their gills. They make a characteristic cough when they appear on the surface. The arapaima's proximity to the surface of the water makes it vulnerable to human hunters, who can easily attack with harpoons. Some indigenous communities consume arapaima meat and tongue, turning them into jewelry and other items.
They grow up to 2.6 meters in size and weigh around 90 kilograms (200 pounds). These fish are so dangerous that even their tongue is studded with teeth.
7. Giant otters (lat. Pteronura brasiliensis)
Photo. Giant otter
The name itself says it all, these animals are very large, and they are indeed very large otters. They are the longest of the 13 otter species, with adult males measuring up to two meters (more than six feet) in length (from head to tail end). It is difficult to distinguish between male and female giant otters because there is no fundamental difference in head or body size. This species can make up to nine different sounds and it can be very loud.
Their diet primarily consists of crabs and fish, which they catch in family groups of two to seven individuals, and are capable of eating up to four kilograms (nine pounds) of seafood in a day. Don't be fooled by their cute faces, they are more deserving of being on this list than any other animal as they have been observed to kill and eat anacondas in groups. They are also capable of giving a serious rebuff to a caiman. One day, a family of otters was spotted eating a 1.5-metre (5-foot) caiman, which took them approximately 45 minutes. Although their numbers are declining, largely due to human activity, they are one of the most advanced predators in the Amazon rainforest.
6. Common Vandellia (lat. Vandellia cirrhosa)
Photo. Kandiru
However, candiru prefer other fish; with the help of spines they attach themselves inside the gills of larger individuals and feed on the blood of their host.
5. Blunt sharks (lat. Carcharhinus leucas)
Photo. Snout shark
Considering that, technically, animals that live in the ocean cannot be in fresh water, this does not apply to blunt-nosed sharks, since they thrive in both sea (salt) and river (fresh) water. They were found very far in the depths of the Amazon, almost 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) from the sea. This fish has special kidneys that can recognize differences in salinity and adapt accordingly. And you definitely don’t want to meet such a fish in river water. They typically grow to a size of 3.1 meters, and these sharks have been reported to weigh 312 kilograms (690 pounds). Like many sharks, they have several rows of sharp, triangular-shaped teeth and extremely powerful jaws, capable of clenching with a force of 589 kilograms (1,300 pounds). It's also worth mentioning that this species of shark is particularly unfriendly towards humans, as they are one of the top three sharks that attack humans most often (along with great white and tiger sharks). Also given their habit of swimming near densely populated areas, this has led many experts to call them.
4. Electric eels (lat. Electrophorus electricus)
Photo. Experiments with the electric eel
In fact, the electric eel is much closer to catfish than to eels, but you probably don't want to be near one to find out. Reaching a size of 2.5 meters (8 feet), they are capable of generating discharges of electricity using special cells called electrocytes located on their sides. These electrical discharges can reach up to 600 volts, this discharge is enough to cause a horse to give way and fall. While shock alone is not enough to kill the average healthy person, multiple shocks can cause the heart and lungs to collapse, and shock is usually what causes people to drown. That's why .
Most of the disappearances reported in the Amazon have been linked to eels, which put their victims into a state of shock and leave them to drown in the river. Fortunately for us, this type of eel tends to adhere to a diet consisting of amphibians, fish, small mammals and birds. They find their prey by emitting small 10-volt electrical discharges from their electrocytes, after which they stun or kill them.
3. Common piranhas (lat. Pygocentrus nattereri)
Photo. Piranha
This is the true horror of the Amazon River, this animal is so feared that it has inspired many dubious Hollywood films. But in fact, the common (red-bellied) piranha feeds on carrion. But this does not mean that they are not capable of attacking living beings; after all, it is worth considering that they are capable of growing in lengths in excess of 30 centimeters (12 inches) and swimming in large groups. Like all piranhas, red-bellied piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth, lined up in a single row on each of their powerful lower and upper jaws. These teeth compress with great force, which is why they are ideal weapons for tearing and eating flesh. Their terrible reputation mainly fueled by rumors of their "mad feast", where a group of piranhas gather around an unlucky victim and devour him to the bone in a matter of minutes. Such attacks rarely occur and are usually the result of starvation or provocation.
