Tiger Characin

Fascinating facts about the Tiger Characin

• A fish that can stretch up to 65 cm (26 in) and tip the scales at 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) shows how a slender, cylindrical body can pack a heavyweight punch in the river world.
• When night falls, this predator slips into the shadows of vegetation, lying in wait for unsuspecting guppies, shrimp or even mussels, proof that a quiet evening can turn a quiet waterway into a hunting arena.
• Its breeding ritual involves carving shallow pits for eggs, then the male stays on guard long after the fry hatch, highlighting a rare instance of paternal care among freshwater fish.
• Found from southern Central America all the way to Argentina, it thrives in everything from fast-flowing upland streams to stagnant, oxygen-poor ponds, illustrating a versatility few fish can match.
• Though once spotted in Florida’s Hillsborough County, the species vanished after a freeze in January 1977, reminding us that even hardy invaders can be halted by an unexpected cold snap.

At a glance

About the Tiger Characin

The tiger characin, Hoplias malabaricus, is a sleek, cylindrical predator that can grow to about 65 centimetres (26 in) and weigh up to 3.8 kilograms (8.4 lb). Its large, dog-like mouth is equipped with prominent teeth, a feature that earned it nicknames such as wolf fish and tiger fish. The fish’s coloration is usually a grey-brown canvas streaked with darker vertical bars or a solitary horizontal stripe. It rests in vegetation during daylight hours and becomes active at night, ambushing prey such as small fish like guppies, shrimp, crayfish, and mussels. Juveniles feed on crustaceans and other invertebrates. Males excavate shallow pits for spawning and guard the nests after the eggs have hatched. The species inhabits a wide range of freshwater habitats, from clear, fast-flowing upland streams to sluggish, turbid lowland waters, canals, and oxygen-poor ponds, and is found from Costa Rica to Argentina.

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