Predatory fish of the world. The most dangerous fish. Greenland shark

Man still knows very little who lives in the depths of the ocean, but even our knowledge is enough to understand that, in addition to cute fish, the most terrible creatures swim there. At least we can make the TOP 10 most scary fish in the world, with them in mind appearance or habits.

1. White shark

As far as we now know, the most terrible fish in the world's oceans is White shark. This is very ancient look huge and bloodthirsty. The size of the white shark is such that any prey is Marine life, except killer whales and large whales. Human meat is also included in her menu, but not often - as a delicacy. The white shark's huge mouth contains several rows of very sharp teeth, which are constantly renewed throughout its life. The length of a white shark can reach up to 10 meters, and it can easily bite a large prey - a seal or a person - in half.

2. Long-horned sabertooth

If we take into account solely the appearance, the most terrifying looking fish is the long-horned sabertooth, also known as the common sabertooth and the common needletooth. She actually looks quite scary and not very nice. This fish has a disproportionate big head. The body of adults is black. Long thin teeth protrude from both jaws of the fish. It is interesting that in appearance young saber-tooths are very different from adult individuals, so scientists for a long time even classified them as a different species. They have a different body structure, pointed spines on the head and a lighter color, and they live at shallower depths.
These gargoyle-like fish live in the great depths of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans in tropical and subtropical latitudes. These horror stories feed on crustaceans, small fish and squid. The young growth of the long-horned sabertooth itself is food for larger predators: tuna and no less terrible alepisaurs.

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3. Drop fish

Off the coast of Australia and Tasmania, at very great depths (presumably 600-1200 meters), there is a drop fish, which is also included in the list of the most terrible fish. More precisely, she is not so much scary as unattractive and to some extent disgusting-looking. Local fishermen call it the “Australian goby.”
The fish resembles at the same time dissatisfied old face human and some semblance of an embryo due to the watery, slippery body. However, it does not pose a danger to humans, if only because a person never appears at a depth of a kilometer, and fish do not swim near the surface. The blobfish does not have a swim bladder. The expression on the “face” of this fish is sad, even sad. This fish is inedible, but recently it has been increasingly caught by fishermen, which is why scientists have begun to fear for the safety of this species - maybe that’s why the drop fish is grieving so much? It will take at least a decade to restore its population.

4. Brownie shark

The goblin shark (Mitsekurina, Scapanorhynchus) also lives at great depths, but its population is probably small. At least to date, only a few similar specimens have been caught (less than 50 fish). Scientists have no idea about the habits of this mysterious deep-sea monster. So far they have only been able to establish that this species lives in the warm waters of all oceans at a depth of more than 200 meters. This shark is sometimes called the “goblin” for its terrifying appearance with a huge growth on its head and protruding, almost Alien-like jaws. Collectors of natural wonders greatly value such jaws.

5. Coelacanth

The coelacanth fish is an incredibly ancient species, considered a living fossil. Over hundreds of millions of years, it has changed little in its structure. The coelacanth has an eerie appearance, but it is not a very active fish and spends a lot of time in underwater caves.
On this moment two species of coelacanth were found, one lives in the southwestern part Indian Ocean, off the coast of South Africa, and the second was discovered at the very end of the last century near the island of Sulawesi. Coelacanths are covered, like armor, with powerful scales, which are good protection for them. The scales of coelacanths are unique, like no other modern fish; on its outer surface there are many protrusions that make the scales look like a file. Coelacanths feed on coelacanths, anchovies, cardinal fish, cephalopods, cuttlefish and even big-headed sharks.

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6. Monkfish

Fish angler or the European anglerfish is not uncommon; it lives along almost the entire European coast, from the Black Sea to the Barents Sea. The fish was named so because of its ugly appearance - a naked, scaleless body, a huge head with a large mouth.
This monster can glow in the dark deep sea- a luminous rod-like outgrowth looms in front of the fish’s mouth, which lures prey to itself. This fish belongs to the order of anglerfish, and if you consider that it reaches an impressive two-meter length and a human weight of 60 kg, it is easy to imagine how such a monster can scare.