2. Payara (vampire fish, lat. Hydrolycus armatus)
Photo. Payara teeth
Anything called a “vampire fish” is automatically associated with a scary animal, and the payara is no exception. These fish are incredibly ferocious predators, capable of eating fish up to half their size. Considering that they can reach up to 1.3 meters (four feet) in length, this does not mean that this is the limit. They mainly like to eat piranhas, which may give you some insight into how tough these sharp-toothed beasts can be. They get their name from the two fangs that grow from the lower jaw and they are capable of growing up to 14 centimeters (six inches) in length. The fish use them to literally impale their prey, and then viciously tear them to pieces. In fact, their fangs are so large that they have special holes in the upper jaw designed to prevent themselves from being pierced.
This voracious carnivore is fast and aggressive. They, as a rule, leave small fish in their mouths, and then, skillfully maneuvering, begin to swallow. However, if the prey is too large, payaras may cut it into smaller pieces first and then swallow it.
1. Pacu (lat. Colossoma macropomum)
Photo. Paku teeth
Certainly more dangerous to males than females, this animal is the pacu, which is larger than its closest relative, the piranha, and is known for its distinctive human-like teeth. They are very similar to the piranha, but have flatter, stronger teeth designed for crushing, and one fisherman reportedly died after having his testicles bitten off.
Fish expert Henrik Karl said pacu are not usually dangerous to people, but they do have a "pretty serious bite". He said: “There have been cases in other countries, such as Papau New Guinea, where some men have had their testicles bitten off. They bite because they are hungry, and the testicles are good for that. They usually eat nuts, fruits and fish, but human testicles are just a natural target."
Oh, and don't worry if you can't get to the Amazon to see these monsters, they can already be found in Europe, where they have already begun to breed.
It is not without reason that the Amazon River basin is considered one of the most... dangerous places in a world where there are a huge number of predators. I invite you to find out what is found in the waters of the Amazon, and why this place is considered so dangerous for life.
Black caiman
You could say this is an alligator on steroids, their muscles are much larger, and they can grow up to six meters in length. These are undoubtedly the apex predators of the Amazon River, the local kings who indiscriminately eat anyone who gets in their way.
Anaconda
2
Another giant monster of the Amazon is the well-known anaconda, the largest snake in the world. The weight of a female anaconda can reach 250 kilograms, and this is with a 9-meter length and a diameter of 30 centimeters. These predators prefer shallow waters, so most often they can be found not in the river itself, but in its branches.
Arapaima
3
The huge predator arapaima is equipped with armored scales, so it fearlessly swims among piranhas, feeding on fish and birds. The length of these creepy fish is almost three meters and their weight is 90 kilograms.
Brazilian otter
4
Brazilian otters grow up to 2 meters in length and feed mainly on fish and crabs. However, the fact that they always hunt in large groups allows them to successfully obtain more serious prey: there have been cases when these harmless-looking creatures killed and ate adult anacondas and even caimans. It’s not for nothing that they were nicknamed “river wolves.”
Common vandellia or candiru
5
Bull shark
6
Most often, bull sharks live in salty ocean waters, but they feel just as great in fresh water bodies. There were cases when these bloodthirsty predators swam so far along the Amazon that they reached the city of Iquitos (Peru), located almost 4 thousand kilometers from the sea. Considering that sharp teeth and powerful jaws provide these 3-meter creatures with a bite force of 589 kilograms, you definitely wouldn’t want to meet them, but they are not averse to feasting on humans!
