Paiche vs Salmón rojo

Arapaima gigas comparado con Oncorhynchus nerka

Taxonomy & Classification

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

Physical Traits

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón rojo
Longitud Máxima	450,0 cm	84,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	7,7 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.	At sea, metallic blue-green back with silvery flanks and no spots; spawning males turn brilliant crimson-red over the entire body with a greenish head; females less vivid with blotchy red-orange hues.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón rojo
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Freshwater & Saltwater
Rango de Profundidad	—	0-250m
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 …	North Pacific from California north to Alaska and west to Japan and Kamchatka. Anadromous populations use lake-fed river systems such as the Fraser, Skeena, and …
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 rivers and streams throughout the Pacific Coast (Alaska to California, Columbia River). Adults spend 2-3 years in the Pacific Ocean at 50-200m …

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Paiche	Salmón rojo
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	Sí	Sí
Clasificación de Pelea	10/10	6/10
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 rojo

Intense, deep-red flesh with a full, robust salmon flavor and high omega-3 content. Excellent grilled, smoked, or canned; its bold flavor stands up to strong seasonings and wood smoke.

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 rojo

The sockeye salmon is famous for turning bright red during its upstream spawning migration. Its deep-red flesh is the richest in omega-3 fatty acids of all Pacific salmon species, making it the most valuable commercially.