Congo is the deepest river on the planet, the second in the world (after the Amazon) in terms of fullness and length of approximately 4700 km. The only waterway crossing the equator twice in its rich basin has a large number of diverse representatives of the African flora and fauna: more than 20 species of small fish and about 875 large varieties. Giant monitor lizards, large crocodiles, small turtles and snakes are far from a complete list of the inhabitants of such a chic reserve. About 250 species of them are rare, and most are simply unknown to science.
Congo - the river that sheltered the monster
Due to the strong current, the Congo River is a kind of evolutionary cauldron, contributing to the isolation of fish in certain sectors. This is due to the impotence of the latter before the power of the current. This forced isolation contributes to the emergence of a large number of unusual representatives of the animal world. The only individual that feels comfortable in the frantic game of the flow is the goliath tiger fish, a water monster that inspires fear and awe.
The river flow itself carries potential victims to its mouth, unable to resist the power of the water element.
The fish got its nickname for the gigantic size that the great warrior Goliath was famous for, having a height of 2 m 89 cm. And she is called the "tiger" for the horizontally dark stripes on the sides of the body. The first big goliath tiger fish was described in 1861. The African inhabitant is most often found in Lake Tanganyik and in the rivers Congo, Nile, Senegal, Omo. Large rivers and large lakes are the most comfortable habitat for the river giant. It can lead a pack life with individuals of its own species or predators similar to itself. Males are an order of magnitude larger than females.
Goliath: description of a predator
Goliath tiger fish with a strong oblong body, covered with large silver scales, and small pointed fins (red or bright orange) has all the qualities inherent exclusively to a predator:
- Length - up to 2 meters.
- Weight - 50 kg and more.
- Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years.
- Very large head with a large mouth.
- 32 teeth sharpened like a razor, the goliath tiger fish grabs them and rips the victim, without even chewing it. Over the course of life, new ones grow in place of the falling teeth.
- Excellent hearing, as well as the ability to feel prey on low-frequency vibrations.
- The ability to move easily in rough waters.
Goliath tiger fish: what it eats
In the natural environment, fish is omnivorous, its main food is fish and small mammals, although plant food and detritus are also included in the diet of the river monster, which, by its bloodthirstiness, can compete with the Amazonian piranha.
During periods of hunger attacks, the goliath is capable of attacking a person, and sometimes does not shun crocodiles, in nature these cases have been reported.
In nature, female goliath tiger fish spawn only a few days during the rainy season (December - January). Migrating from large rivers to small tributaries, females lay a large amount of eggs among dense vegetation in small places. For hatching fry, the initial period of life is more than comfortable, this is shallow water, warm water and an abundance of feed. Over time, the grown individuals are carried into large rivers.