Electric eels
7
We would not advise you to approach them under any circumstances: two-meter creatures are capable of generating electrical discharges with voltages of up to 600 volts. And this is 5 times the current power in an American outlet and is enough to easily knock down a horse. Repeated blows from these creatures can lead to cardiac or respiratory failure, causing people to lose consciousness and simply drown in the water.
Common piranhas
8
It’s hard to even imagine more terrible and ferocious creatures; this is the real quintessence of the horror of the Amazon River. We all know that the sharp teeth of these fish have more than once inspired Hollywood directors to create creepy films. However, in fairness, it is worth noting that piranhas are primarily scavengers. But, unfortunately, this does not mean that they do not attack healthy creatures. Their incredibly sharp teeth, located on the upper and lower jaws, meet very tightly, making them an ideal weapon for tearing flesh.
Mackerel hydrolic
9
These meter underwater inhabitants also called vampire fish. On the lower jaw they have two sharp fangs that can grow up to 15 centimeters. They use these devices to literally impale the victim on them after they rush at it. The fangs of these fish are so large that nature had to take care of the safety of the hydrolics themselves. To prevent them from piercing themselves, they have special holes in their upper jaw.
Brown pacu
10
A fish with human teeth, the brown pacu is a larger relative of the piranha. True, unlike the latter, these freshwater animals prefer fruits and nuts, although in general they are considered omnivores. The problem is that the "stupid" pacu are unable to distinguish nuts that fall from trees from male genitalia, which has left some male swimmers without testicles.
The Amazon Rainforest is a vast ecosystem that is home to strange and wonderful creatures such as the jaguar, dart frogs and basilisks. However, the forest is the habitat of not only those creatures that prowl, run or crawl in its wilds. The depths of the Amazon River, the world's largest river, are home to creatures so amazing and scary that they make the movie Jaws seem like a pleasant and relaxing swim in the ocean.
10. Black Caiman
Essentially, 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 apex predators in the waters of the Amazon River. This means that they are basically the king of the river, eating anything they can get their teeth into, including piranhas, monkeys, freshwater groupers, deer and anacondas.
Oh yeah, it's worth noting that they readily attack people. In 2010, a black caiman attacked a biologist named Deise Nishimura while she was cleaning fish on her houseboat. Even though she managed to fight it off, the black caiman took one of her legs with it. This caiman lived under her houseboat for eight months, apparently waiting for the right opportunity to attack.
9. Anaconda (Green Anaconda)
Continuing the theme of giant reptiles, we present to your attention the largest snake in the world, living in the Amazon River - the anaconda. Although reticulated pythons may be longer in body length, anacondas are much heavier. Female anacondas are typically larger than males and can weigh up to 250 kilograms. The anaconda's body length can be about 9 meters, and its body diameter can reach 30 centimeters. They are not venomous, but use their impressive muscular strength to constrict and strangle their victims, which include capybaras, deer, caimans and even jaguars. Preferring shallow waters that allow them to sneak up on their prey, they usually live not in the Amazon River itself, but in its branches.
8. Arapaima
The arapaima, also known as the puraruku or paiche, is a giant predatory fish that lives in the Amazon and its surrounding lakes. Equipped with armored scales, they swim without much fear in waters infested with piranhas, 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 receive from the water through their gills, they also 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 fierce 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 entire mustelidae 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 think they are cute, but don't let their cuteness fool you, they are no more harmless than 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 a caiman with ease. During observation of one group of Brazilian otters, it was observed that they killed and ate a five-foot caiman in 45 minutes. Although their numbers are declining rapidly, due in part to human intervention, they are considered one of the most strong predators tropical forest Amazons, hence their unofficial nickname “river wolves”.
