Arapaima vs Cherry Barb

Arapaima gigas verglichen mit Puntius titteya

Taxonomy & Classification

Eigenschaft	Arapaima	Cherry Barb
Wissenschaftlicher Name	Arapaima gigas	Puntius titteya
Ordnung	Osteoglossiformes	Cypriniformes
Familie	Arapaimidae	Cyprinidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Vulnerable

Physical Traits

Eigenschaft	Arapaima	Cherry Barb
Maximale Länge	450,0 cm	5,0 cm
Maximales Gewicht	200,0 kg	0,002 kg
Färbung	Dark olive-gray to grayish-black back with large scales that become vivid red-orange with black borders on the posterior flanks; belly pale cream; caudal fin reddish and rounded.	Males are vivid cherry-red over the entire body with a dark mid-lateral stripe from snout to tail; females are pale golden-olive with the same dark stripe; fins reddish to clear.

Habitat & Environment

Eigenschaft	Arapaima	Cherry Barb
Wassertyp	Freshwater	Freshwater
Tiefenbereich	—	—
Verbreitungsgebiet	Restricted to the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Peru, Guyana, and Bolivia. Inhabits flooded várzea lakes, oxbows, and large river channels; surfaces frequently to breathe …	Endemic to the Kelani River basin in southwestern Sri Lanka. Restricted to shaded, slow-flowing forest streams and small tributaries with dense riparian vegetation; population has …
Lebensraum	Floodplain lakes (várzea) and large river channels of the Amazon basin. Slow-moving, shallow, warm freshwater (26-30°C). An obligate air-breather; rises to surface to gulp air. …	Clear, fast-flowing streams of Sri Lanka and southwestern India. Shallow, oxygen-rich, cool mountain streams (22-26°C) over gravel substrates. Dense riparian vegetation provides cover.

Aquarium Suitability

Eigenschaft	Arapaima	Cherry Barb
Mindest-Aquariengröße	—	60 L
Temperatur	—	23-27
pH-Bereich	—	6.0-8.0
Pflegeschwierigkeit	—	Easy
Temperament	—	Peaceful

Angelinformationen

Eigenschaft	Arapaima	Cherry Barb
Sportfisch	Ja	Nein
Kampfbewertung	10/10	—
Weltrekord	—	—
Quecksilbergehalt	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Arapaima

Large, firm white fillets with a mild, clean flavor and low fat; historically a staple protein in Amazonian communities. Often salted and dried; sustainable harvest is tightly regulated.

Cherry Barb

Not consumed — ornamental aquarium fish listed as Vulnerable in the wild; kept for its cherry-red coloration and peaceful schooling nature.

Species Overview

Arapaima

The arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, reaching up to 4.5 meters. An obligate air-breather, it must surface every 10-20 minutes to gulp air. Its tongue is bony and used to crush prey against the roof of its mouth.

Cherry Barb

The cherry barb is a small, colorful fish native to Sri Lanka's shaded forest streams. Males develop an intense cherry-red coloration during breeding. Listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss and over-collection for the aquarium trade.