Arapaima

AquariumFish offers the largest freshwater fish of the Western Hemisphere. The largest freshwater fish in the World is the Beluga sturgeon, not adaptable to the aquarium. Back to the arapaima: these monster fish are built like torpedoes and never stop feeding and looking for food. They grow massive, so have a game plan in mind down the road, but you can enjoy this magnificent beast for a few years until then. Public aquariums love this monster fish. Predator fish and most fish do not grow to the tank size, they aren’t muffins. These fish are endangered in the wild and we bring pond raised specimens from Peru under CITES preservation permits.

A source for ghost shrimp, small feeder guppies, or similar foods must be secured before bringing this fish into the aquarium. They also eat flake and pellet food, but need a good mix.

****This item does not ship to Texas or Florida****

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Arapaima are powerful jumpers and breathe air from the surface, so they need open water at the top and a heavy, tight-fitting lid. Give them strong filtration and lots of swimming space.

Feeding: Feed meaty foods like frozen shrimp and fish, plus floating carnivore pellets once they learn to take them.

Tankmates: Arapaima will eat any fish that fits in their mouth. Keep them only with very large, robust fish.

Good to know: Arapaima must breathe air from the surface every few minutes, so never block their access to the top.