Goliath Tigerfish

“Tigerfish” is a nickname given to several different species of African fish. They’re all vicious, sharp-toothed creatures, so the ferocious name is fitting.

“Goliath” refers to the giant from the story of David and Goliath. Goliath tigerfish are the largest members of the five species in the genus Hydrocynus. The first part of its scientific name, Hydrocynus goliath, comes from Greek, meaning hydro (water) and kyon (dog). However, some French-speaking African cultures call this fish Poisson Chien (dogfish) instead of tigerfish because of the same behavior as wild dogs, pet dogs, or wolves in the river.

On steroids, the goliath tigerfish resembles a typical fish. It possesses a set of sharp, jagged fangs that protrude from its mouth and is four times larger than a piranha. Its face has a golden flush, and its scales are white, yellow, brown, and gray. The majority of tigerfish are long and slender, but some are larger and fat, and they are fierce as hell. Their body size is unknown. The goliath tigerfish appears to be always on guard and prepared to strike because all of its eyes are pupils. The upright dorsal fin may make you think of a shark. Below the belly are three tiny fins.

The goliath tigerfish measures anywhere from 4–5 feet long when fully grown. Goliaths are sexual dimorphism species; the goliath tigerfish weighs between 90 and 100 pounds (41 and 45 kg). It’s been suggested that females are smaller than males, but this is anecdotal data and not anything verified by researchers.

The largest documented catch for the goliath tigerfish was 4.9 feet long and 154 pounds (70 kg). That’s the size of a small adult! 😳

Hydrocynus goliath is the largest member of the family Alestidae. Locals near the Congo River Basin call this species M'Benga, which means "the dangerous fish" in a Swahili dialect. This species lives only in the Congo basin. 😳

When hunting, the goliath tigerfish uses the calmer eddies of the rapids to ambush its prey, using its keen sight to detect prey. When a target is noticed, the fish accelerates to chase it down.

Hydrocynus goliath is a piscivore, feeding on any fish it can overpower, including smaller members of the same species. Goliath tigerfish are piscivores, meaning they will eat other fish. In the wild, they eat catfish, angelfish, carp, cichlids, and gobies. A number of incidents have been reported in the Congo of this fish attacking humans.

When hunting, this fish uses the calmer eddies of the rapids to ambush its prey, using its keen sight to detect prey. When a target is noticed, the fish accelerates to chase it down. The Nile crocodile is the only known predator of mature goliath tigerfish.

Goliath tigerfish are very aggressive species towards everything on sight. Confused, the young maidens are afraid of this ferocious fish in the desert lake.

Hydrocynus goliath is not a threatened species, but it was listed as having least concern status due to commercial properties for fishing, overexploitation, pollution, and habitat loss, among other reasons.

This tigerfish species lives in larger rivers and lakes in the Congo River basin, including the Lualaba River, Lake Upemba, and Lake Tanganyika.

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Increasing

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Aquatic

• Habitat: Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Warm Lake; Cold Lake.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Eswatini; Ethiopia; Ghana; Guinea; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Senegal; South Africa; South Sudan; North Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe

  • Presence Uncertain: Kenya

• Reinachos: worldwide

• Delphia: worldwide

• Sawintir: worldwide

Tigerfish can be tamed in a fish basket used for petting and put in your own artificial lake.

Coming soon

• ???

• Maori: Taika-ika

• Thai: ปลาไทเกอร์โกไลแอต

• Japanese: ムベンガ

• French: Poisson tigre goliath

• Spanish: Pez tigre goliat

• Czech: Binga tygří

• Russian: Большая тигровая рыба

• Ukrainian: Риба голіаф

• Deutsch: Riesen-Tigersalmler

• English: Goliath tigerfish, giant tigerfish, mbenga

• Svenska: Jättetigerfisk

• Sango: Mbenga, Mombändä

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocynus_goliath

• https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1460026

• https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Hydrocynus_goliath

• https://www.fishbase.ca/summary/8682

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/182833/7980766

• https://everywherewild.com/goliath-tigerfish/

• https://a-z-animals.com/animals/goliath-tigerfish/

• https://www.mandai.com/en/river-wonders/animals-and-zones/goliath-tigerfish.html

• https://factanimal.com/goliath-tigerfish/

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Nailtooth-891464986