Arapaima gigas
Emblematic fish of the Amazon fauna, paiche (also known as arapaima and pirarucu in English) can be found in the Midwest region as well, in the rivers of the Araguaia-Tocantins basin. It is one of the largest freshwater fishes of the world: it can reach 6.5 feet in length, and weighs an average of 220 pounds. As it needs to get part of its oxygen on the water surface, paiche became an easy target for overfishing, which left the species endangered of being extinct, until it started to be farmed. Fresh, it can be roasted, grilled or stewed. The closed season extends from December to May.
