Tigerfish
Tiger fish are a distinctive group of freshwater fish known for their unique appearance, characterized by long, pointed teeth and horizontal black stripes that resemble the pattern of a tiger's coat. These carnivorous fish belong to the family Characidae and can be found in various species across different regions, with the largest being the giant tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath), which inhabits the Congo River and can reach lengths of up to six feet and weigh as much as 125 pounds. Smaller species, like the striped tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus), are popular among sport fishermen due to their spirited nature and ability to leap out of the water when caught.
Tiger fish have specialized adaptations that allow them to thrive in their aquatic environments, such as gills that enable them to extract oxygen from water and fins that aid in their movement and balance. Their diet primarily consists of smaller fish and insects, making them effective predators in their habitat. In addition to their ecological role, tiger fishing is a recreational activity enjoyed in various cultures, similar to salmon fishing in North America. Mating occurs through a spawning process where females scatter eggs that males fertilize, leading to the development of young fish that typically join schools for protection and social interaction.
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Tiger fish
Tigerfish are named after the construction of their teeth and jaws and their horizontal black stripes. Their long, pointed teeth overlap the outside of their jaws when their mouths are closed. This is similar to the formation of tigers' teeth. Tigerfish also have thin, black stripes running along the length of their bodies, like tigers (Panthera tigris).
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Various (see below)
Genus: Various (see below)
Species: Various (see below)
The largest species of tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath) lives in the freshwater streams and rivers of the Congo River. It can grow to be up to six feet (1 3/4 meters) long and weigh up to 125 pounds (57 kilograms). Like other tigerfish, it has thin, black stripes running along its sides and long, sharp teeth hanging over its jaws when its mouth is closed. These features give tigerfish the name tiger. A much smaller species, the striped tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus), is a popular game fish. It measures 3 1/2 feet (1 meter). Despite its size, it leaps and fiercely fights against fishermen.
Like other fish in the Characidae family, tigerfish breathe through their gills. They find the oxygen they need in the water in which they live. Tigerfish take water into their mouths, keep the oxygen they need, and release the waste chemicals out through the gills on the sides of their bodies.
Tigerfish move through the water using their many fins. The constant side-to-side movements of their caudal, or tail, fins help steer and propel them through the water, while their pairs of pectoral, or side, fins paddle back and forth. Meanwhile, their dorsal and anal, or back and belly, fins remain in steady positions to keep tigerfish well-balanced in the water.
Like many fish, tigerfish are carnivorous, or meat-eating. Their diet includes many smaller fish and insects. Birds, reptiles, and many mammals threaten them. Three-striped tigerfish (Therapon jarbua) have sharp spines on their gills that protect them from predators.
Some people in North America enjoy fishing as a sport or hobby, and so do some people in the Congo. It is as exciting to catch a large tigerfish as it is in North America to catch a large salmon.
Mating for tigerfish begins with the female scattering her eggs throughout the water. The male swims over the eggs and fertilizes them. This system of eggs being deposited and fertilized is known as spawning. The eggs grow and develop until the young fish hatch. After hatching, the young fish find a school, or group, of tigerfish with which to live.
Species include:
Blue tigerfish Hydrocynus tanzaniae
Elongate tigerfish Hydrocynus forskahlii
Giant tigerfish Hydrocynus goliath
Indonesian tigerfish Datnioides microlepis
Silver tigerfish Datnioides polota
Striped tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus
Tigerfish Rhamphochromis longiceps
Tigerfish Hydrocynus brevis
Bibliography
Boulton, Jonathan. "Tigerfish 101." Hatch Magazine, 9 Jul. 2020, www.hatchmag.com/articles/tigerfish-101/7715082?page=9. Accessed 15 May 2024.
"Tigerfish." The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, www.iucnredlist.org/species/181744/84240374. Accessed 15 May 2024.