7. Viper fish

The terrifying appearance has become main reason popularity of viper fish: long thin body in luminous points, a disproportionately large mouth, dotted with needle-sharp teeth, a luminous fin - a fishing rod, luring simple-minded victims into this mouth. The habitat of this fish is extensive - the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. But in this case, this fish is quite small - only 25 centimeters long.
This small predator is also deep-sea - it lives at about a kilometer depth, and if necessary, it can even descend into a 4-kilometer abyss. But this nocturnal predator hunts near the surface for small fish and other living creatures, after which it again plunges into the less populated depths of the ocean, where it can feel relatively safe.

8. Wart (stone fish)

Divers see a wide variety of rocks on the seabed, varying in color and shape. However, some stones may move unexpectedly. This is how the wart, the most poisonous fish in the world, mimics a reef stone. The body of the fish is covered with soft skin with bumps, like warts, which helps it skillfully camouflage itself on the bottom, pretending to be an inconspicuous stone. But the sharp, poisonous dorsal fins of this fish are especially dangerous, for which it was also nicknamed the wasp fish, and the Australian aborigines called it the warty vampire.
The length of an adult wart can reach 40 cm, although some divers claim to have met half-meter warts. The color of the stonefish can vary from brown to green, with reddish-orange spots. Despite its danger and repulsive appearance, warts are edible fish, from which sashimi is prepared. But the spines on the dorsal fin can easily pierce shoes and injure the leg, which often ends in the death of a person.

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9. Big tiger fish

This predatory freshwater fish is also called giant hydrocin or goliath, and local residents call it mbenga. The predator's mouth is armed with rare but impressive 32 fangs, reminiscent of crocodiles. It can easily not only bite the fishing line, but also the rod or the hand of a careless fisherman. Goliath is named so for a reason - it is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, which can weigh up to 100 kilograms. This monster lives in Central Africa, in the Congo River basin and Lake Tanganyika. In the Congo, there have been cases of river giant attacks on people. Local residents claim that the mbenga is the only fish that is not afraid of the crocodile.

10. Characin Vampire

The payara or characin fish lives in the Amazon River basin. But it also has another sonorous name - “vampire” for its two incredibly long lower fangs, with which it holds its prey (usually smaller fish). This fish is a coveted trophy for professional fishermen. Adult fish grow in the Amazon up to one and a half meters in length, but weigh relatively little - 14 kilograms. The lower fangs, which gave the characin the name “vampire,” can grow up to 16 centimeters. With the help of such a formidable weapon, the fish is able to reach the deeply hidden internal organs of the attacked victim, since it accurately determines their location.

Megalodon is the largest predatory fish that ever lived on Earth. This predator is similar in appearance to a white shark, only its size is much larger.

Scientists believe that megalodon in the distant prehistoric times was not only huge, but also the most formidable predator on our planet. This is evidenced by its gigantic size, powerful jaws and large, razor-sharp teeth. Huge shark She also swam very fast. The prehistoric animal fed on cetaceans that lived in those days, as well as other inhabitants of the oceans and seas, such as sperm whales, dolphins, and giant sea turtles.

Archaeologists find the remains of a huge predator all over the world: in India, South and North America, Europe, Japan, Africa, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Cuba.
Fossilized huge teeth prehistoric creature have been found since the Renaissance. The Danish scientist Niels Stensen, studying the finds back in 1667, concluded that the fossils were nothing more than the teeth of an ancient shark.

The table shows images of a megalodon, a great white shark and a human.

The size of the prehistoric creature is truly impressive, but there is debate about its size in scientific circles even today. Experts on prehistoric animals believe that the length of the predator was about 20.3 meters, and its body weight reached 47 tons. In their opinion, the jaw of large megalodon specimens was two meters.
The predatory fish had about 276 teeth; in the mouth they were located in 5 rows. Scientists believe that the megalodon's bite force was 182 thousand Newtons, which is about 10 times more than that of a great white shark.

