Red-tail pike characin

Boulengerella cuvieri

Also known as Pirapucu, Cuvier's pike characin

FreshwaterFish

Red-tail pike characin (Boulengerella cuvieri) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 34.6 in (88 cm)
Minimum tank: 528 gal (2,000 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Top
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Amazon, Tocantins, and Orinoco basins
Family: Ctenoluciidae

Overview

This is the giant of the pike characins, a surface predator that grows close to 90 centimeters, so despite its slim shape it needs pond-scale water, really around 2000 liters or more, and belongs only with keepers who can house a fish of that length. It cruises just under the surface and will eat any tankmate it can fit in its mouth, so it is best kept alone or with equally large, robust fish and never with anything it could swallow. It is nervous and very fast, and can injure its snout bolting into the glass or a loose lid, so it needs a long tank, a secure cover, and calm surroundings. Feed large meaty foods such as whole fish, prawns, and earthworms.

In the wild

In the wild the red-tail pike characin lives in the open surface waters of large rivers across the Amazon, Tocantins, and Orinoco basins, hanging in the current and ambushing smaller fish. It ranges through soft to moderately soft water rather than extreme blackwater. Recreate that with warm water from 23 to 28 C and a pH from about 5.5 to 7.2, kept very clean and well oxygenated. The tank has to be long and broad with a lot of open swimming room at the top, a firm lid, and only sparse decor so a fast fish has nothing to crash into.

Good to know

Boulengerella cuvieri, known in Brazil as the pirapucu or bicuda, is the largest member of the pike characin family Ctenoluciidae, reaching about 88 centimeters and a weight of several kilograms. Its body is drawn out into a long, muscular cylinder with a beak-like snout, built for short bursts of speed. It has not been bred in aquaria; all specimens are wild caught, and its adult size keeps it firmly a public-aquarium and specialist fish.

Did you know

At close to 90 centimeters and several kilograms, this is the biggest of the pike characins, a slender surface hunter that starts life as a small, harmless-looking juvenile in dealer tanks.