Also known as:
Wolffish
Traiarao
Traira
Anjoemara
Giant Trahira
Aimara
Common Group Name:
Wolf Fishes
Family Name:
Erythrinidae
Genus Name:
Hoplias
Species Name:
Hoplias aimara
Dispatch Method:
Beware of their sharp teeth when handling wolf fish. This species has a strong skull and can be tolerant of air exposure. They can be humanely killed by a firm knock to the head. Iki jime can be attempted if the angler has access to a suitably robust iki jime spike.
Fish Description:
- Wolf fish have an robust elongated cylindrical shape. They are mainly brown, but can be golden or dark greenish, often with a number of vertical patches or stripes as well as small darker spots.
Fish Distribution:
- Wolf fish are endemic to the Amazon, Tocantins, Essequibo, and Orinoco River Basins in South America as well as coastal rivers of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
- A benthic ambush predator, wolf fish reside mainly in backwaters and regions of slower counter current water flow.
Fish Size Common Length:
Common between 40 and 70 cm, maximum size around 120 cm and 40 kg.
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For assistance with identifying fishes, see fishesofaustralia.net.au. For information on size and bag limits, check out the website of your State Fisheries Department.
We thank fishesofaustralia.net.au and Australia's various Fisheries Departments for some of the thumbnail images used to assist with fish identification on this website and its applications, as licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia. Thanks also to Michigan State University and Georgia Aquarium for generous donation of xrays of some US fish species.