5. Bull Sharks
Although bull sharks typically live in salty waters ocean, they feel great in fresh waters. There have been cases where they swam so far down the Amazon River that they were seen in the city of 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 specimens 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 at all averse to feasting on humans, and it is this type of shark that most often attacks people (the second and third places are occupied by tiger and great white sharks, respectively). The above characteristics, coupled 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 other eels, but you probably wouldn't want to get close enough to them to find out for yourself. They grow up to 2.5 meters in length and can produce electrical discharges using special electrical organs located along their sides. These discharges can reach 600 volts, which is five times the power of the average American outlet and is enough to knock a horse unconscious. While a single shock is not enough to kill a healthy adult, repeated shocks can lead to cardiac or respiratory failure, and cases of people passing out and drowning after being attacked by an electric eel are not uncommon. Many of the disappearances reported near the Amazon River have been linked to eel attacks, which stunned people with electricity and left them drowning in the river's waters. Fortunately for our species, even though eels are carnivores, they typically stick to a diet of fish, amphibians, birds and small mammals. They detect prey by sending out small, 10-volt discharges using their electrical organs, and upon finding it, kill it by releasing powerful discharges.
3. Red-Bellied Piranhas
The quintessential horror of the Amazon River, so frightening that it has 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 piranha species, common piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth that are arranged in a row on the upper and lower jaws of these fish. These teeth are completely closed, making them an ideal tool for tearing and tearing the flesh of the victim. Their fearsome reputation mainly comes from "fever feeding", where a whole group of piranhas surrounds the hapless victim and eats his flesh to the bone in a few minutes. Such attacks are usually the result of prolonged hunger or provocation.
2. Mackerel Hydrolic (Payara / Vampire Fish)
Despite their diminutive name, the mackerel is a ferocious predator, capable of catching and devouring fish as large as half their own body size. Considering that their body length can reach up to 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. Two fangs grow from their lower jaw, which can grow up to 15 centimeters in length. They use these fangs to literally impale their prey on them after they lunge at them. In fact, their fangs are so large that they have special holes in their upper jaw to prevent them from piercing themselves with the fangs.
1. Brown Pacu
One creature that lives in the Amazon River is much scarier to men than to 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 the majority of their diet consists of fruits and nuts. Unfortunately, for some pacu, “nuts” are not just what falls from the trees. Yes, you understood correctly. There have been several cases of pacu biting off the testicles of male swimmers. In Papua New Guinea, several men died after a paku mistook their genitals for easy prey. Oh yeah, don't worry if you can't get to the Amazon to see these monsters robbing men of their dignity - they've already started spreading across Europe.
1. Arapaima (Arapaima gigas)
It is very unlikely that you will catch this specimen of fish, but there is always a chance. The arapaima, also known as the pirakuchu or paiche, is a huge carnivorous fish that can be found in the Amazon River and its surrounding lakes. Fortunately, this prehistoric giant fish prefers to hunt other fish and birds rather than people, and they are such effective predators that they can even live in piranha-infested waters. They usually stay close to the surface of the water because they need to take in extra oxygen through their gills. Arapaima can reach two and a half meters in length and weigh up to 90 kilograms and are the world's largest freshwater fish.
2. Tambaki (Colossoma macropomum)
Also known as Pacu, Tambaqui are the seeds and fruits that this fish eats. A member of the piranha family, the species can reach up to one meter in length and weigh up to 45 kilograms. It is probably considered the most valuable fish in the region. The fish often feeds on rubber tree seeds and is usually found in the waters near Manaus in Brazil.
4. Red Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)
Perhaps the best known and most dangerous sea creature of the Amazon, the big-bellied piranha has been depicted everywhere as one of the most dangerous fish in the popular Amazon River, this is actually not the case. The fish are mainly scavengers and can grow up to 30 centimeters in length. In Hollywood films they are shown to eat their prey to the bone in a matter of minutes, in fact this is quite a rare occurrence and usually only happens when a school of fish has been starving for a very long time.
5. Armored Catfish
Characterized by bony plates covering their skin. Armored catfish, a member of the loricarid family, usually have a ventral suctermute with papillae on the lips that allow them to feed and breathe. The armored catfish is also known as the "Plec" and various varieties of armored catfish can be found in the Amazon region. Fish can eat wood, but they cannot digest it and excrete undigested pieces of wood as waste.
6. Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus)
Despite its name, the electric eel is not actually an eel, it is a fish. The electric eel can reach about two and a half meters in length and weigh about 22-23 kilograms. Adult electric eels deliver a shock that can reach 650 volts. This is quite enough to cause very severe damage to a person in the water, up to and including instant death. Usually lives at depth, in dirty soil. After its death, the eel can contain a strong electrical discharge for another 8 hours. Therefore, local residents living on the banks of the Amazon always try to avoid this type of fish.
7. Pancake ramps
The fish literally resembles pancakes. This species was discovered in 2012 in Rio Nanay near Iquitos, Peru. Freshwater stingrays are known to grow to approximately 450 kilograms and have more than 40 various types many of which are constantly found in the Amazon River.
8. Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Traditionally sea fish, also known as the Bull Shark, has adapted to freshwater and is most often found in Brazil due to its proximity to the ocean. These intelligent creatures have developed special osmoregulatory kidneys that allow them to change the salinity of the water where they live. Their kidneys primarily process the vital salts they need throughout their body, allowing them to constantly move into freshwater areas.
9. Payara vampire fish (Hydrolycus scomberoides)
Payara or vampire fish can be found in most areas of the Amazon in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Known to be an extremely aggressive fish species (and vampire-like!). Vampire fish are most often found in fast-moving water and rapids, which usually makes them harder to spot. The fierce predators can eat fish up to half their body size, which is usually about one meter and weighs about 18 kilograms. Its striking feature is its two front fangs.
10. Peacock Bass or Tucunar Peacock Bass (Cichla Temensis)
Tucunar Peacock Bass is native to the Rio Negro, Huatuma and Orinocoin basins to the north South America. This particular type of bass is also known as: Spotted Pavon, Spotted Peacock, or Painted Pavon. This is a very large South American cichlid and a very valuable fish. Reaches almost 1 meter in length and weighs more than 12 kg. Peacock bass are most often found in rapids and calm, moderate-depth waters. They feed only on small fish, especially threadfin shad, mosquitoes, tilapia and blue fungus.
The giant arapaima is one of the largest and least studied fish in the world. Those descriptions of fish that are found in the literature are borrowed mainly from unreliable stories of travelers.
It’s even strange how little has been done so far to deepen our knowledge of the biology and behavior of the arapaima. For years it was mercilessly fished both in the Peruvian and Brazilian parts of the Amazon, and in its many tributaries. At the same time, no one cared about studying it or thought about preserving it. The schools of fish seemed inexhaustible. And only when the number of fish began to noticeably decrease did interest in it appear.
Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Representatives of this species live in the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Guyana and Peru. Adults reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 200 kg. The uniqueness of arapaima is its ability to breathe air. Due to its archaic morphology, the fish is considered a living fossil. In Brazil, its fishing is allowed only once a year. Initially, fish were caught using harpoons when they rose to breathe on the surface.
Today it is caught mainly with nets. Let's look at this in more detail..
Photo 2. 
In the photo: a view of the Amazon river from the window of the Cessna 208 amphibious aircraft that brought photographer Bruno Kelly from Manaus to the village of Medio Jurua, municipality of Carauari, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 3, 2012.
REUTERS/Bruno Kelly
In Brazil, giant fish were placed in ponds in the hope that they would take root there. In eastern Peru, in the jungles of Loreto province, certain areas of rivers and a number of lakes are left as a reserve fund. Fishing here is allowed only with a license from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Arapaima lives throughout the Amazon basin. To the east it is found in two areas separated by the black and acidic waters of the Rio Negro. There are no arapaima in the Rio Negro, but the river does not seem to be an insurmountable barrier for the fish. Otherwise, one would have to assume the existence of two species of fish, having different origins and living north and south of this river.
The western area of distribution of the arapaima is probably Rio Moro, to the east of it is Rio Pastaza and Lake Rimachi, where a huge amount of fish is found. This is Peru's second protected breeding and observation pond for arapaima.
