Meet the most monstrous fish on the planet Earth, the Goliath Tigerfish, that can give a crocodile a run for its life. This freak of nature is one of the most dangerous water predators with a specialized set of razor-sharp teeth and a humongous body.
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A native of Congo River Basin, Lualaba River, Upemba, and Lake Tanganyika in Africa, this fish species is a threat among the locals, yet due to their limited population, these fishes are never captivated. Can you guess the reason behind it? This is done in order to maintain the balance of the ecosystem. There are many such astonishing facts about the Goliath Tigerfish that will leave you awestruck. Read On!
Goliath Tigerfish Taxonomy:
Let us know the scientific aspects of this tigerfish.
Scientific Name: Hydrocynus goliath
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Family: Alestidae
A Mammoth Creature:
What sets a Goliath Tigerfish apart from other anglers, is its external appearance.
It can grow as long as five feet and can weigh up to 110 pounds.
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One of the unbelievable Goliath Tigerfish facts is about its dentition. Thirty-two extremely sharp and pointed teeth are sufficient to tear a small-sized prey apart.
This fish can easily devour up a small crocodile or alligator due to its gigantic size and a strong set of teeth.
Its tremendous strength has given it a mythical status in the anglers category. It is also known as the "greatest freshwater gamefish in the world".
Fierce Predators of The Turbulent Waters:
The largest fish of the Tigerfish family, the Goliath love to make its prey helpless. That is why they hunt during turbulent waters so that the prey has no other chance but to get devoured by this beast.
They are well known for moving in large packs and circling the prey before attacking, to make them feel scared and vulnerable.
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Along with sharp teeth, this fish species is empowered with extremely excellent eyesight and air sacs which vibrates on movements happening nearby to it. This makes the detection of the prey much easier and the hunting capacity more vicious.
They have even been in the news for attacking humans. Locals believe that the fish is not responsible for it but an evil spirit called “mbenga” would possess the fish which made it attack innocent people.
Can This Monstrous Goliath Tigerfish be Captured?
There have been instances where the Goliath Tigerfish has been captured during the documentary filming of River Monsters.
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Jeremy Wade had caught this fish only to click a photo and had later planned to let it go. Unfortunately, the fish couldn’t survive as. During the struggle to go back into the river, it got hit by the heavy rocks.
A Fish Worth Seeing During The Lifetime!
These amazing Goliath Tigerfish Facts are the reason why scientists and researchers are more and more intrigued to find more information about it.
The most shocking fact is that this species breeds very rarely that is why they are at a higher risk of wiping off from this ecosystem. That is what makes this water animal a rare species too! For more such interesting insights on such animals visit Petsnurturing.