In the United States of America, the Calvert Marine Museum displays a reconstructed skeleton of one young prehistoric predator as an exhibit. The length of this representative reaches 11.5 meters.
Most often, megalodon teeth are found during archaeological excavations. Outwardly, they resemble the teeth of a white shark, but in comparison with them, the teeth of a prehistoric shark are much larger and stronger. The height of the megalodon tooth inclination reaches 180 mm.

These ancient creatures became extinct on Earth about two million years ago, and the reason for this was global change climate, as a result of which the currents in the oceans changed, the planet became colder and prehistoric large predators were unable to adapt to these conditions.

Freshwater predators

Pike

In the reservoirs of Russia and Belarus, pike is widespread. But not everyone knows what size it can reach. Pike are sometimes taller than human height and weigh up to 60 kg. The maximum size of pike is 1.5 m, weight is 30-35 kg. She reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2-4 years. The lifespan of this fish is interpreted in different ways. The age limit for pike is 33. It is so predatory that it attacks everything, even its relatives. Pike is very strong, agile and tireless. There are cases when a pike attacked another pike, almost the same size as itself. Sometimes you can watch a female pike in artificial pond(spawning) after the completion of the “marriage ceremony” (spawning) and the birth of offspring, it immediately “deals” with its “beloved”, especially since the males placed for spawning are much smaller in size than the females. However, for all its greed, the pike shows a certain pickiness. She prefers carp fish, bleak, roach, rudd, and crucian carp. Be very wary of spiny fish; ruff and perch. If a pike catches such a fish, it does not swallow it immediately, but holds it in its teeth until it stops moving.

Pike grows very quickly. In pond farms, pike fry, planted in ponds for joint cultivation with carp, with a sufficient amount of food in the form of trash fish, reach a weight of 350-400 g and 30-40 cm in length in one summer. In terms of growth rate, it occupies one of the first places among lake fish species spawning in spring. However, pike is not limited to just fish. She eats frogs, attacks ducks and others waterfowl. Pike does not disdain water rats, mice, shrews, squirrels and other small animals that swim across the pond. No wonder it is called the “thunderstorm” of the reservoir. Sometimes there is an opinion that pike, as a predator, causes great harm to fish stocks. This view is based on an incorrect assessment of the importance of any predator in nature in general and pike in particular, on exaggerated concepts of the number of fish it destroys. Pike is a regulator of the fish population: eating small, sick and weak fish, it thereby enables larger, healthier fish to grow faster and produce healthier offspring. Pike is not a schooling fish. Both in rivers and lakes it stays in places with a moderate current, not very deep, grassy, ​​snags near the banks. Pike is a completely sedentary fish and only in the spring, before spawning, does it rise up the river, and by winter it goes into the pools. She eats a lot, but digests food very slowly.

The body color of the pike camouflages it well among overgrown vegetation. The pike usually attacks its prey from an ambush with a swift but short throw. However, she very rarely misses. Having missed, it usually does not repeat the attack, but returns to ambush to wait for another victim. The pike most often grabs its prey crosswise, but always swallows it from the head, unfolding it in its mouth with the movement of its jaws. Moreover, he does this on the move, without stopping in place after the throw. Catching it with self-catching gear is based on this habit.

Zander

Pike perch is a large predatory fish, reaching a length of up to 1 m or more, weighing up to 10, and some specimens up to 20 kg. Found mainly in big rivers ah and the lakes connected to them. Pike perch lives up to 15 years. Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 years. Pike-perch fish can be called both sea and freshwater fish, since it is seen in large quantities both in the Azov, Aral, Black and Caspian seas, as well as in large lakes and rivers. Closer to the northern regions of Russia, as well as in the west and southwest of Europe, pike perch is rarely found or not found at all. This fish is found in reservoirs with clean water. Stocking is carried out annually certain group lakes with grown-up juvenile pike perch. Pike perch is a warm water fish. Grows best at a temperature of 15-18°. Does not tolerate lack of oxygen well. Under favorable conditions, its young grow quickly.

