Countless species of fish swim through the oceans, rivers, and lakes of planet Earth. However, in this article, we’ll be focusing on the largest freshwater fish in particular. With size aside, these 12 enormous swimmers still manage to impress: They’ll be sure to astound you with their surprising lengths and jaw-dropping masses as well!
Hopefully, this list will give you a newfound appreciation for the sheer scale of some of the creatures we share our planet with. Plenty of these aquatic creature would dwarf your car, and might make you look twice before you take your next dive. Let’s learn a little bit about each of the 12 largest freshwater fish in the world.
Nile Perch – (Lates niloticus)
Length: 6.5 feet
Weight: 500 pounds
Location: Nile and Congo rivers, Lake Chad, and other river basins
Identifying Feature: Black eyes with a yellow outer ring
Source: wikimedia.org
This large fish is a prolific breeder, meaning that its population grows at impressive rates. This quickly-moving life cycle has enabled the species to spread rapidly, which isn’t’ always a good thing. The Nile Perch is actually an invasive species in certain areas, and has caused troubling damage to the ecosystem.
This fish originated in the Ethopian regions and was introduced to Lake Victoria in the 1950’s in order to reduce the population of “trash fish” and improve the chances of fishermen hauling a successful catch. The Nile Perch invasion of Lake Victoria is referenced as a prime example of the havoc that an invasive species can wreak on a local ecosystem.
Did You Know?
One of the main sources of trouble in unnatural habitats is the Nile Perch’s massive appetite. This big fish feasts upon crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and other fish. It’s even been known to indiscriminately devour smaller members of its own species.
Siberian Taimen – (Hucho taimen)
Length: Nearly 7 feet
Weight: 230 pounds
Location: Russian rivers
Identifying Feature: Bright salmon tail
Source: wikimedia.org
The ravenous appetite of this fish has given it the nickname “River wolf”. The Siberian Taimen can live to be thirty years old or more, giving them plenty of time to attain their impressive sizes. This fish is the largest and oldest of the salmon species, and serves as evidence of the evolutionary link between salmon and trout.
Did You Know?
The Siberian Taimen takes longer than many other species of fish to reach sexual maturity. Because this species has a long life span and does not mature and reproduce quickly, its population is especially likely to be impacted by changing environmental factors. As such, the Siberian Taimen provides ecologists with valuable insight that enables them to gauge how their aquatic ecosystems are currently faring.
Electric Eel – (Electrophorus electricus)
Length: 8 feet
Weight: 44 pounds
Location: Amazon and Orinoco basins
Identifying Feature: Ability to deliver electric shock
Source: flickr.com
Despite its name, the slithery looking Electric Eel isn’t truly an eel, and its classification is closer to that of catfish and carp. This unique creature inhabits murky waters, lurking on the hunt for fish, amphibians, and even small birds and mammals. Electric Eels hunt by using their 6,000 electrocyte cells to fire simultaneously and deliver an electric shock that stuns their prey. The eel’s ability to shock serves as a defense mechanism as well. Considering that the charge delivered by the Electric Eel measures 600 volts, most creatures leave them alone! An electric shock of this strength is enough to knock down a horse.
Did You Know?
The same murkiness that helps conceal the Electric Eel from both enemies and prey also makes it difficult for water-dwelling animals to breathe. The eel has adapted accordingly, and surfaces every few minutes to breathe air from above the water. They’ve developed electrolocation to make up for their poor eyesight and muddy environment as well.
Bull Shark – (Carcharhinus leucas)
Length: 8 feet
Weight: 290 pounds
Location: African estuaries, rivers, and lakes
Identifying Feature: Blunt snout and aggression
Source: wikimedia.org
Also known as the “Lake Nicaragua Shark,” this underwater menace doesn’t just keep to the ocean as you might expect or hope. The Bull Shark resides in brackish estuary habitats as well as in freshwater, and is equipped to spend a long time in either environment. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous sharks to humans, due to its intense aggression and tendency to frequent shallow waters where they’re more likely to encounter swimmers. This level of aggression may also be part of the reason for its name, along with its blunt snout and stocky appearance as compared to other sharks.
