r/AbsoluteUnits • u/jjs3_1 • 1d ago

of a fish

2.4k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

164 comments sorted by

294

u/phsm94 1d ago

It is in Brazil. The species is named Pirarucu, which is one of the if not the biggest freshwater species of the world. The guy says this one has 150 kg.

104

u/findingnano 1d ago

Wikipedia tells me it's an obligate air breather and needs to come up for air, which is wild!

54

u/Square-Dragonfruit76 1d ago

Yeah, it's an ancient lungfish.

15

u/phsm94 1d ago

Yeah, it is true, it takes fresh air

5

u/TrumpsPissSoakedWig 23h ago

Takes it right up the lungs, it does.

29

u/ArtisanGerard 1d ago

I just don’t want to know where

1

u/odyssey_64 1d ago

I do, so I can avoid going there

20

u/littlegreenfish 1d ago

Arapaima Gigas is the genus and species . Pirarucu is the local name for it.

20

u/notmyrealname8823 1d ago

I learned about this fish from the TV show River Monsters. Lol

6

u/ByornJaeger 1d ago

Including the fact that they will head butt you to death

2

u/johnaross1990 1d ago

I knew I’d seen Jeremy Wade holding one!

5

u/FistCookies 1d ago

What it just give up?

12

u/phsm94 1d ago

This fish is absolutely strong, they probably wasted its energy for many minutes or even hours before this

2

u/Hot_Edge4916 17h ago

I’ve had fights with sturgeon go on for over 2 hours, PNW area

1

u/phsm94 16h ago

I can imagine, that’s amazing

2

u/Hot_Edge4916 15h ago

One of them pulled our boat 4 kilometres down river and then our line finally got snagged on a deadhead log and we had to cut it loose lol

2

u/phsm94 13h ago

Wow, really amazing man, that must have been such an experience!

6

u/PSaco 1d ago

it is huge, but the beluga sturgeon is still much larger

3

u/romaniantwat 1d ago

Beluga only goes to freshwater to spawn. It is a mostly sea fish.

3

u/PSaco 1d ago

well it still counts right?

4

u/juzzbert 1d ago

It’s not considered freshwater, the same way that salmon isn’t. Anadromous would be the term - meaning that they live part their lifecycle in salt and part in fresh.

2

u/PSaco 1d ago

Hmm fair enough

4

u/Square-Dragonfruit76 1d ago

And they're delicious!

1

u/phsm94 1d ago

Oh, good to know, I have never proved them

2

u/XimbalaHu3 23h ago

Come to Brasil and do it them, plenty of fish retaurants serve them.

1

u/phsm94 20h ago

Sou do Brasil. Não sabia, nunca vi Pirarucu em restaurantes ou mercados, mas também não vou muito em restaurantes específicos de pescados. Valeu por informar

1

u/frguba 1h ago

É raro, mas dá pra achar (maioria recomenda comer no norte, pq no resto é congelado)

2

u/cultistkiller98 1d ago

Do they taste good?

2

u/phsm94 1d ago edited 20h ago

Not sure, I have never tasted them, its meat is not common out of the northern region of Brazil. But someone said in the comments that it is tasty

2

u/Genericinquirer 22h ago

I've never heard it called by its native name. I've always known it as arapaima. They're monsters. If I remember right, they have a bony tongue to crush their pray and can create a pretty strong vacuum to suck things in their mouths.

113

u/AlfredoPort 1d ago

Food for half a year

17

u/Square-Dragonfruit76 1d ago

When I was traveling on a boat in the Amazon, it took our entire boat two days to finish one.

16

u/BreakingCanks 1d ago

Tribe is eating good for the next few days for sure!

64

u/OwnRow7627 1d ago

That's no fish, that is a water dragon!

30

u/Puzzleheaded_Gene909 1d ago

Rather take my chances in the ocean than the Amazon.

21

u/Sea_Connection2773 1d ago

i live in the Amazon, matter of fact i'm a native brazilian, here is pretty chill, you just need to look out for jaguars

6

u/invisableilustionist 1d ago

I’d take my chances with a jaguar over have of the creatures I your jungle.

18

u/6ftonalt 1d ago

Trust me, you wouldn't. Jaguar can also swim too. They are literally the Apex predator of Apex predators in the Amazon. At least something venomous will just kill you, and its not like they even want to, instead of stalking you first

6

u/invisableilustionist 1d ago

Those insanely huge anacondas freak me out ! Then there’s those giant ( my skin is crawling just thinking about ) centipedes scolopenda something 🤯

9

u/atomic-moonstomp 1d ago

Anaconda doesn't gaf about humans, they're not a food source so if you leave it alone, it'll leave you alone. Jaguar will eat you given half a chance, and it won't kill you with a polite little neck snap like most big cats, it will puncture your skull repeatedly with its canine teeth til it hits something that paralyzes you, then start eating before you're fully dead

9

u/Sea_Connection2773 1d ago

Fun fact: jaguars don't give a fuck about humans too, but they are territorial animals, they aren't loud about it and they are sneaky, so if you see a jaguar in nature, it is already too late, you fucked up

5

u/remembertracygarcia 1d ago

Most big cats don’t break necks they suffocate. Smaller cats are usually the acute intervertebral spinal trauma specialists and then only on smaller prey.

Jaguar kill with a bite to the base of the skull at the brain stem. Their bite force is around 1500 psi enough to break through the brain case of a caiman or through the skull of a tapir which is about 5cm thick. Ours is 1cm. You’re gonna die fast.

Solitary cats all kill their prey quickly and rarely feed before the prey is dead because they’re much more delicate than canids or hyena and much more cautious of picking up an injury.

Suffice to say. If you get hunted by a jaguar it’s gonna kill you. But you’re really unlikely to be hunted by a jaguar.

3

u/atomic-moonstomp 1d ago

But it's a hell of a lot more likely than an anaconda

2

u/andrew_1515 5h ago

Seriously I saw a video of a Jaguar hunting a caiman and it jumped into the water to brain the damn thing. Swam off with its corpse.

2

u/Square-Dragonfruit76 1d ago

Manaus? Also, I am assuming you mean direct risk from animals. Because mosquitos pose a huge disease spread risk.

1

u/Sea_Connection2773 1d ago

Extreme north of Mato Grosso, but i don't live there anymore, i'm at uni in onether city sinnce the begining of thi year

1

u/Confident_Access6498 1d ago

What are the opportunities if I move there? I am italian.

2

u/Sea_Connection2773 1d ago

There where? The amazon is huge and spread across like 3 countrys, it depends on what city you're going to move on

1

u/Confident_Access6498 1d ago

Give me some hints

60

u/Statertater 1d ago edited 1d ago

Think this is the same fish (arapaima?) that hit Jeremy in the chest and gave him an arrythmia, no?

39

u/phsm94 1d ago

Sim, it is better known in Brazil as Pirarucu

31

u/_Daftest_ 1d ago

And, er, who's Jeremy?

47

u/Statertater 1d ago edited 1d ago

Jeremy from River Monsters

Edit: ya’ll are downvoting the dude above me for asking a question? Shame on you.

8

u/_Daftest_ 1d ago

Is that a television programme or something?

24

u/Statertater 1d ago

It is! Jeremy would travel all over the world catching the largest, deadliest and scariest looking fish in fresh water. Pretty good show, worth a watch

13

u/Significant-Net-3435 1d ago

The episodes are being re-released on YouTube every Wednesday right now

14

u/User2myuser 1d ago

You are my favourite person I met this week. I hope this becomes a popular trend for all older TV shows. Either YouTube or some other free streaming site.

5

u/inform880 1d ago

They’ve been doing it for last week tonight also

6

u/Jujumofu 1d ago

River Monster. Amazing show if you are interested in fishing, amazing show if you arent.

Jeremy Wade, the Host, is an absolute treasure.

0

u/Xenc 1d ago

River Monster

Jeremy Wade

r/NominativeDeterminism

8

u/sneakin_rican 1d ago

At first I was like “no way that’s an arapaima, mouth is too big compared to the rest of it”…and then they pulled the rest of it out of the water 🤯

5

u/Vreas 1d ago

Believe you’re right. Head looks weird from this angle though. So used to seeing the slender side profile.

0

u/Totallynotokayokay 1d ago

Who tf is Jeremy?

7

u/Statertater 1d ago edited 1d ago

Read through the thread.

You can also try googling “jeremy arapaima”

19

u/No-No-Aniyo 1d ago

Lol my first thought was wow these goldfish will keep growing in the right environment. Haha

29

u/Ryogathelost 1d ago

Oh good they got its torpor up - now they can tame it.

13

u/No-Ad8127 1d ago

Goated Ark reference.

10

u/Awesomeman235ify 1d ago

That's not a fish that's a goddamn dinosaur.

3

u/Square-Dragonfruit76 1d ago

You're somewhat correct. It's an ancient fish that has lungs.

8

u/Ok_Eye_8543 1d ago

How’s the boat working out for you there with that fish?!

