Paiche vs Salmón real

Arapaima gigas comparado con Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón real
Nombre Científico	Arapaima gigas	Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Orden	Osteoglossiformes	Salmoniformes
Familia	Arapaimidae	Salmonidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón real
Longitud Máxima	450,0 cm	150,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	61,4 kg
Color	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.	Ocean phase is deep blue-green back with silvery flanks and white belly; irregular black spots on the back, dorsal fin, and both lobes of the tail; spawning adults turn dark red to olive-brown.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón real
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Freshwater & Saltwater
Rango de Profundidad	—	0-375m
Distribución Geográfica	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 …	Pacific Rim from California and Oregon north through Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to the Kamchatka Peninsula, Japan, and Korea. Anadromous runs use major river …
Hábitat	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. …	Anadromous; spawns in cold, clear rivers of the Pacific Coast (Alaska to California). Adults spend 1-5 years in the Pacific Ocean before returning to natal …

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón real
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	Sí	Sí
Clasificación de Pelea	10/10	8/10
Récord Mundial	—	—
Nivel de Mercurio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Paiche

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.

Salmón real

The largest Pacific salmon; exceptionally rich, fatty flesh with deep orange-red color and a full, buttery flavor. Superb grilled, smoked, or cured; the benchmark of Pacific salmon quality.

Species Overview

Paiche

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.

Salmón real

The chinook salmon, also known as king salmon, is the largest of the Pacific salmon species. It undertakes epic migrations from the ocean to its natal river to spawn once before dying, providing nutrients to the entire watershed ecosystem.