Aimara (Giant Wolf Fish)

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Amazon River basin (Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela). Inhabits deep river beds, where it waits for prey, but does not disdain strong oxygen-rich rapids.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Aimara Wolf Fish (Hoplias aimara). The apex of wolf fish. Monstrous (reaches one meter / 3.3 feet and 40kg / 88 lbs). It has an armored head, huge projecting canines visible from jaws designed to shear and an immense tail for lightning accelerations.

Social Behavior: The asocial and hyper-aggressive killer. It is an ambush predator that lives strictly isolated (Strictly Solitary). It will attack anything that moves, often breaking tanks and hurling its snout against fingers on the glass.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Pure camouflage for the Amazonian seabed: a mix of mud brown, black and olive-silver, with a typical opaque black "mark" in the shape of an inverted V (or bar) behind the brachial operculum. No dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Tank for MONSTERS. An indoor pool of at least 250 cm (100 inches) (3000 liters / 800 gallons) equipped with CEMENTED LIDS. It will smash thin glass and jump out easily breaking plastic lids if frightened. Irremovable massive woods.

Diet and Feeding: Extreme carnivore (Piscivore). Can shear large fish in half. Must be fed (using LONG TONGS) with salmon steaks, whole trout, mussels and prawns. DO NOT put hands in the tank during meals or you risk stitches at the ER.

Water Quality: Requires strong currents to reproduce the rapids it comes from (essential for oxygenation) and industrial filters to support the colossal meals. Resists pH variations but cannot stand prolonged cold.

Compatibility and Tankmates: None. It will kill and eat (or dismember) any tankmate sooner or later, including sharks, pacus and arowanas. Keep it STRICTLY as the only animal in the tank (Species-only).

Aquarium Reproduction: Impossible in home aquariums. Forming a pair invariably leads to the death of one of the two partners in the confined aquarium spaces.

Risks and Diseases: PHYSICAL risk for the keeper! This is a dangerous fish. Its bites cause amputations or deep lacerations. Tank maintenance must be done by interposing plastic separators (dividers).