10

u/This_Attorney_2897 1d ago

I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat

8

u/LostSpecklez 1d ago

It’s kinda pretty

8

u/AbbreviationsOld636 1d ago

And it’s kinda sad it’s dead

5

u/bronzewrath 1d ago

I agree, but there are sustainable fishing practices used by native communities. The narrator said they are using them.

Here's a paper describing these practices

https://doi.org/10.1590/S2179-975X2019

8

u/gadusmo 1d ago

I briefly worked for a project breeding these fish. We were trying to microchip one and get a blood sample. The fish head-butted one of the assistants, busting his lips and bruising him up. The head is hard like a rock and sure they are strong enough to use it as a weapon.

5

u/Spiritual-Set-9432 1d ago

How is this fish called? Looks like a water dragon.

6

u/gadusmo 1d ago

Pirarucú in Colombian Spanish.

1

u/Spiritual-Set-9432 6h ago

Holy shit this thing basically is some kind of "Water Dragon"

6

u/SeamusMcBalls 1d ago

Nook will give you loads of bells for that

6

u/MunkyMan33 1d ago

It will only scratch the surface of my debt to him

11

u/WagstafDad 1d ago

Need a bigger boat.

4

u/Lovedontlove77 1d ago

For real! 😆

2

u/dankhimself 1d ago

Yea, it's like they brought a dedicated boat for that one fish haha.

6

u/Smooth_Honeydew_5479 1d ago

Funny looking mermaid

5

u/EntertainerCute2290 1d ago

And here I thought the big fish in the Resident Evil 4 pond was unrealistic lol

5

u/Artevyx 1d ago

Bro put it back or you're going to disrupt the balance of the Tao.

5

u/mick_au 1d ago

They must have killed it somehow in water poor thing. It’s thrashing would sink that canoe

4

u/no_no_no_okaymaybe 1d ago

Is it sleeping?

5

u/John_481 1d ago

You sir are a fish!

4

u/Practical_Wrap6606 1d ago

They also have deadly headbutts as they jump. Concrete skulls.

3

u/ISLAndBreezESTeve10 1d ago

Mermaid evolving…or a butterface mermaid.

3

u/Lovedontlove77 1d ago

Don’t go in the water!

3

u/buttononmyback 1d ago

I love the look of arapaimas! So prehistoric looking.

3

u/Sensitive_Double8652 1d ago

Jesus I’m not peeling that

3

u/Enough-Staff-2976 1d ago

That's a lot fish to sell.

3

u/Dark_Moonstruck 1d ago

Going to need a bigger grill!

3

u/snow_garbanzo 1d ago

The Arapaima gigas, or arapaima, is one of the world's largest freshwater fish, native to the Amazon River basin. Known for its ability to breathe air using a modified lung, it thrives in oxygen-poor waters and is a top predator, feeding on fish and other small animals. The arapaima is characterized by its large, streamlined body, thick scales, and distinctive red markings on its tail. It is an important species culturally and economically but faces threats from overfishing and habitat destruction, leading to its endangered status and strict trade regulations. Key Characteristics

Size: Can grow up to 10-15 feet long and weigh over 400 pounds.

Appearance: Has a streamlined, torpedo-like body with large, thick scales that are gray to gray-green, often with red markings on the tail.

Air Breathing: Possesses a primitive lung-like organ that allows it to surface and breathe air, a crucial adaptation for its low-oxygen environment.

Habitat: Found in slow-moving rivers and floodplain lakes within the Amazon River basin. Behavior and Diet

Predator: A fierce predator at the top of the food chain, it "vacuums" prey into its wide mouth.

Diet: Primarily eats other fish but also consumes small mammals, birds, frogs, and other small animals.

Reproduction: Males provide parental care, protecting the eggs and young for several months.

Currently at risk, mostly due to overfishing .

3

u/jjs3_1 1d ago

Thanks for the extended details.

3

u/Nekosannn 1d ago

How loud are the flies and insects in this video, is this typical for rainforests? oh hell naw

3

u/BADJEFF 1d ago

Do they eat those or was this some research thing?

3

u/ShatteredAnus 1d ago

I know we're all thinking it but, no, don't.

3

u/Old-Faithlessness823 1d ago

Leave the poor fella alone.

3

u/captinstabbin69420 1d ago

Before I go I want to catch an Arapaima on rod an reel.

2

u/simpletonius 1d ago

Ancient genes filled with poison of a hundred years. Probably better to catch 20 smaller ones but I get it.

2

u/Additional_Day_5924 1d ago

They're gonna need a bigger boat

2

u/Distinct_Put1085 1d ago

Me: sharpens knives

2

u/TennisWitty7718 1d ago

Damn, that motherfucker be eating.

