The Arapaima (Arapaima gigas) is a freshwater fish species in the bonytongues family (family Arapaimidae) of order Osteoglossiformes (bony tongues), native to South America. Introduced to Thailand and now beginning to naturally colonise waterways.
Arapaima Diet
Fish and fry, small mammals and birds.
Arapaima Identification
Forward part of upper body with large olive green scales. Near the tail, the scales have a reddish tint with a bright red edge. Very wide back and a sloping flat head with a overshot lower jaw. Long and low dorsal and anal fins, near the tail.
Arapaima Typical Location
Drifting near the surface in calm water. Resting on sandy bottom with submerged plants. A slow moving midwater fish that surfaces every 10 to 20 minutes to breathe air.
Arapaima Flyfishing in Thailand
Thailand Flyfishing Season: All Year
Can be prospected for and carefully stalked. Rises to the surface to gulp air, giving away it’s position in the water. Sight casting at our premier lake in Pathum Thani.
The Arapaima is a fascinating fly fishing target fish and a worthy quarry.
Arapaima are the largest scaled freshwater fish in the world. Their natural habitat is the river Amazon. They are known to reach lengths in excess of 5 metres and weigh around 400 kgs. As a result of over fishing and habitat destruction very few fish this size exist in the wild today.
Arapaima were introduced to Thailand 30 years ago via the aquarium trade. Their rapid growth rate made tanks obsolete, consequently they were stocked in ponds. They thrive in this environment and are now stocked as game fish.
Arapaima have evolved and adapted to a somewhat hostile environment. When the rains come and the rivers rise, they go in search of food in the flooded jungle. As flood waters recede they become trapped in flood ponds. As oxygen depletes other fish die, however Arapaima evolved to become an air breather allowing them to feast on the dead and dying fish and live in poor quality water until the next floods come.
In their natural environment Arapaima spawn during February to April. They scoop out a nest in sandy bottoms of approximately 15 cm deep in preferred depths up to 2 metres. The female Arapaima is sexually mature at the age of five years old and are typically 160 cm in length at this time. The female lays thousands of eggs and guard their nests and young. The female grows white tubercles from which the young feed. She stays within 300 cm of the lake surface as the young must breath air every 60 seconds. Parental care of their young includes aerating the water, a necessity for the survival of the young in some oxygen-deficient waters. Adults exude a pheromone from their head to attract their young and keep them in close proximity. At 3 months the parents will eat some of their young to control over crowding. In Thailand Arapaima spawn in October.
Arapaima are one of the few fish that can swim backwards !
Arapaima mate for life and build a “house” on the bed of the river or lake, to which they return at night. In larger waters Arapaima hunt in packs. The hunting pack of Arapaima surround the prey fish and condense them into a tight ball by circling and trashing their tails on the water. When the prey ball is tight enough the Arapaima attack in an awe inspiring display of speed and aggression.