Goliath tiger fish: habitats, what it eats, fishing

The Congo is the second largest and deepest river in the world after the Amazon. This river crosses the equator 2 times. It is characterized by the fact that in its basin there are more than 20 species of small fish and up to 875 representatives of large species, including various other representatives of flora and fauna. Large representatives include giant monitor lizards, large crocodiles, turtles, snakes, etc. About 250 species are rare species, and some of them are still unknown to science.

The Congo River is a fast flowing river.

This river is indeed characterized by a strong and powerful current, which has a serious impact on the evolutionary development of many fish species. Some species of fish are not able to resist the current, therefore they accumulate in certain sectors, as well as in certain areas. Thanks to such factors, many unusual representatives of flora and fauna appeared in the river basin. Among the monsters that inhabit the Congo River basin, there are those that can easily cope with the flow of the river. Goliath fish is exactly the kind of fish that feels comfortable in a powerful current, instilling fear and horror in the underwater inhabitants of the Congo River.

Potential victims, unable to withstand the conditions of a powerful current, themselves fall into the mouth of this powerful and strong fish.

The fish got its name due to its huge size, which characterized the warrior Goliath, who had a height of 2 meters 89 cm. Due to the presence of horizontally located dark stripes on the back, this fish is also called “tiger”. For the first time it became known about this river monster in 1861. This predator can be found in large and large rivers and lakes, such as the Congo River, Nile, Senegal, Omo, as well as in Lake Tanganyik. Naturally, such a river monster chooses large reservoirs for itself. The predator leads a pack lifestyle, both with its relatives and with predators of other species. As a rule, males are much larger than females.

Goliath fish: description

This fish has a strong elongated body, covered with large scales, silvery in color. The fins are red or bright orange, with pointed edges. In other words, the body of a goliath fish is the characteristic body of a predator. Its parameters are:

• The length is about 2 meters.
• The fish weighs 50 kg, or even more.
• The predator lives for about 15 years.
• The head is large, as is the large mouth.
• The number of teeth is 32, sharp as a razor, which allows the fish to simply tear potential prey into pieces without chewing. New teeth grow in place of lost teeth.
• The predator has excellent hearing, as well as the ability to feel the victim by low-frequency vibrations.
• The fish navigates the strong current with confidence.

Goliath tiger fish: what feeds on

The fish is omnivorous and in its voracity and bloodthirstiness it can easily be compared with piranha fish. The main source of the diet is fish, as well as plant foods and detritus, including small mammals.

There have been cases and it has been documented attacks of this fish on crocodiles and even on humans, when this predator lacked food.

The female goliath fish spawns during the rainy season, from December to January. To spawn, the fish move to smaller tributaries, where females lay a huge amount of eggs, hiding it in dense thickets of aquatic vegetation, in shallow water. When goliath fry are born, very comfortable conditions await them: warm water and an abundance of food. As they grow older, they have to move to large rivers with intense currents. Moreover, after the end of the rainy season, some small tributaries of a large river may dry up.

Fishing for a river monster

Goliath fish is considered the most dangerous and scary freshwater fish, and fishing for it is equated with bear hunting. In this regard, many local anglers practice catching this monster and consider it a kind of duty. In addition to local fishermen, many amateur fishermen from all over the world come to the banks of the Congo River every year to “tickle” their nerves and test themselves in extreme conditions. Such fishing is a real, sometimes dangerous adventure. Despite this, goliath fish is a desirable trophy for any angler.

Still, it is not so easy to catch a tiger fish, because its sharp teeth can bite through the fishing line of any diameter. Therefore, fishing is carried out using durable leashes made of steel and other materials. This is the only way to expect success. This type of fishing should be prepared in advance and carefully.

Jeremy Wade, who is an expert on river fish species and host of the TV program River Monsters, managed to catch this giant predator. And this is all thanks to experience, as this person has been fishing since childhood. During his 52 years of life, he managed to visit various parts of our planet, where he managed to catch unusual representatives of the underwater world.

To catch such a coveted prey, the monster hunter had to spend more than a week visiting the most inaccessible places of the Congo River. For his stubbornness, he was rewarded, and he came across a fish weighing 70 kg and up to one and a half meters long.

In the photo you can see which giant Jeremy caught. The photo also shows what powerful teeth and what a huge mouth this huge predator has. It remains only to admire the experience and fearlessness of this man. What is worth it just to visit such difficult conditions of the Congo River, when dangerous surprises lie in wait for you at every step.