Within 2 years, pike perch can reach a weight of 1 kg or more. By nature of feeding, pike perch is a carnivorous fish. During the first period, its young feed mainly on zooplankton and partly on insect larvae and fish fry; later they switch to feeding on small fish, and in our conditions - bleak, verkhovka, small roach, etc. The pike perch is not able to capture large fish due to the small the size of the mouth and pharynx. Pike perch lives at different depths, depending on the location of its main food and temperature conditions during certain periods of the year. Unlike pike, it actively hunts for its prey and avoids areas with thickets, since here it itself can become food for the pike. It spawns at a temperature of about 15° in April - June, depending on climatic conditions district. Pike perch is a schooling fish. It lives in deep snags, littered holes, quarries, ditches, old river beds, etc. However, the habitat of pike perch is not permanent. Where it was caught well the day before, it may not be there the next day. The catch of pike perch in reservoirs sometimes exceeds 400 c per year.

Burbot

Burbot is the only representative of the cod family that lives in fresh water. Burbot has a peculiar body shape, sharply different from other fish. It has a flattened head, the body towards the tail part on the sides is strongly compressed and elongated. The skin is dense, protected by delicate, small scales. It has two dorsal fins: the first is short, the second is long, the anal fin is of the same length. Burbot has a grayish-green back color with dark spots and stripes. The belly is sharply defined and has a whitish tint. The body is slippery; the burbot has one barbel on its chin. The way of life of burbot is also peculiar. He does not like sunlight, dozes during the day and goes hunting at night. Burbot is an extremely greedy and insatiable predator. It eats other fish more than pike. Has a circumpolar distribution. Usually found in rivers flowing into the Northern Arctic Ocean. On the territory of Russia, burbot is distributed everywhere in water bodies of the Arctic and temperate zones, in the basins of the Baltic, White, Black and Caspian seas and in the basins of all Siberian rivers from the Ob to Anadyr along their entire length. Burbot reaches a length of 1 m and a weight of up to 5 kg, although there are individual individuals weighing up to 24 kg. In our reservoirs, the weight of burbot reaches from 1 to 2 kg. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years. Very prolific. There are females that lay up to 3 million eggs. Spawns in January, when reservoirs are covered with a thick layer of ice. Burbot lives up to 22 years. Likes it cold clean water and is extremely susceptible to contamination. In the summer months, when the water gets very hot, it goes into deep pools, dark places, and hides in holes, under snags, and stones. Becomes inactive. In hot weather, burbot does not feed. If a parking spot is discovered at this time, it can easily be caught with your hands. Burbot is a bottom-dwelling fish and, despite its lazy and sluggish appearance, swims very quickly and deftly. Adult burbot feeds on fish: most of all minnows, ruffes and small perches, and does not neglect its own young. Sometimes, during autopsy, over 40 perches weighing 3-5 g were found in the stomach of a burbot weighing up to 1.2 kg. Burbot produces especially severe devastation in winter, when its appetite increases, and other fish are more sleepy and lethargic than in summer, in last years It is less common in catches.

Perch

Perch - typical representative lakes and rivers Like pike, it is most widely distributed in the waters of Russia and Belarus. Average duration The life of a perch is 17 years. Sexual maturity occurs at 4-5 years. There is evidence that perch reaches a size of up to half a meter and a weight of 2 to 5 kg. In its predatory greed, perch is not inferior to pike. Unusually gluttonous. If there is a rich prey in front of him, he, having barely swallowed one fish, immediately after it swallows the second, etc., so that often the caught fry, not fitting in his stomach, stick out of his mouth. The perch sits in ambush for a long time, from where it rushes at prey or chases small fish. Perch will eat any fish, as long as it is the right size. Perches do not give mercy to their own offspring. They do not stop feeding either in autumn or winter. The favorite food of perch is caviar. valuable species fish In winter, when reservoirs are covered with a thick layer of ice, perch does not stop its predatory lifestyle, destroying baby fish. It is especially voracious after spawning. Spawns shortly after pike. At this time, a good time begins for fishing enthusiasts. Perch prefers cool water and does not like to swim near the surface of the water, but when schools of small fish appear there, which it hunts, it immediately rises from the depths. However, he does not live at the very bottom, but stays not far from it. The perch swims actively during the day, and after sunset it stops moving and seems to doze off. Doesn't handle heat very well. At this time, he hides in shady places or plants, and then continues hunting.

