Species learning profile
Silver arowana
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
Silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in South America. It leaps above the surface to catch insects and small animals on branches.
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At a glance
- Água
- Água doce
- Habitat
- Rio
- Comprimento máximo
- 120 cm
- Distribuição
- América do Sul
- Família
- Osteoglossidae
- Ordem
- Osteoglossiformes
Observe
How to identify Silver arowana
- It leaps above the surface to catch insects and small animals on branches.
- Guide context: river habitat in South America.
- Reported maximum length: 120 cm — capable of growing longer than many people are tall. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with river habitat across South America. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.
Behavior
Patrols the surface; males brood eggs in the mouth
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Fish, insects, crustaceans, and small vertebrates.
Ecological role
Links terrestrial prey with river food webs.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Silver arowana pode chegar a cerca de 120 cm e costuma viver perto de Rio.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Silver arowana in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections