Arapaima vs Wels Catfish

Arapaima gigas comparado com Silurus glanis

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Arapaima	Wels Catfish
Nome Científico	Arapaima gigas	Silurus glanis
Ordem	Osteoglossiformes	Siluriformes
Família	Arapaimidae	Ictaluridae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Arapaima	Wels Catfish
Comprimento Máximo	450,0 cm	500,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	300,0 kg
Cor	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-green to slate-gray back with irregular mottled marbling of darker blotches; flanks grade to olive-yellow; scaleless smooth skin; belly pale cream to yellowish-white; head broad and flat.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Arapaima	Wels Catfish
Tipo de Água	Freshwater	Brackish
Faixa de Profundidade	—	0-30m
Distribuição 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 large river systems and lakes of central and eastern Europe from the Rhine basin east to the Caspian and Aral sea drainages. Introduced …
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. …	Large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Europe and Asia (Volga, Danube, Rhine, Ob). Inhabits deep, slow-moving freshwater with soft substrates. Tolerates turbid water (15-25°C). Highly …

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Arapaima	Wels Catfish
Peixe Esportivo	Sim	Sim
Classificação de Resistência	10/10	9/10
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Arapaima

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.

Wels Catfish

Fatty, soft flesh with a mild, slightly sweet flavor; quality improves from cold, clean water fish. Popular in Central European cuisines — commonly smoked, fried, or braised with vegetables.

Species Overview

Arapaima

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.

Wels Catfish

The wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Europe, capable of exceeding 5 meters. Found in large rivers and lakes across the continent, it has been documented beaching itself to catch pigeons. It can live over 80 years.