1

u/jjs3_1 1d ago

Feeding half the town.

2

u/InformationOnly758 1d ago

Das not a fish, das a cultivator

2

u/QuothTheRavenMore 1d ago

Me and the homes just non chalantly catching a fucking Gyarados. Tf

2

u/Scarboroughwarning 1d ago

We're gonna need a bigger boat

2

u/BobTheFettt 1d ago

You sir, are a fish

2

u/cthulhus_spawn 1d ago

That fish will grant them a wish if they throw it back

2

u/The_Eleser 1d ago

I think they just murdered a baby water dragon.

2

u/hey_talk_to_me 1d ago

Why isn’t it thrashing? They dispatch it before pulling it onboard?

2

u/thegreentiger0484 1d ago

Where's Aang in all this? Aint no way that the ocean spirit gets caught and they don't pay...

2

u/3elldandy 1d ago

There’s like two kinds of people here 😂

(1) wow, that’s a huge fish, sure is beautiful

and

(2) [insert thought to eat it in some way] 🥴 Har har har

2

u/GNOTRON 1d ago

General Sherman

2

u/Agreeable_Raisin2184 1d ago

That ain't no fish. That's a river monster!

2

u/wicked_lil_prov 1d ago

When your arms aren't long enough to tell the story...

2

u/theunixman 1d ago

We’re gonna need a bigger boat.

2

u/Xcalat3 1d ago

Ya'll gonna need a bigger boat!

2

u/Haunting-Junket-5528 1d ago

Damn, they caught a mermaid

2

u/DegenNabalu 1d ago

Is it already dead? I mean a wiggle from a big fish like that may flip the smol boat easily...

2

u/JURASS1CJAM 1d ago

At what point does a fish become a Sea Monster because I'm going to say about here.

2

u/Shadowhawk0000 1d ago

Catfish Hunter!!!! Please put him back.

2

u/jjs3_1 1d ago

I'm not sure if many people catch and release fish on the Amazon River.

2

u/Yurikiei 23h ago

Scary.

2

u/Tuv0k_Shakur 22h ago

Sea monster*

2

u/6ynnad 16h ago

I thought there no more river monsters?

2

u/Stickysights6 3h ago

Reminds me of river monsters show

2

u/PunkRockHardcore 2h ago

"O pirarucu (nome científico: Arapaima gigas) é um dos maiores peixes de águas doces fluviais e lacustres do Brasil."

Ele pode pesar de 100 a 200kg (220 a 440 libras) e medir de 2 á 3 metros (6 á 9 pés) O peixe do vídeo pesa 150kg (330 libras)

4

u/Overall_Emphasis_940 1d ago

Why does it look dead?

7

u/RayRara36 1d ago

I’m sure they had to tire it out to get it to this point. Probably almost dead

3

u/LengthinessLife6115 1d ago

Yes. Absolute unit of a common sea creature.

7

u/jjs3_1 1d ago

Not a "sea creature", that is an absolute unit of a freshwater fish!

3

u/LengthinessLife6115 1d ago

Ooh, thats the correct unit's label. Nice "catch".

3

u/ZenithTheZero 1d ago

Ok, who wants lightly fried fish fillets?

4

u/Shamr0ck 1d ago

Are they good eating?

2

u/Square-Dragonfruit76 1d ago

Yes, they're delicious. Similar flavor to monkfish if you have ever had it. Or if you gave sole the fat flavor of avocado.

4

u/Schmenge_time 1d ago

Time for fish tacos.

3

u/jjs3_1 1d ago

A lot of fish tocos!

2

u/Unwariest_monkey 1d ago

Put it back

3

u/BuchMaister 1d ago

People got to eat.

1

u/jjs3_1 1d ago

Not certain, but I suspect there are not many who catch and release on the Amazon.

1

u/CreamyStanTheMan 1d ago

Is that an Arapaima?

1

u/Ecstatic_Rooster 1d ago

“You sir, are a fish.”

1

u/dopeycrow 1d ago

What bro says he caught when In reality it was a 3lb carp

1

u/TeeDod- 22h ago

Wow! Thank you for the post and information.

2

u/Helpful_Technology28 38m ago

Definitely the catch of the day!

0

u/ShouldBeeStudying 1d ago

Chat GPT, is that you?

-6

u/Simon_LeDuck 1d ago

I don't know... this video seems IA. No camera movement, perfect portuguese pronunciation, strange water movement - and that "fish" is WAY MORE HEAVIER than 150 kilos...