Fauna
Fish

Tambaqui

Colossoma macropomum

Also known as Black Pacu, Black-finned Pacu, Giant Pacu, Cachama

Tambaqui navigate the flooded forests of South America during seasonal high waters, using extraordinarily strong jaws and human-like molar teeth to crush hard rubber seeds and palm fruits. They play a vital ecological role as long-distance seed dispersers, swimming through inundated canopies to consume and spread forest vegetation. Juvenile fish filter zooplankton in open river waters before maturing into deep-bodied, black-finned adults that can weigh over thirty kilograms.

FreshwaterFruit EaterAmazonian
Tambaqui reference1 / 2
(c) Brian Gratwicke, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyRubber Tree Seeds, Palm Fruits, Zooplankton
Predators
  • Jaguar
  • Black Caiman
  • Giant Otter
ThreatsOverfishing, dam construction, and deforestation of seed-bearing floodplain forests
HabitatsFlooded forests, rivers, oxbow lakes, and floodplain lakes
Life spanUp to 40 years
Classification
  1. OrderCharaciformes
  2. FamilySerrasalmidae
  3. GenusColossoma
  4. SpeciesColossoma macropomum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Possesses powerful jaws designed to crush hard nuts; handle landed fish with extreme care.
Why it is dangerous
Equipped with dense molar teeth and extremely powerful jaw muscles designed to crush nuts, capable of inflicting severe crushing injuries.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognized by its deep, compressed body, dark grey to black lower fins, and broad crushing teeth.
What to do
Never place fingers near or inside the mouth of a landed fish; use long-nosed pliers to clear hooks safely.
What to notice
Large, dark-colored characin with high body depth native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins.
Support conservation
Practice catch-and-release using barbless hooks, minimizing air exposure and supporting the belly.
Responsible observation
  • Observation: Look for feeding activity in flooded Amazonian forests during the rainy season when fruits fall into the water.
  • Handling: Keep fingers well away from the mouth when unhooking, using long pliers to avoid crushing bites.
  • Ethical Angling: Support the fish beneath its heavy body when lifting to avoid injuring internal organs before release.
Related species
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