Som

Catfish is one of the largest freshwater predatory fish. Reaches sizes up to 5 m in length, and sometimes weighs over 300 kg. Such giants, scientists believe, are usually 80-100 years old. Catfish does not disdain anything when it comes to nutrition. Eats mollusks, frogs, even large fish. Ducks, geese, water rats and other birds and animals that swim in the catfish’s habitat often end up in the catfish’s mouth. Catfish spawn in spring or early summer, in clean and quiet water on “nests”. The female uses her pectoral fins to dig a nest in the ground in the form of a hole, into which she lays eggs. The number of eggs reaches 130 thousand. Females lay eggs at the age of 4-5 years at a water temperature of 18-20°. Catfish belong to the group caring parents. After spawning, the fertilized eggs are protected in “nests”. In the fall, catfish go to winter, often lying down in pits in quite large groups, burying their heads in the silt. Catfish are caught with hooks, cast nets, and fishing traps. Catfish is a strong fish. Experienced fishermen say: if you catch a catfish on a fishing rod, it’s not so easy to pull it out. Fighting him at the very beginning promises many surprises. It happens that it is not the fisherman who catches the catfish, but the catfish that leads the fisherman along with the boat. Feeling the resistance of the tackle, he tries to overcome it with a rapid movement in a straight line. There is no point in holding him back at this moment. You should release 20-30 cm of line, sometimes more, avoiding fighting at a short distance. The further the predator goes from the shore, the more tired it becomes and the more realistic the angler’s chances of winning. In the process of fishing, the catfish gets tired and lies on the bottom. Then it's easy to take.

Catfish meat is tasty, contains a lot of fat and few bones. Catfish can be bred in special ponds where there is a lot of low-value fish. By eating it, it grows relatively quickly. Catfish live in deep-sea reservoirs, whirlpools, near dams near old mills, and in snags.

Chub

Chub, one of the most beautiful fish our reservoirs. When we say “ours,” we mean the reservoirs of the Lipetsk region, although this is probably true for the entire middle zone Russia. Here is what, for example, Leonid Pavlovich Sabaneev writes about him - a description of the chub: “...The chub is very beautiful. Its back is dark green, almost black, its sides are silver with a yellowish tint, the edges of individual scales are shaded by a shiny dark border consisting of black dots; the pectoral fins are orange, the pelvic and anal fins have a reddish tint, and the dorsal and especially tail feathers are dark blue, sometimes somewhat sparkling; the eyes are comparatively very large, shiny, with a brownish-green spot on top. In general, a large chub comes closest to an ide, but is much longer, thicker and broad-browed than the latter...”

Chubs have dark dorsal and caudal fins with black edging along the edges. Most likely this is due to the characteristics of the habitat, so in some other rivers the colors and appearance may differ slightly from the above. “In rivers”, because it is in small rivers and in the upper reaches of large rivers, where there is an abundance of riffles and springs with cold water, it is the most numerous: here it is easier for it to withstand food competition with other predators, there is an abundance of food both from the sky and from the bottom in the form of all kinds of larvae, crustaceans and grass, and in addition there is also a huge number of juvenile fish, which it eats with pleasure .

Ocean and sea predators

Shark

Among large predatory fish, the most famous are sharks, 20 families of which include about 250 species. About 50 of their species are clearly and potentially dangerous to humans; attacks from 29 species have been documented. It is practically difficult to distinguish predatory species from non-predatory ones. Therefore, you should be wary of any shark 1-2 m long or more, with the exception of the largest (up to 10-15 m long) whale shark that feeds on plankton.