An adult arapaima is colored very picturesquely: the color of its back varies from bluish-black to metallic green, its belly - from cream to greenish-white, its sides and tail are silver-gray. Each of its huge scales shimmers in every possible shade of red (in Brazil the fish is called pirarucu, which means red fish).
Photo 3. 
Rocking in time with the movements of the fishermen, a small canoe floated along the mirror-like surface of the Amazon. Suddenly the water at the bow of the boat began to swirl like a whirlpool, and the mouth of a giant fish stuck out, exhaling air with a whistle. The fishermen looked in shock at the monster, twice the height of a man, covered with a scaly shell. And the giant splashed his blood-red tail - and disappeared into the depths...
If a Russian fisherman told such a thing, he would immediately be laughed at. Who is not familiar with fishing tales: either a giant fish falls off a hook, or the local Nessie appears in your dreams. But in the Amazon, meeting a giant is a reality.
Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish. There were specimens 4.5 m long! Nowadays you don't see such people. Since 1978, the record has been held in the Rio Negro River (Brazil), where an arapaima was caught with data of 2.48 m - 147 kg (the price of a kilogram of tender and tasty meat, almost without bones, far exceeds the monthly income of Amazonian fishermen. In North America it can be seen in antique stores).
Photo 4. 
This strange creature looks like a representative of the era of dinosaurs. Yes, it is true: a living fossil has not changed in 135 million years. The tropical Goliath has adapted to the swampy swamps of the Amazon basin: a bladder attached to the esophagus acts like a lung, the arapaima pokes out of the water every 10-15 minutes. She, as it were, “patrolls” the Amazon basin, captures small fish in her mouth and grinds them with the help of a bony, rough tongue (locals use it as sandpaper).
Photo 5. 
These giants live in freshwater bodies of South America, in particular in the eastern and western parts of the Amazon River basin (in the Rio Morona, Rio Pastaza and Lake Rimachi rivers). A huge number of arapaima are found in these places. There is not much of this fish in the Amazon itself, because... she prefers quiet rivers with a weak current and a lot of vegetation. A body of water with rugged banks and a large amount floating plants- this is the ideal place for her to live and exist.
Photo 6. 
According to local residents, this fish can reach 4 meters in length and weigh about 200 kilograms. But arapaima is valuable commercial fish, so now such huge specimens are practically impossible to find in nature. Nowadays, most often we come across specimens no more than 2-2.5 meters. But still giants can be found, for example, in special aquariums or nature reserves.
Photo 7. 
Previously, arapaima were caught in large quantities and no thought was given to its population. Now, when the stocks of these fish have noticeably decreased, in some countries of South America, for example in eastern Peru, there are areas of rivers and lakes that are strictly protected and fishing in these places is allowed only with a license from the Ministry of Agriculture. And even then in limited quantities.
Photo 8. 
An adult can reach 3-4 meters. The powerful body of the fish is covered with large scales, which shimmer in various shades of red. This is especially noticeable in its tail part. For this, local residents gave the fish another name - pirarucu, which translates as “red fish”. The fish themselves have different colors - from “metallic green” to bluish-black.
Photo 9. 
Her respiratory system is very unusual. The pharynx and swim bladder of the fish are covered with lung tissue, which allows the fish to breathe normal air. This adaptation has developed due to the low oxygen content in the waters of these freshwater rivers. Thanks to this, arapaima can easily survive drought.
Photo 10. 
The breathing style of this fish cannot be confused with anyone else. When they rise to the surface for a breath of fresh air, small whirlpools begin to form on the water surface, and then the fish itself appears in this place with a huge open mouth. All this action lasts literally a couple of seconds. She releases the “old” air and takes a new sip, the mouth closes sharply and the fish goes into the depths. Adults breathe like this every 10-15 minutes, young ones - a little more often.
Photo 11. 
