Bony fish · Osteoglossiformes · Osteoglossidae

Silver Arawana

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Weight

2.5 kg on average

Size

up to 90 cm

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Fun facts

alimentaciónIt can leap clear of the water to take insects, and even small bats and birds perched on low branches over the river.
The male broods the eggs, the larvae and the first juveniles in his mouth until they have absorbed the yolk sac.
It leaps clear of the water to snatch insects and small vertebrates perched on low branches, which has earned it the nickname monkey fish.
It spawns at the start of the floods, in December and January, laying few eggs but very large ones.

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat & environment: Floodplains, blackwater lagoons and flooded forest of the Amazon, Essequibo and Oyapock basins
Gestation / incubation: The male broods the eggs, larvae and early juveniles in his mouth for about two months

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoglossum_bicirrhosum