Give me the names of some monster fishes that are apex predators in the water they inhabit. Don't count those ridiculously large one like alligator gars and arapaima. Anything that won't grow larger then 1.5 metres.
Monster fishes that are apex predators in the water they inhabit.
- Thread starter Fanatic_Fish_Lunatic
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I mean, there are a couple that come to mind.
1. goliath tigerfish: known for eating smaller crocodiles and being pretty much the face of river monsters, it fits the criteria. it grows to about 1.5 meters and is extremely predatory.
2. redtail catfish/banana catfish. grows to about 1.5 meters at the largest, and is an apex predator in the amazon
Mesoheros Festae (West Andes SA)
Brown Trout (Almost all streams inhabited unless salmon present)
Barramundi (Freshwater AUS)
Murray Cod (AUS)
Dovii Cichlid (Costa Rica, NIC, Other CA Waterways)
Emperor Cichlid (lake tangayika)
Freshwater Conger Eel (NZ)
Largemouth Bass (US ponds and rivers)
Smallmouth Bass (East US Creeks)
Flathead Catfish (Large US Rivers)
Lake Trout (Lake Tahoe, Large US Lakes)
Goonch Catfish (SE Asia)
Tor SP. (Asian Streams)
Cichla Temensis (Orinoco)
Gold Dorado (Rio Parana, other Temperate SA rivers)
Theres a tone more. Almost all waterways have a "monster" that dominates their native range.
Aren't goonch and barramundi grow like, really really large? Or in AUS they grow smaller than the Asia ones?
Freshwater impoundment Barra (landlocked) can grow as large as 1.5 metres but in tidal river systems 1.2 m is a very big barra
There are several species of goonch, Largest I've seen in captivity is only about 3-4 feet. They need a lot of dissolved oxygen to get HUGE. Barras can get quite large, but in aquaculture and aquaria they stay below the requested size by OP
There are plenty of formidable apex predator fish under 1.5 meters that dominate their waters. The Northern Pike and Muskellunge (Muskie) are notorious freshwater ambush predators with razor-sharp teeth, striking with explosive speed. In saltwater, the Barracuda is a sleek and aggressive hunter known for its lightning-fast attacks. The Peacock Bass, found in South American rivers, is a relentless predator that takes down anything it can fit in its mouth. Similarly, the invasive Snakehead is feared for its aggression and ability to outcompete native species. The Wolffish, with its powerful bite, thrives in cold saltwater environments, while the Bluefish is a ferocious schooling predator capable of shredding prey in a feeding frenzy. Despite their relatively small size, these fish are absolute monsters in their ecosystems.
That's a solid list! Another few worth mentioning are the Payara (Vampire Fish) from South America, which has insane fangs and a reputation for attacking prey at high speed, and the Japanese Seabass, a highly aggressive predator in coastal Asian waters. The Wels Catfish (though some grow over 1.5m) is a river monster in Europe, known for ambushing prey and even snatching birds from the surface. In African waters, the Tigerfish is a terrifying predator with interlocking teeth, and the Bowfin in North America is a prehistoric ambush hunter that thrives in slow-moving waters. You're right—almost every waterway has its own top predator!
Majority of Peacock bass get eaten by catfish, arapaima, or wolf characins. Bluefish and Barracuda I have actually seen used for bait so NOT apex predators. Pike and muskies are the only correct ones in this post as wolf eels only eat crustaceans.
Payara are common food for Wolf Characins, Peacock bass, and catfish. Not apex but piscivores. All forms of saltwater fish will get picked off by sharks so not APEX. Wels is an apex predator, But they get WAYYY ove 1.5m. Tigerfish is the only one that fits op's criteria. Bowfins are eaten by gar and flathead cats.
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Wolf that are apex, is that only Aimara? Or Malabaricus and other hoplias species too? Also thank you very much for all that info.