The most dangerous to humans are the great white shark, or “man-eating shark,” which has a length of up to 11 m, the tiger shark, the mako shark and the Australian shark. Hammerhead sharks, whose heads have two large outgrowths on the sides, with eyes on the outer edges, also attack humans. IN territorial waters There are no life-threatening sharks in Russia, with the exception of the Sea of ​​Japan, where they can be found in summer time. In the Black Sea there are 2 species of small sharks: the katran ("sea dog", "spiny shark") up to 1-1.5 m long and the small (up to 1 m) spotted scyllium shark. These sharks can bite only accidentally due to careless behavior of the diver. The katran, bending its body in an arc, can quickly inflict a cut and a prick with a thorny thorn. These wounds are very painful and take a long time to heal.

Large sharks inflict the most severe wounds, which in 50-80% of cases lead to the death of the victim from bleeding and shock. The compression force of a shark's jaws reaches 18 tf. With a few bites, a shark can dismember a person's body into pieces. The tough skin of a shark can damage soft wetsuits or wetsuits and cause severe skin abrasions. A shark can detect the vibrations in the water of a noisily swimming person up to 200 m away, long before it smells blood. Most often shark attacks occur in tropical and sub-tropical tropical waters between 15 and 16 hours.

Moray

Moray eels are also dangerous, reaching a length of 3 m with a body thickness of 30 cm. They hide in underwater caves, crevices, thickets of vegetation and corals. If a person suddenly appears near the shelter of a moray eel or injures it, then it can inflict deep painful wounds with its teeth. Cases of death of divers who were unable to free their hand from the death grip of a moray eel are described. It is widely believed that when a moray eel bites, it introduces poison into the wound. However, the toxicity of moray eels has not been reliably established, and most researchers consider them non-poisonous.

Electric fish

Some fish can give an electric shock to humans. These include the electric catfish, electric eel and several species of electric stingrays sea ​​foxes, which are widespread in tropical and temperate oceans. Found in the Black, Japanese and Barents Seas. They live in shallow waters and spend most of their time at the bottom, burrowing into the sand. Electric eels and stingrays can produce shocks electric current voltage from 8 to 350 V or more. When touching a large electric stingray, the current discharge can be so strong that it knocks a person off his feet and causes severe weakness, dizziness, cardiac and respiratory disorders. The current of an electric eel is quite weak (usually fractions of an ampere), but sometimes short current discharges with a frequency of up to 300 pulses per second and a power of 1 kW (500V2 A) are possible. Providing first aid and treating injuries from predatory fish is carried out according to general rules surgical treatment of wounds. Measures are taken to stop the bleeding, anti-shock therapy is carried out, tetanus toxoid is administered, and antibiotics are prescribed. The victim must be hospitalized as soon as possible.

In case of electric shock electric stingray the patient needs rest; anti-shock treatment is carried out according to indications. Recovery is usually uneventful. Preventing injuries from predatory and dangerous fish involves taking precautions when diving descents in areas where dangerous marine animals live. Divers must be instructed about the possibility of the appearance of these animals, safety measures and the protective equipment used (repellents, emitters of various designs, shelter pavilions, available protective equipment, etc.). Descents must be carried out by a group of divers of at least two people, one of whom is a belayer and watches for the appearance of predators. Divers should wear waterproof clothing, as it has been observed that a shark is much less likely to attack a clothed person than a naked one. Diving equipment must be painted in a single color dark color. There should be a shelter-gazebo with the door pre-opened and locked in place near the divers. At the launch site there should be a boat with a safety diver and a crew for all-round observation of the water surface and scaring sea ​​predators. During diving operations in areas where dangerous marine animals live, it is strictly prohibited to throw food waste overboard.

Other marine predators

No less dangerous than a shark is the swordfish, which has a length of up to 4.5 m and is armed with a hard bone sword. Large barracudas, the length of which reaches 2-3 m, swim quickly and can suddenly and rapidly attack, inflicting serious, intractable wounds on a person with their sharp large teeth. Barracudas are sensitive to brightly colored objects and movement of water. The sailfish can seriously injure a person with a blow from a sword that secretes mucus. An ulcer forms at the site of the lesion, prone to suppuration.