These fish have special glands on their heads that secrete special mucus. But you’ll find out what it’s for a little later.
Photo 12. 
These giants feed on bottom fish, and sometimes they can snack on small animals, such as birds. For juveniles, the main dish is freshwater shrimp.
Photo 13. 
The breeding season of pirarucu occurs in November. But they begin to create pairs already in August-September. These giants are very caring parents, especially the males. Here I immediately remembered how male “sea dragons” take care of their offspring. These fish are not far behind them. The male digs a shallow hole with a diameter of about 50 centimeters near the shore. The female lays eggs in it. Then, throughout the entire period of development and maturation of the eggs, the male remains next to the clutch. He guards the eggs and swims next to the “nest,” while the females drive away the fish swimming nearby.
Photo 14. 
A week later the fry are born. The male is still next to them. Or maybe they are with him? The young stay in a dense flock near his head, and they even rise together to breathe. But how does a male manage to discipline his children like that? There is a secret. Remember, I mentioned special glands on the head of adults. So, the mucus that is secreted by these glands contains a stable substance that attracts fry. This is what makes them stick together. But after 2.5-3 months, when the young animals grow a little, these flocks break up. The bond between parents and children weakens.
Photo 38. 
Once upon a time, the meat of these monsters was the staple food of the peoples of the Amazon. Since the late 1960s, arapaima have disappeared completely in many rivers: after all, only big fish, the nets made it possible to catch children too. The government has banned the sale of arapaima less than one and a half meters long, but the taste, which can only be rivaled by trout and salmon, pushes people to break the law. Breeding arapaima in artificial pools with heated water is promising: they grow as much as five times faster than carp!
Photo 15. 
However, here is the opinion of K. X. Luling:
The literature of past legions significantly exaggerates the size of the arapaima. These exaggerations began, to some extent, with the descriptions of R. Chaumbourk in the book “Fishes of British Guiana,” written after a trip to Guiana in 1836. Shom-Bourke writes that the fish can reach a length of 14 feet (ft = 0.305 meters) and weigh up to 400 pounds (pound = 0.454 kilograms). However, this information was received by the author second-hand - from the words of the local population - he personally did not have evidence to support such data. B good famous book about the fish of the world, McCormick expresses doubts about the reliability of these stories. After analyzing all the available and more or less reliable information, he comes to the conclusion that representatives of the arapaima species never exceed a length of 9 feet - a fairly respectable size for a freshwater fish.
From my own experience I was convinced that McCormick was right. The animals we caught in Rio Pacaya averaged 6 feet in length. The largest fish was a female, 7 feet long and weighing 300 pounds. Obviously, the illustration from old editions of Brem's book Animal Life, which depicted an Indian sitting on the back of a pirarucu, 12 to 15 feet long, should be considered an obvious fantasy.
The distribution of arapaima in certain areas of the river seems to depend more on the vegetation growing there than on the nature of the water itself. For fish, a strongly indented shore with a wide strip of coastal floating plants, which, intertwined, form floating meadows, is necessary.
For this reason alone, fast-flowing rivers like the Amazon are unsuitable for the existence of arapaima. The bottom of the Amazon always remains smooth and uniform, so there are few floating plants here; those that exist are usually tangled among bushes and hanging branches.
On Rio Pacaya we found arapaima in backwaters where, in addition to floating meadows of aquatic grasses, floating mimosas and hyacinths grew. Elsewhere these species may have been replaced by floating ferns, Victoria regia and a few others. The giant fish between the plants is invisible.
It is perhaps not surprising that arapaima prefer to breathe air rather than the oxygen of the swampy waters in which they live.
Photo 16. 
The arapaima's way of inhaling air is very characteristic. When it approaches the surface big fish, first a whirlpool forms on the water surface. Then suddenly the fish itself appears with its mouth open. She quickly releases the air, making a clicking sound, inhales fresh air and immediately plunges into the depths.
