Paiche vs Carpa común

Arapaima gigas comparado con Cyprinus carpio

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Paiche	Carpa común
Nombre Científico	Arapaima gigas	Cyprinus carpio
Orden	Osteoglossiformes	Cypriniformes
Familia	Arapaimidae	Cyprinidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Vulnerable

Physical Traits

Atributo	Paiche	Carpa común
Longitud Máxima	450,0 cm	120,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	40,1 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.	Olive-brown to dark greenish-bronze back with large golden-yellow scales on the sides; belly yellowish-white; fins are grayish to dark olive; scales have a faint darker edge giving a reticulated look.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Paiche	Carpa común
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Brackish
Rango de Profundidad	—	0-29m
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 …	Native to the Danube and Caspian Sea drainages of central Europe and western Asia. Introduced globally; now one of the most widely distributed freshwater fish …
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. …	Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Asia; introduced globally. Highly adaptable; tolerates turbid, warm, low-oxygen water (4-30°C). Prefers slow-moving water over silty substrates. Important aquaculture species.

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Paiche	Carpa común
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	Sí	Sí
Clasificación de Pelea	10/10	—
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.

Carpa común

Dense, moderately fatty flesh with an earthy flavor; improves greatly when sourced from clean, cold water. Central European staple — traditionally braised, fried, or prepared as gefilte fish.

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.

Carpa común

The common carp is one of the most widely introduced freshwater fish globally. Originally domesticated in East Asia over 2,000 years ago, it is a sacred fish in many cultures and the primary target species in European coarse fishing.