Human behavior when encountering a marine predator

Divers must move underwater calmly and smoothly, exercise attention and caution, avoid contact with unfamiliar representatives of marine fauna, and inspect narrow areas only with a pole or probe. If predators appear, the diver must immediately report to the head of the descent, cut the bag with repellent and go into the shelter gazebo or go upstairs, using, if necessary, diving knife for protection from predators. In the absence of a refuge shelter, divers must rise simultaneously “back to back,” repelling predators with improvised means. In some cases, the shark was driven away by hitting it on the nose, eyes or gills. When in an area where sharks may appear, a diver should get out of the water if he receives even a minor scratch. Diving work in areas inhabited by dangerous marine animals is prohibited:

• V dark time days without the use of special shelters or underwater houses;
• in places where networks are installed and sampled, wastewater outlets, wastewater from meat and fish processing plants and other food enterprises;
• in the presence of bleeding wounds and abrasions on the diver’s body;
• when large marine predators appear;
• immediately after underwater blasting in the area.

Zebra lionfish

Zebra lionfish are predatory fish that live in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans - off the coast of China, Japan and Australia. They are one of the most beautiful fish in the world. Their body length is about 30 cm, weight reaches 1 kg. The lionfish has long dorsal and pectoral fins, in which sharp poisonous needles are hidden. The prick of this needle is very painful. Sharp pain is followed by deterioration of the condition, which ends in paralysis of the skeletal and respiratory muscles. If the victim is not immediately pulled to shore, he will drown.

Electric eel- a fish (despite the name) that inhabits rivers in the northeastern part of South America, as well as tributaries of the Amazon. They are found in countries such as Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. Average length adult individuals are 1–1.5 m, the largest known specimen reached almost three meters in length. Average weight- up to 20 kg (maximum - 45 kg). An electric eel is capable of generating a current discharge with a voltage of 300–650 V and a force of 0.1–1 A. Such voltage is not capable of killing a person, but will be very painful.

Great tiger fish is a species of large freshwater predatory fish that lives in the central and West Africa, in the basin of the Congo and Lualaba rivers, as well as in lakes Upemba and Tanganyika. This fish grows up to 1.5 m in length and reaches a weight of 50 kg. In the Congo, cases of attacks by a large tiger fish per person. According to local residents, this is the only fish that is not afraid of crocodiles.

Bagarius yarrelli is a species of large fish found in the rivers of South Asia. Found in countries such as Bangladesh, India, China (Yunnan Province) and Nepal. It grows up to 2 m in length and weighs more than 90 kg. In three villages on the banks of the Sarda River in Nepal and India, between 1998 and 2007, cases of attacks by these fish on people were recorded, often resulting in death.

The sixth place in the list of the most dangerous fish is occupied by the Brown Snakehead - a species of large freshwater predatory fish that lives in the reservoirs of Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and India. They grow up to 1.3 meters in length and weigh up to 20 kg. They are quite voracious and aggressive. Prey is ambushed.

In fifth place on the list of the most dangerous fish in the world is the wart - a predatory sea fish with poisonous spines on its back. The average length of a wart is 35–50 cm. It lives in coral reefs at depths of about 30 m in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is considered the most poisonous fish in the world. Its venom causes severe pain, shock, paralysis and leads to tissue death. For humans, a large dose of poison can be fatal.

Piranha is a freshwater, predominantly predatory fish (more than 50 species) that lives in the rivers and reservoirs of South America. They reach a length of up to 30 cm and a weight of up to a kilogram. Approximately 30–35 species of piranha feed on aquatic plants and fruits that have fallen into the water, and 28–30 species typical predators. They have powerful jaws with sharp teeth. They attack fish and other animals, including humans. Structure lower jaw and teeth allows the piranha to tear out large pieces of meat from its prey. A school of piranhas can completely destroy an animal weighing about 50 kg in a few minutes.

