Did anyone see the National Geographic show on "megafish"?

[Fraoch]

This was about the world's largest freshwater fish, I believe it was on Friday or Saturday night. They focused mainly on the Amazon "Arapaima":

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Name: Arapaima (Arapaima gigas)

Maximum Size: 177 inches (450 centimeters), 441 pounds (200 kilograms)

:ssuprised:

Needless to say, they move through the water pretty slowly. But they catch their prey so quickly the camera can barely pick it up - they open their mouths and BOOM the little fish is gone!

Pretty cool.

Can't keep that one in a home aquarium. Try SeaWorld.:shappy:

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[Oscar_freak12321]

Oh these guys get huge. You would need at least a 10,000 gallon tank to keep just one happy. Thanks for sharing, I really like these guys!

[Red]

thanks, I wish we had a thread or something, telling people when fish shows were on!

[Fraoch]

You would need at least a 10,000 gallon tank to keep just one happy.

Hey I just realized, look closely at that top photo. I'm sure I see windows and people behind them - there's the aquarium!

They also showed some pretty huge catfish on that show. Not quite as long but at least as heavy.

BTW the show was about this biologist and this project: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Northernguy]

What a great show!
Catching those an a fishing rod and using rb purhanas for bait! lol
It was a very interesting show!

[Oscar_freak12321]

Wow! Those guys look healthy in that tank! Is it 10,000 gallons? Anyways, looked at the article about the guy, he sounds like he's going to help keep Americans aware of our fish species. Good to see someone like that.

[troy]

Believe or not people are crazy enough to keep this fish as a pet.

[Glub]

It's always been my dream to own a fish I could saddle...

[Fraoch]

I remember an interesting fact about the Arapaima in that show - they do not use their gills! Their gills are only used for a very short time when they are young. The water they live in is oxygen deficient due to the abundance of plant life, so they gulp air every 15 minutes and store it in their swim bladders, which are unusual in that they have many fine blood vessels and act like a lung.

There are fish farms for these guys!

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The Arapaima offers a number of characteristics that make it a valuable species for integrated aquaculture. According to the National Fisheries Institute of the Amazon, the Arapaima:

1. does well in fish ponds
2. is resistant to diseases
3. survives under low oxygen conditions with its ability to breathe atmospheric oxygen
4. gains 10 kilograms in weight per year
5. eats foods of low commercial value
6. high demand and commercial value
7. yields value added by-products (scales, head, tounge and skin)
8. offers potential for international commercialization
9. has potential to be used in sport fishing and the ornamental aquarium/pet trade

(emphasis by me)

Oh also when I was looking for photos of this guy I came across this one :ssuprised:

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The giant stingray, weighing an estimated 550 to 990 pounds (250 to 450 kilograms) was reeled in on January 28, 2009, as part of a National Geographic expedition in Thailand.

The stingray's body measured 6.6 feet (2 meters) wide by 6.9 feet (2.1) meters long. The tail was missing. If it had been there, the ray's total length would have been between 14.8 and 16.4 feet (4.5 and 5 meters), estimated University of Nevada Biologist Zeb Hogan.

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[wolf_eyes]

The show "river monsters" on animal planet is really awesome too. I think it shows on sundays at... 9...10pm? It also talk about these huge fish

[Owlbehere]

Believe or not people are crazy enough to keep this fish as a pet.
and those crazy large red tailed catfish... Isn't that one in the background of the first photo? and dim in the second

[Crispy]

awesome fish! I would love to have the space to keep one...thumbs2:

[Fraoch]

awesome fish! I would love to have the space to keep one...thumbs2:

You'd probably need something like this...

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:hmm3grin2orange: