South America is home to large and predator fish. Many of these unique and interesting fishes find their way into the aquarium hobby and it’s not uncommon to find them in pet stores or online for sale. One such beast is a species of wolf fish called Hoplias aimara.

 

This predator grows very large and will eat anything it can swallow. Check out the video below of this wolf fish consuming a ten inch fish. Its massive teeth damage and prevent the fish from escaping only to be inhaled. There is a great article on this fish written by Stephen Cousins called The Wolf Pack you need to check out.

 

Another great article to read is called Predators: Hoplias, wolves of the water by Oliver Lucanus. Also, check out the awesome picture taken by the author below. Oliver explains this species is more fearsome than the piranha in fact he states piranhas are pussycats relative to this wolf fish. This beast shares its nickname with another large fish but it’s a cichlid called Nandopsis dovii also called the guapote.

 

“Piranhas are pussycats! The Hoplias of South America are the predators to really fear, says Oliver Lucanus.” “No freshwater fish has a more fearsome reputation than the piranha, but, as many aquarists soon learn, these are actually quite timid. They get nervous when the aquarium is approached and prefer to bite pieces of other fishes’ fins rather than devour them whole.”

 

“Despite their reputation wolf fish can be good aquarium fish and are surprisingly interesting with other fish or in groups. Special rules apply, but these fish are hardy and easy to maintain.”

 

They are part of a characoid sub-family of 16 species, found from Costa Rica to Argentina in nearly every kind of water. Because the wolf fish can breathe air it can survive where few others could. In the dry season it’s not unusual to find Hoplias the last survivors in an emptying pool.

 

Despite their reputation wolf fish can be good aquarium fish and are surprisingly interesting with other fish or in groups. Special rules apply, but these fish are hardy and easy to maintain.

 

Hoplias aimara belongs to the fighters. Without any fear they attack even humans. And one should keep in mind that H. aimara attains a length of more than one meter! So one should be really careful with these fish.

 

For the first time ever we could import this species, which is known so far only from French Guyana and Venezuela, from the Brazilian state of Amapa. H. aimara differs from all other species of Hoplias by the very large eye. The specimens from Amapa are also much more colorful than any Hoplias we have seen so far.

 

For our customers: the fish have code 25858 on our stock list. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only three specimens available, one with a length of 12-15 cm, and two of 25-30 cm length! This photo by Aquarium Glaser resembles another predator called the Nile Perch.

 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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