Pirarucu vs Clownfish

Arapaima gigas comparé à Amphiprion ocellaris

Taxonomy & Classification

Attribut	Pirarucu	Clownfish
Nom scientifique	Arapaima gigas	Amphiprion ocellaris
Ordre	Osteoglossiformes	Perciformes
Famille	Arapaimidae	Pomacentridae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Attribut	Pirarucu	Clownfish
Longueur maximale	450,0 cm	11,0 cm
Poids maximum	200,0 kg	0,01 kg
Couleur	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.	Vivid orange body with three bold white bands edged in black: one behind the head, one mid-body, and one at the tail base; all fins are orange with black margins and white stripe edges.

Habitat & Environment

Attribut	Pirarucu	Clownfish
Type d'eau	Freshwater	Saltwater
Plage de profondeur	—	1-15m
Aire de répartition	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 …	Eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific from the Andaman Sea and Thailand south to northwest Australia and east to the Philippines and Japan. Lives exclusively …
Habitat	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. …	Neritic, coral reefs

Aquarium Suitability

Attribut	Pirarucu	Clownfish
Taille minimale de l'aquarium	—	75 L
Température	—	24-27
Plage de pH	—	8.0-8.4
Niveau d'entretien	—	Easy
Tempérament	—	Peaceful

Informations sur la pêche

Attribut	Pirarucu	Clownfish
Poisson de pêche sportive	Oui	Non
Cote de combativité	10/10	—
Record du monde	—	—
Teneur en mercure	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Pirarucu

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.

Clownfish

Not consumed — iconic ornamental marine species famous for its symbiotic relationship with sea anemones; a staple of reef aquariums worldwide.

Species Overview

Pirarucu

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.

Clownfish

The ocellaris clownfish is a protandrous sequential hermaphrodite that lives in a mutualistic relationship with sea anemones. Its mucus coating protects it from anemone stings. All individuals are born male and the dominant fish transitions to female.