Fishermen hunting for arapaima use the whirlpool that forms on the surface of the water to determine where to throw the harpoon. They throw their heavy weapon right into the middle of the whirlpool and in most cases miss the target. But the fact is that giant fish often live in small bodies of water, 60-140 meters long, and whirlpools are constantly formed here, and therefore the likelihood of a harpoon hitting an animal increases. Adults appear on the surface every 10-15 minutes, young ones more often.
Having reached a certain size, the arapaima switches to fish table, specializing mainly in bottom-shelled fishes. The stomachs of arapaima most often contain the spiny spines of the pectoral fins of these fish.
In Rio Pacaya, obviously, the living conditions for the Arapaima are the most favorable. The fish living here reach maturity within four to five years. By this time, they are approximately six feet long and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. It is believed (although not proven) that some, and perhaps all, adults breed twice a year.
One day I was lucky enough to observe a pair of arapaima preparing for spawning. Everything happened in the clear and still waters of the quiet bay of Rio Pacai. The behavior of arapaima during spawning and their subsequent care of the offspring is truly an amazing sight.
Photo 17. 
In all likelihood, the fish dig out the spawning hole in the soft clay bottom with its mouth. In the quiet bay where we made observations, the fish chose a spawning site located only five feet below the surface. For several days the male remained within this place, and the female almost all the time stayed 10-15 meters away from him.
The young, having hatched from the eggs, remain in the hole for about seven days. A male is always near them, either circling above the hole or perched on the side. After this, the fry rise to the surface, relentlessly following the male and keeping in a dense flock near his head. Under the supervision of the father, the entire flock rises to the surface at once to inhale the air.
At the age of seven to eight days, the fry begin to feed on plankton. Watching the fish through the still waters of our quiet bay, we did not notice that the fish raised their young “into the mouth”, that is, they would take the fish into their mouths in a moment of danger. There was also no evidence that the larvae fed on the substance secreted from the plate-shaped gills located on the heads of the parents. The local population makes a clear mistake in assuming that the young animals feed on their parents’ “milk.”
In November 1959, I was able to count 11 schools of juvenile fish in a lake of about 160 acres (an acre is about 0.4 hectares). They swam close to the shore and parallel to it. The flocks seemed to be avoiding the wind. This is probably due to the fact that the waves generated by the wind make it difficult to inhale air from the surface of the water.
We decided to see what would happen to a school of fish if it suddenly lost its parents, and we caught them. The orphaned fish, having lost contact with their parents, have obviously lost contact with each other. The close flock began to break up and eventually dispersed. After some time, we noticed that the juveniles in other flocks differed significantly from each other in size. Such a large contrast could hardly be explained by the fact that the same generation of fish developed differently. Apparently other arapaima adopted the orphans. Expanding their swimming circle after the death of their parents, the orphaned school of fish spontaneously mixed with neighboring groups.
Photo 18. 
On the head of the arapaima there are glands of a very interesting structure. On the outside, they have a whole series of small tongue-like protrusions, at the ends of which, with the help of a magnifying glass, tiny holes can be discerned. The mucus formed in the glands is released through these openings.
The secretion of these glands is not used as food, although it would seem that this is the simplest and most obvious explanation of its purpose. It performs much more important functions. Here's an example. When we pulled the male out of the water, the flock accompanying him remained for a long time in the very place from which he disappeared. And one more thing: a flock of juveniles gathers around a gauze pad, previously soaked in the male’s secretions. From both examples it follows that the male secretes a relatively stable substance, thanks to which the whole group stays together.
At the age of two and a half to three and a half months, flocks of young animals begin to disintegrate. By this time, the connection between parents and children weakens.
Photo 19. 
Residents of the village of Medio Jurua display a gutted piraruca at Lake Manaria, Carauari municipality, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 3, 2012. Pirarucu is the largest freshwater fish in South America.
REUTERS/Bruno Kelly
Photo 20. 
Photo 21. 