Arapaima: Welfare of the World's Largest Freshwater Fish

The arapaima of the Amazon Basin is one of the largest freshwater fish on Earth and faces welfare challenges from overfishing, captivity, and the live fish trade.

Key Facts

Arapaima can reach up to 3 metres in length and weigh over 200 kg
They are obligate air-breathers and must surface every 5-15 minutes to breathe
Arapaima are considered locally extinct in many parts of their native range due to overfishing
They are increasingly farmed in Brazil and exported globally as food fish
Their large size makes standard aquaculture tanks inadequate for welfare
Community-based management programmes have helped restore wild populations

Welfare Considerations

Wild arapaima face chronic stress from intensive fishing pressure, including harpoon hunting which can injure fish that escape. Farmed arapaima require very large enclosures to meet their swimming and surface-breathing needs — most commercial farms fall short. Capture for the ornamental trade places arapaima in tanks far too small, causing stereotypic behaviours and chronic stress. Air-breathing physiology means poor tank design can prevent fish from surfacing, causing suffocation even in water.

What You Can Do

Support community-managed fisheries that protect wild arapaima populations
Avoid purchasing arapaima for home aquariums — they require facilities most cannot provide
Choose arapaima products from certified high-welfare farms when possible
Donate to organisations working on Amazon freshwater fish conservation