Did You Know?
The Bull Shark’s preference for shallow waters may actually be connected to its relatively small eyes and poor sense of sight. Prey is more densely packed near the coastlines, which improves the shark’s chances while hunting.
Alligator Gar – (Atractosteus spatula)
Length: Nearly 10 feet
Weight: 327 pounds
Location: Southern North American rivers, lakes, and estuaries
Identifying Feature: Wide, gator-like head
Source: pixabay.com
This unique-looking fish is the largest of the seven varieties of Gar, and the only one with a double row of teeth in its upper jaw. The Alligator Gar gets its name from its wide, bony head that’s very similar in shape to an alligator’s when viewed from above. Despite its partial resemblance to such a fearful reptile, the Alligator Gar is a generally peaceful creature that poses little threat to humans. The greatest danger it poses is probably its eggs, which are poisonous when ingested, and the damage that it can do with its sheer size by thrashing if hauled into a boat.
Did You Know?
Similarly to the Electric Eel, the Alligator Gar can surface to breathe air directly. It does this using an air bladder that works similarly to a pair of lungs and connects to its throat to enable it to take air in directly.
Arapaima – (Arapaima gigas)
Length: Over 10 feet
Weight: 400 pounds
Location: South American rivers and lakes
Identifying Feature: Bright red or orange flecks towards the tail area
Source: flickr.com
Here we have another fish with the ability to breathe from the surface–and it does so with a distinctive coughing sound. These scaly giants have been known to opportunistically grab fruit and birds to eat when surfacing, although their diet usually consists of other fish. The Arapaima generally hunts by propelling itself forward in a short burst of speed meant to stun its prey long enough for the bigger fish to gulp it down in its vacuum-like mouth.
Did You Know?
The Arapaima’s tendency to hunt at or around the surface of the water exposes it to its main predator: humans. This fish is quite easy to harpoon when it’s so close to the surface, and many indigenous people do so in order to harvest the fish’s meat and fashion jewelry from its scales. Overfishing is currently the greatest threat to the Arapaima.
Mekong Giant Catfish – (Pangasianodon gigas)
Length: 10 feet
Weight: 650 pounds
Location: Mekong Basin in Southeast Asia
Identifying Feature: No teeth
Source: flickr.com
While a few specimens of Alligator Gar and Arapaima have exceeded the Mekong Giant Catfish in length, the latter regularly reaches far heavier weights. This aquatic behemoth is considered to be among the largest of all scaleless freshwater fish. Threats to its population such as overfishing, destruction of its breeding grounds, and damming of its rivers have pushed it to the point of near-extinction.
Did You Know?
The Mekong Giant Catfish is the only species of catfish with no teeth, and it also has far less distinct barbels than the usual whiskers that extend from the mouths of other catfish. The lack of outstanding barbels in combination with its great size often lead people who spot one of these giant catfish to assume that they’ve seen a shark.
Chinese Paddlefish – (Psephurus gladius)
Length: 10 feet
Weight: 660 pounds
Location: Yangtze River
Identifying Feature: Long, sword-like snout
Source: wikimedia.org
Many experts fear that this massive, critically-endangered fish may have already gone extinct. There have been no sightings of young specimens in the wild since 1995, and no sightings of any Chinese Paddlefish in the wild at all since 2003. After a dam was constructed in the Yangtze River in 1980’s, this giant fish’s habitat was altered enough that the population was unable to bounce back from overfishing.
Did You Know?
This fish’s distinctive snout, which inspired the Chinese to refer to it as the Chinese Swordfish, is called a rostrum. The rostrum creates lift while this giant fish swims, acting as a stabilizer and enabling it to keep its head steady.
Wels Catfish – (Silurus glanis)
Length: 16 feet
Weight: 660 pounds
Location: Central and Eastern European basins and rivers
Identifying Feature: Large lower fin, long barbels
Source: wikimedia.org
While this gigantic species of catfish is native to Eurasia, it’s considered an invasive species in many different areas where it was introduced as a sporting fish. Its massive size has led it to be nicknamed things like “The Ebro Monster”, “The European Maneater”, and “Man-eating Catfish”. Despite these monikers, however, the Wels Catfish is far from a maneater. Its adult diet mainly consists of other fish and eels, crustaceans, and even unfortunate rodents and ducks. Like several other large species of fish, the Wels Catfish hunts with the “gulping method,” sucking in prey by suddenly opening its mouth to create powerful suction.
Did You Know?
The breeding habits of the Wels Catfish involve a bit of teamwork. The male digs a shallow depression in the sand beneath the water, often adjacent to reinforcement like tree roots or rocks. The female then fills the nest with thousands of eggs, and the male catfish then diligently guards them until they hatch.
Giant Freshwater Stingray – (Himantura chaophraya)
Length: 16.4 feet
Weight: 1,100-1,300 pounds
Location: Thailand estuaries and rivers
Identifying Feature: Pancake-like shape and long, stinging tail
Source: wikimedia.org
Less is known about this species compared to the wealth of information available on its oceanic counterparts. It’s uncertain whether the Giant Freshwater Stingray is equipped to venture away from the rivers where it’s most commonly sighted to swim through the salty waters of the sea. Experts are concerned that this species may not last much longer, since pollution and interference with its river habitat have already reduced their numbers.
Did You Know?
This massive fish has the largest stinger of any known ray, which can exceed 14 inches in length! The Giant Freshwater Stingray isn’t generally aggressive towards humans, but the barb in its tail can do some serious damage if whipped around in self-defense.
White Sturgeon – (Acipenser transmontanus)
Length: 20 feet
Weight: 990 pounds
Location: North American rivers and Pacific estuaries
Identifying Feature: Flat, shovel-like head, and scutes
Source: flickr.com
This aquatic giant is the largest species of freshwater fish in North America. Instead of having slimy skin like a catfish or a coating of scales like most other fish, the White Sturgeon is covered in hard, bony plates called scutes. They also share a trait in common with sharks: an internal frame made out of cartilage instead of bone. This cartilage skeleton give the sturgeon added flexibility, making it quite agile in the water.
Did You Know?
Female White Sturgeon can release 3 million eggs, which stick to the bottom of the riverbed upon making contact with it. This is a component of “broadcast spawning,” where both male and female fish each expel their fertile components to mix externally in the water.
Beluga Sturgeon – (Huso huso)
Length: 20-24 feet
Weight: 2,500 pounds
Location: Caspian and Black Sea basins and estuaries
Identifying Feature: Shark-like tail and hard scutes
Source: wikimedia.org
The Beluga Sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in the world. Like other sturgeon, it’s part of the oldest known group of fishes, which is estimated to be 200 million years old. The Beluga Sturgeon is the source of Beluga Caviar, the most expensive kind of caviar and the most expensive food item in the world. Given the Beluga Sturgeon’s astounding size, human beings who harvest the caviar from this fish are its only natural predator. Sadly, the demand for high-end caviar has resulted in this species being driven to the brink of extinction.
Did You Know?
The Beluga Sturgeon has barbels around its mouth, similar to those of catfish but shorter. These barbels are feathered at the end in order to more effectively sense movement in the water. Its mouth points downwards and is located on the underside of its head.
FAQs
What are the largest freshwater fish in the world? ›
Sturgeon are the largest of the freshwater fish. The beluga sturgeon in Russia is the largest freshwater fish in the world. The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America.
What is the freshwater fish paradox? ›Since the earliest days of the so-called paradox, ichthyologists have hypothesized that fish must diversify faster in freshwater because freshwater systems are so fragmented compared with the oceans. Fish populations separated into isolated pockets this way would in theory have more opportunities for diversification.
What is the largest American freshwater fish? ›Easily the largest freshwater fish in North America, the white sturgeon can grow to 12 to 20 feet in length and can weigh nearly one ton.
What are all the freshwater fish? ›Freshwater fish
What is the largest family of freshwater fish? ›With about 2,420 species of cyprinids, placed in about 220 genera, Cyprinidae is the largest family of freshwater fish.
Why is my fish tank cloudy? ›This is normal when an aquarium is first set up. It is referred to as a bacteria bloom. The cloudiness should be gone within anywhere from two days to a couple of weeks. You can do a 10 to 15 percent partial water change and gravel vacuuming after a week to speed it up.
Why is my fish twitching? ›Shimmying is a symptom rather than a single disease, and an indication that a fish no longer has proper control of its nerves and muscles. It occurs when fish are under severe stress, most often because of environmental problems. The classic scenario is when mollies are kept in soft or acidic water conditions.
Why is my fish hitting the tank? ›Strange Swimming: When fish are stressed, they often develop odd swimming patterns. If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.
What fish catches the biggest? ›The largest fish ever caught which is verified and listed by the IGFA is a 2,664lb (1,208kg) great white shark. It was caught by Australian angler Alfred Dean in April 1959 off the coast of Ceduna, in South Australia.
What's the biggest fish that's not a shark? ›The largest species is the beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) of the Caspian and Black seas, the only extant bony fish to rival the massiveness of the ocean sunfish.
Which is the Old biggest fish? ›
Enter Leedsichthys problematicus. The extinct fish—thought to be the largest on record—lived about 165 million years ago in Europe and South America. It grew to at least 16.5 meters in length and might have weighed 45 metric tons, which means it was larger even than today's whale shark.
What is the biggest freshwater fish in Florida? ›Description. The arapaima, Arapaima gigas (Arapaimidae), is among the largest known freshwater fish species with sizes up to 14 feet and 440 pounds.
What is the largest Great Lakes fish? ›Lake sturgeons are the biggest fish in the Great Lakes.
What's the biggest fish in California? ›Meet the giant sea bass
King of the kelp forest, the giant sea bass is California's largest nearshore bony fish and can be found at depths of 35 to 130 feet (11 to 40 meters).
Bigmouth buffalo can live to 112—the oldest confirmed freshwater fish. This bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) was photographed at Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium, in South Dakota. Carbon dating has validated that the species is the longest-lived freshwater fish known.
What are the 5 most common fish? ›- Tuna.
- Salmon.
- Tilapia.
- Catfish.
- Cod.
- Alaskan Pollock.
- Trout.
- Bass.
The Chinese sturgeon: 'King of freshwater fish' can live 100 years - CGTN.
What fish has 3,000 species? ›Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family and the largest vertebrate animal family in general with about 3,000 species, of which only 1,270 remain extant, divided into about 370 genera.
How many freshwater fish exist? ›Nearly half of all fish species live in fresh water, which means they swim in the rivers, lakes, and wetlands that make up less than 3 percent of Earth's water supply. There are more than 800 known freshwater fish species in North America alone. Worldwide, the number is over 10,000 species.
Which fish can survive the largest out of water? ›A type of killifish called a mummichog navigates visually, jumping up and orienting its body toward the water, according to a recent study. But West African lungfish blow these other fish out of the water: They have gills and a primitive lung.
How long can fish go without food? ›
Most fish do well without food for up to three to five days, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily good for them. Depending on several factors, like your tank, how many fish you own, and what type of fish you have, you may be able to leave your fish without food for up to seven days.
Why is my fish swimming upside down? ›If your fish is swimming upside down, it has a problem with its swim bladder. Your fish has stopped being able to control its swim bladder and has got stuck with too much air inside it. The reason for this could be constipation, a poor diet, eating habits, or an infection.
Why does my fish tank keep turning green? ›Fish tanks turn green with algae, which need light, water and nutrients to grow. Algae spores are airborne, so even if you start off with brand new everything, coldwater, tropical or marine, your tank will go green.
