Today we are going to meet a very large and strong fish that lives up to its name. Its about Tiger fish. Its scientific name is Hydrocynus vittatus and belongs to the family Alestiidae. It is also known by the name of Goliath fish, as it is reminiscent of the figure of Goliath, with large size and strong appearance. It is the most imposing and terrifying fish in all of Africa. Many people liken him to a monster, since his appearance and proportions are far from the ordinary.
Make a hole in your busy schedule to read this article, because I assure you it will be worth it. Discover all the secrets of the tiger fish and its way of life.
Key features
This fish is quite aggressive and savvy. He is always alert and aware of being able to attack some prey. Due to its large size and fierce appearance, this fish is respected by all who see it. Since ancient times, people have thought that this fish had to do with the real Goliath and countless stories have been told of him.
There is not much difference between males and females, since they both look terrifying. Perhaps males can measure a little less than females when they are adults, but it is totally negligible. Before they are adults, they are small fish although they have a dangerous appearance. Perhaps it is this aspect that has made it survive well throughout its evolution. By having such a large mouth and sharp teeth, the rest de peces He gets scared as soon as he sees him.
Something similar happens in real life. Maybe there is a person with a dangerous appearance and then he is very nice and friendly. The weight when they reach maturity is usually around 28 kilos, although really monstrous species of tiger fish with weights of more than 68 kilos have been found. They have been spotted in the faster waters of the Zambezi River.
It is a freshwater fish native to the basins of the Congo River, Lualaba River and lakes Upemba and Tanganyika. They are one of the most fearsome predatory fish found in the rivers of Africa. Normally, it is the crocodiles that have the throne due to the fear that others feel towards them. Many people in the Congo guarantee that these animals have no fear of crocodiles. In fact, they claim that these monstrous fish devour the youngest crocodiles while they are developing.
Detailed description
Although this fish looks quite dangerous, it does not attack humans. It is similar to a piranha with highly developed jaws and a well-muscled body. In the mouth has 32 sharp teeth with which it tears its prey.
Thanks to an air sac that they have inside can capture vibrations and waves of the movements made by the rest de peces in order to know its location. Once detected, they move to capture them by surprise.
Their body is usually about two meters long and weighs around 28 kilos. The body is quite robust and its color is silver and gray.
Behavior and habitat of the tiger fish
Goliath fish are very fast when it comes to catching prey. It usually has quite aggressive behavior and developed eyesight. Although its appearance can be a bad ally to go unnoticed, it is able to move cautiously, making intelligent movements, to swim close to the prey without being spotted. This is how, when it pounces on the prey, it tears them apart in a moment. It has been seen to destroy a catfish fish with large size with relative ease.
Since he is always in fast water, he is trained and can swim with great speed. Take advantage of the weakness of other fish to the force of the river currents to catch them without much effort. Not much is known about their life expectancy in the wild. In captivity it has been up to 14 years old.
Given that its natural habitat is the Congo River, which is the second deepest on Earth, the tiger fish has been able to develop a lot and prepare for such conditions. Thanks to this, it has enormous strength and does not hesitate for a moment to use it to beat fast currents and capture its food.
It can always be found inhabiting fresh waters with a tropical climate and strong currents. It is able to swim against the current and, despite the force of the water, do it without any effort.
Goliath fish feeding and reproduction
This fish feeds de peces of all sizes and colors. They are totally carnivorous and, from a young age, they already begin to feed on crustaceans, insects and plankton. As we have mentioned before, it has been seen on several occasions feeding on smaller crocodiles and birds that it manages to catch that go to the waters of the Congo River to cool off.
It is able to adapt to the changes that take place in its natural habitat. In general, the water levels of the Congo River are not stable. They go up and down often. He some occasions occasional cases of attacks on human beings have been reported. These reports announced serious damage to his legs and hands as his jaw is very strong.
It is capable of eating the prey of dead animals as if it were a piranha. When it bites the prey and has it in its mouth, it moves away and goes to a quiet place to enjoy its delicacy.
Regarding its reproduction, the time when spawning begins coincides with the rainy period where there are floods. It is usually in the months of April and May. They take advantage of this surplus of water to spawn on the banks, taking advantage of the flooded areas.
When the female lays eggs, is able to put more than 800, so they reproduce quickly. Males reach sexual maturity at 3 years. Not all those that are born reach adults, since they are easy prey for other predators.
I hope that with this information you know more about the tiger fish.