Animal Guide

Arapaima

27 destinations · 19 states

Native Range: Amazon and Essequibo river basins in South America

The arapaima is the kind of fish that can make an aquarium visitor stop mid-walk. Its long, thick body and large, armor-like scales give it an ancient appearance, while the deep reddish markings toward the tail add flashes of color as it turns. One of the most interesting things to watch is how it breathes. Arapaima must regularly rise to the surface and gulp air, creating a quick, noticeable movement in an otherwise calm tank. They can grow to enormous sizes in the wild, so seeing one up close gives a better sense of just how substantial this freshwater predator is. Keep an eye on its mouth too. An arapaima can suddenly open wide to swallow fish and other prey with a powerful suction. In the Amazon, this ability to breathe air helps it survive in warm, oxygen-poor waters. In an aquarium, those quiet trips to the surface become a simple behavior that makes this unusual fish much easier to appreciate.

Arapaima

Where to see Arapaima

27 destinations across 19 states

27 destinations

Brevard Zoo

Melbourne, FL

East Idaho Aquarium

Idaho Falls, ID

Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den

Scranton, PA

Layton Aquarium & Wildlife

Layton, UT

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Draper, UT

Memphis Zoo

Memphis, TN

Milwaukee County Zoo

Milwaukee, WI

Moody Gardens

Galveston, TX

Newport Aquarium

Newport, KY

NorCal Aquarium & Wildlife

Folsom, CA

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

One World Interactive Aquarium

Las Vegas, NV

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

Pittsburgh, PA

Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach, SC

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

Gatlinburg, TN

SEA LIFE at Mall of America

Bloomington, MN

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

Las Vegas, NV

Shedd Aquarium

Chicago, IL

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Washington, DC

Steinhart Aquarium

San Francisco, CA

Tennessee Aquarium

Chattanooga, TN

The Dallas World Aquarium

Dallas, TX

Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

Toledo, OH

Wildlife World Zoo

Litchfield Park, AZ

Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

Springfield, MO

Woodbridge Aquarium & Wildlife Center

Woodbridge, NJ

Zoo Miami

Miami, FL

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