Tigerfish

Tigerfish is the common name for a variety of species from several different families of fish, usually on account of their colouration or otherwise fearsome appearance:

Alestiidae

Several species in the genus Hydrocynus of the family Alestiidae are called "tigerfish" and are particularly prized as gamefish. These African fish found in many rivers and lakes on the continent, and are fierce predators with distinctive protruding teeth.

The two most common species and probably most recognisable in Southern Africa are the Goliath Tiger (Hydrocynus goliath) which is found in the Congo river system being the largest of the Family. The second largest and the southern-most species is the Tigerfish (Hydrocynus forskalii) commonly found in the Zambezi river and Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe. This species is often referred to as the best freshwater sport angling fish in the world and pound for pound, gives you as good a fight as the marlin with the current angling record standing at 16.10kg

Cichlidae

The name "tigerfish" has occasionally been used for species of cichlid in the genus Rhamphochromis. These are large, silver-colored fishes that may have one or two black horizontal lines running the length of the body. These fish are native to Lake Malawi, in Africa.

Datnioididae

Several species of Datnioides have been referred to as "tigerfish", particularly in fishkeeping books and magazines. They are large, deep-bodied fish with bold vertical black bands against a white, grey, or brownish background. They inhabit fresh and brackish waters in Southeast Asia.

Erythrinidae

The large South American characins of the family Erythrinidae have sometimes been called "tigerfish".

See also

• Tiger

References

• Tigerfish - Guide to the Tigerfish (Hydrocynus forskalii)
• Phillipson, David W. 1985. Mosi-oa-Tunya A Handbook to the Victoria Falls Region Longman Zimbabwe ISBN 0-582-64170-5

External links

• Fishbase list of species commonly called "tigerfish"
• Fishbase list of species commonly called "tiger fish"