Why is my fish swimming sideways? ›When a fish is unable to control its depth, or starts swimming sideways, upside side down, or head or tail down, it may have "swim bladder disease." A fish with swim bladder disease can be a troubling sight to see, but it can be treated.
Can fish have seizures? ›Here we show that seizures can be elicited in a simple vertebrate system, for example, zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio). Exposure to a common convulsant agent (pentylenetetrazole, PTZ) induced a stereotyped and concentration-dependent sequence of behavioral changes culminating in clonus-like convulsions.
How can you tell if a fish is crying? ›No, fishes can't cry and can't produce tears. It is often thought that fish may lack the limbic system, but in reality, fishes do have a limbic system, but they lack the biological machinery to produce tears.
Do the fish get thirsty? ›As well as getting water through osmosis, saltwater fish need to purposefully drink water in order to get enough into their systems.
Why is my fish tank killing my fish? ›Stress is the number one cause for constantly dying fish, subsequently caused by many reasons related to water quality, unsuitable water parameters, poor aquarium ecosystem, poor fish acclimation, and aggression from other fish, to mention a few.
Do fish get bored? ›Fish-keepers sometimes see their pets 'glass surfing' – swimming repeatedly up and down the glass of the tank. This could be the aquatic equivalent of the pacing of a captive tiger that's bored from a lack of stimulation. But the fish could also be stressed from an overcrowded or unfamiliar tank.
What is the 3 biggest fish in the world? ›| Rank | Animal | Binomial Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whale shark | Rhincodon typus |
| 2 | Basking shark | Cetorhinus maximus |
| 3 | Great white shark | Carcharodon carcharias |
| 4 | Tiger shark | Galeocerdo cuvier |
What is the biggest fish ever caught in a lake? ›
The largest freshwater fish is the Beluga Sturgeon. World record was 3,463 lbs and 23ft 7in long! However, this was nearly 200 years ago. More recently, this huge fish will max at about 10 ft (about the same size as the White Sturgeon).
What is the 2 biggest fish? ›#2 Basking Shark
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second-largest fish in the world. It has weighed more than 4.2 tons and can be up to 40.3 feet long. It is one of three plankton-eating sharks in the world.
The anglerfish is the queen of the ocean's deep. With their sharp, translucent teeth and bioluminescent lures, female anglerfish are some of the most intimidating fish in the sea.
Which fish is called the queen of fish? ›The queenfish (Seriphus politus) is a species of fish in the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. It is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, where it occurs along the North American coastline from Oregon to Baja California; it has been recorded as far north as British Columbia.
What river has the biggest fish? ›The Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas), native to the Mekong river in Southeast Asia, holds that record. These catfish can grow to 10 feet (3 m) long and have previously been caught weighing 646 lbs.
Has a shark ever been found in Lake Michigan? ›Two Coho fishermen pulled a 29-inch shark from Lake Michigan about two miles off the Milwaukee shore on April 25, 1969. The shark was dead, but for several days fishermen in the area were uneasy.
Are there sharks in Lake Superior? ›While there have been past “sightings,” most have turned out to be pranks or misidentifications. The reality is that the largest of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior and Michigan) are extremely deep lakes that are too cold for sharks.
What is the biggest edible fish? ›Its white flesh is tender and tasty, it can measure up to three meters long and weigh more than 200 kilograms: meet the pirarucu, one of the world's largest freshwater fish, and native to the Amazon.
What is the deepest fish ever caught? ›The fish that currently holds the depth record is a species of cuskeel (family Ophidiidae) called Abyssobrotula galatheae. This 20 cm long fish has been collected from the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of 8,370 m (27,455 feet). Preserved specimen of Abyssobrotula galatheae.
What is the biggest shark ever caught on rod and reel? ›His vessel often had a multi-season wait list for a chance to catch the giant sharks he'd dubbed "Monster Fish". His largest monster, a 17-foot Great White Shark weighing 3,427 pounds, in some record books still remains the largest fish ever caught by rod and reel.