Tigerfish can refer to fish from various families, and derives from official and colloquial associations of these with the

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living Felidae, cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily pr ...

(''Panthera tigris''). However, the primary species designated by the name "tigerfish" are African and belong to the family

Alestidae African tetras (family Alestidae, formerly spelled Alestiidae) are a group of characiform fish exclusively found in Africa. This family contains about 18 genera and 119 species. Among the best known members are the Congo tetra, and African tige ...

African tigerfish

Several species belonging to the genus ''

Hydrocynus ''Hydrocynus'' is a genus of large characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," native to the African continent. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ("water"Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). ''A Greek-En ...

'' of the family

are referred to as "tigerfish", and are particularly prized as

game fish Game fish, sport fish or quarry refer to popular fish pursued by recreational anglers, and can be freshwater or saltwater fish. Game fish can be eaten after being caught, or released after capture. Some game fish are also targeted commercial ...

. These

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

fish Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...

are found in many rivers and lakes on the continent and are fierce predators with distinctive, proportionally large teeth. The goliath tigerfish (''

Hydrocynus goliath ''Hydrocynus goliath'', also known as the goliath tigerfish, giant tigerfish, or mbenga, is a very large African predatory freshwater fish of the family Alestidae. Distribution ''Hydrocynus goliath'' is found in the Congo River Basin (including ...

'') is among the most famous tigerfish. The largest one on record is said to have weighed . It is found in the

Congo River The Congo River ( kg, Nzâdi Kôngo, french: Fleuve Congo, pt, Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharg ...

system and

Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika () is an African Great Lake. It is the second-oldest freshwater lake in the world, the second-largest by volume, and the second-deepest, in all cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is the world's longest freshwater lake. T ...

and is the largest member of the family Alestidae. Another famous species, simply called the tigerfish (''

Hydrocynus vittatus ''Hydrocynus vittatus'', the African tigerfish, tiervis or ngwesh is a predatory freshwater fish distributed throughout much of Africa. This fish is generally a piscivore but it has been observed leaping out of the water and catching barn swallo ...

''), is commonly found in the southernly Okavango Delta, and the

Zambezi River The Zambezi River (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than hal ...

, and also in the two biggest lakes along the Zambezi,

Lake Kariba Lake Kariba is the world's largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume. It lies upstream from the Indian Ocean, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba was filled between 1958 and 1963 following the completion of the K ...

which borders Zimbabwe and Zambia, Kabombo River in Zambia and

Cabora Bassa The Cahora Bassa lake—in the Portuguese colonial era (until 1974) known as Cabora Bassa, from Nyungwe ''Kahoura-Bassa'', meaning "finish the job"—is Africa's fourth-largest artificial lake, situated in the Tete Province in Mozambique. In Afr ...

in Mozambique, and finally in the Jozini dam in South Africa. Both the goliath tigerfish and its smaller relative the tigerfish are found in Africa.

Behavior

In the western gamefishing world, ''

'' is considered Africa's equivalent of the South American

piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, f ...

, though it belongs to a completely different zoological family. Like the piranha, individual tigerfish have interlocking, razor-sharp teeth, along with streamlined, muscular bodies, and are extremely aggressive and capable predators who often hunt in groups. The

African tigerfish ''Hydrocynus'' is a genus of large characin fish in the family Alestidae commonly called "tigerfish," native to the African continent. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ("water"Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). ''A Greek-En ...

is the first freshwater fish recorded and confirmed to attack and catch birds in flight.Fish leaps to catch birds on the wing (video)
Nature.com (January 9, 2014).

Cichlids Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted th ...

The name "tigerfish" has occasionally been used for a species of

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted th ...

in the genus ''

Rhamphochromis ''Rhamphochromis'' is a genus of East African haplochromine cichlids endemic to the Lake Malawi basin, also including Lake Malombe, Lake Chilingali, Chia Lagoon and upper Shire River.Genner; Nichols; Carvalho; Robinson; Shaw; Smith; and Turner ...

''. The species is large, silver-coloured, and individuals typically have one or more black lines running the length of either flank. These fish are native to

Lake Malawi Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the fifth largest f ...

in Africa. Like the other African tigerfish species, they are famed for possessing large, prominent teeth, and they are known to attack humans.

Datnioididae ''Datnioides'' is a genus of fish known commonly as tigerfish, tiger perch or freshwater tripletails, but all of these common names are also used for other families. It is the only genus in the family Datnioididae. These fish are found in fres ...

Several species of '' Coius'' (or ''

Datnioides ''Datnioides'' is a genus of fish known commonly as tigerfish, tiger perch or freshwater tripletails, but all of these common names are also used for other families. It is the only genus in the family Datnioididae. These fish are found in fres ...

'', depending on the taxonomic authority) have been referred to as "tigerfish", particularly in fishkeeping books and magazines. They are large, wide-bodied fish whose flanks are covered by vivid black stripes.

Erythrinidae The Erythrinidae are a family of fishes found in rivers and other freshwater habitats from Costa Rica south as far as Argentina. They are common and are caught with hooks by fishermen, partially because of their voracious behaviour. They are some ...

The large South American

characin Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationsh ...

s of the family

Erythrinidae The Erythrinidae are a family of fishes found in rivers and other freshwater habitats from Costa Rica south as far as Argentina. They are common and are caught with hooks by fishermen, partially because of their voracious behaviour. They are some ...

have also sometimes been called "tigerfish".

References

Tiger fish
– ''Guide to the Tiger fish (Hydrocynus forskalii)'' * {{cite book , last1=Phillipson , first1=David W. , year=1975 , title=Mosi-oa-Tunya: A Handbook to the Victoria Falls Region , publisher=Longman , isbn=0-582-64170-5 , oclc=2639131

External links

Discovery Channel's River MonstersFishbase list of species commonly called "tigerfish"Fishbase list of species commonly called "tiger fish"
Fish common names th:ปลาเสือ

African tigerfish

Behavior

Cichlids Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted th ...

Datnioididae ''Datnioides'' is a genus of fish known commonly as tigerfish, tiger perch or freshwater tripletails, but all of these common names are also used for other families. It is the only genus in the family Datnioididae. These fish are found in fres ...

Erythrinidae The Erythrinidae are a family of fishes found in rivers and other freshwater habitats from Costa Rica south as far as Argentina. They are common and are caught with hooks by fishermen, partially because of their voracious behaviour. They are some ...

See also

References

External links