Bony fish · Characiformes · Alestidae

Giant Tigerfish

Hydrocynus goliath

Least Concern

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

The goliath tigerfish is the largest characin in the world, native to the Congo basin and Lake Tanganyika. Its body is silvery with a metallic sheen, and it has thirty-two enormous conical teeth that slot into sockets in the opposing jaw. It hunts in turbulent rapids, chasing other fish down with explosive bursts of speed.

Weight

up to 50 kg

Size

80 cm – 1.5 m

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterCarnivore Solitary Fish Freshwater

24countries 9parks

Fun facts

GeneralA 50 kg predator with 32 teeth that will even take small crocodiles.
Its teeth are replaced throughout its life and are so large that they remain visible with the mouth closed.
It hunts in fast, turbid water where visibility is minimal and detects its prey by the vibrations they give off as they swim.
It is the largest characin in the world: it reaches a metre and a half and around 50 kg.
It has 32 conical teeth that slot into sockets in the opposite jaw when it closes its mouth, like a steel trap. It replaces them throughout its life.
It hunts in turbulent, murky waters, where prey cannot see it coming, and it is guided as much by sight as by the vibrations it detects with its lateral line.
Its size and power have made it a legendary sport fish in the Congo, and a symbol of the river.
It is one of the few freshwater fish credited with attacks on people, although documented cases are scarce and probably accidental.