Hydrolycus armatus
| Hydrolycus armatus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | H. armatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hydrolycus armatus (Jardine, 1841)
| |
Hydrolycus armatus is a species of dogtooth characin found in freshwater of tropical South America.[1] It is sometimes known as the payara,[2][3] a name it shares with the related H. scomberoides.
This predatory fish occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade, but it requires a very large tank.[2]
Distribution and habitat
This species of fish is found in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins as well a rivers in Guyana.[1]
Description
Hydrolycus armatus commonly called Payaras or the freshwater vampire fish in the aquarium hobby is one of the biggest tetras on earth. They live on the main canals of large deep rivers such as the Orinoco and Caroni river basins, in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela you can find these extraordinary predators. They grow past 3 feet (90 cm) in length with the largest individuals found in Uraima Falls in Rio Paragua, Estado Bolivar, Venezuela where they grow up to 117 cm long (3,8 feet) and weight up to 17 kg (37,4 pounds), their huge lower fangs grow over two inches long in large individuals. Behind the base of all its teeth or fangs lay replacement ones, if a tooth is lost, it is quickly replaced with a new one in less than a day according to observations on captive Payaras. In captivity Larger individuals of Hydrolycus armatus very rarely grow over 60 cm long (2 feet) they need huge tanks with powerful current to be ok, that is the reason you do not find many specimens over 30 cm (1 feet) in captivity. (Edouard Paiva)
References
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Hydrolycus armatus". FishBase. January 2017 version.
- ^ a b SeriouslyFish: Hydrolycus armatus. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ^ OPEFE: Payara Venezuela. Retrieved 13 January 2017.