Pirarucu vs Electric Eel

Arapaima gigas comparé à Electrophorus electricus

Taxonomy & Classification

Attribut	Pirarucu	Electric Eel
Nom scientifique	Arapaima gigas	Electrophorus electricus
Ordre	Osteoglossiformes	Gymnotiformes
Famille	Arapaimidae	Gymnotidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Attribut	Pirarucu	Electric Eel
Longueur maximale	450,0 cm	250,0 cm
Poids maximum	200,0 kg	20,0 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.	Dark olive-gray to grayish-brown cylinder-shaped body with a pale yellowish-orange throat and chin; back uniformly dark; scaleless skin has a smooth appearance; long ribbon-like anal fin is pinkish.

Habitat & Environment

Attribut	Pirarucu	Electric Eel
Type d'eau	Freshwater	Freshwater
Plage de profondeur	—	—
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 …	Native to the Orinoco and Amazon river basins in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. Inhabits murky, oxygen-depleted floodplain pools, swamps, and slow-moving streams in lowland …
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. …	Estuaries

Informations sur la pêche

Attribut	Pirarucu	Electric Eel
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.

Electric Eel

Not consumed — an ornamental and scientific novelty species kept in specialized aquarium exhibits; edible in principle but extremely dangerous to handle due to powerful electric discharge.

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.

Electric Eel

Despite its name, the electric eel is not a true eel but a knifefish. It can generate electrical discharges of up to 860 volts to stun prey and defend itself. About 80% of its body is dedicated to three electric organs.