The brown rocktooth is a species of marine fish from the pufferfish family. They live in marine and brackish waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. They grow up to 80 cm in length. Its insides (especially the liver and ovaries) are extremely poisonous and contain tetrodotoxin, which is deadly to humans even in small doses. Despite this, it is this fish that is most often prepared from a traditional dish Japanese cuisine- Fugu. Between 2004 and 2007, 15 people died and about 115 people were hospitalized after eating the delicacy.

The most dangerous fish in the world is the mackerel-shaped hydrolik or “vampire fish” - a species of predatory fish that lives in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in Venezuela. They can grow up to 117 cm in length and weigh 17.8 kg. Most known feature The vampire fish is characterized by its aggressiveness and two long fangs protruding from its lower jaw. These fangs can reach a length of 10–15 cm. The mackerel-like hydrolik feeds on almost any fish that smaller in size, including piranhas and their own kind.

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The world underwater is diverse and magnificent. He always intrigued people with his unknown nature. The inhabitants of lakes, seas, oceans and other bodies of water are so diverse that they are simply amazing. They differ in size, structure, feeding method, coloring and behavior. It’s incredibly interesting to watch this world, because the inhabitants have their own lives, their own rules. Let's try to find out what the biggest fish in the world are. You can meet large fish in various bodies of water: salty and fresh waters. In this article we will look at the largest fish that humanity has encountered.

Large representatives of the world's oceans

Among the specimens living in the world's oceans, there are fish of simply incredible size. It's hard to imagine that they can grow to such an impressive length. Many people believe that the largest fish is a whale, but this is not entirely correct. The whale is a member of the mammal family, which means it is not a member of the fish family.

Largest fish in the world - whale shark, representatives of this species can reach large sizes, some grow up to 12 meters. IN wildlife it grows slower than in an aquarium, this is due to big amount food provided in aquariums. There is an aquarium in Taiwan where a shark lives, adding 1 cm every day; it feeds on plankton and small fish; in one hour it can pass up to 6,000 cubic meters of water through its gills. The whale is distinguished by its small head size, which is strongly flattened. The teeth are small, but their number is incredibly huge, can reach up to 15 thousand.

According to unconfirmed reports, in the ocean you can find a representative weighing about 35 tons and up to 20 meters long

The basking shark ranks second in size and can easily be called the largest fish on earth. The giant shark reaches an average length of 10 meters and weighs about 5 tons. The largest specimen that a person saw was more than 12 meters in length and weighed 9 tons. It is interesting that such a shark was caught in a herring net. Currently, such large individuals are no longer found, the reason for this was large-scale fishing for basking sharks. The giant feeds differently from the majority of sharks; it does not absorb food, but filters everything that gets into it due to the fact that it swims with its mouth open.

A giant shark's stomach can hold half a ton of food.

In another way, this representative can be called the herring king. This is the most unusual and long fish in the world. It is often confused with a sea snake; the thickness of the body is only 5 cm with a body length of up to 5 meters. The belt fish can be seen swimming among the herring, which is how it got its second name. The unusual shape of a fish often attracts people; after catching one of its representatives, many people want to capture this event.

The belt fish is believed to be a harbinger of earthquakes

This individual consists of large quantity bones and reaches large sizes - up to 3 meters in length and 1.5 tons in weight. Her body looks like a flat circle, with equal length and width.

The mouth is always open due to the fact that the mouth is beak-shaped due to the fused teeth.

The teeth have grown together to form a beak, which does not close completely, and it turns out that the mouth is always slightly open.

Another record of this representative is fertility. At one time, caviar contains several hundred million eggs.

You can meet it in all oceans, but its favorite pastime is at a depth of 200 meters at a water temperature no warmer than 10 degrees. From modern fish big size For humans, the moonfish is the most harmless and poses no danger.

Sunfish have no scales

The giant grouper is often found in shallow waters in the tropics and can reach lengths of up to 2.5 meters. Guasa is considered an endangered species and is prohibited for fishing. Thanks to this ban, the grouper population began to increase. Guasa is able to protect its territory from invasion, it becomes aggressive and can even attack a person. The giant grouper can be called a predator.

The diet of the giant grouper includes various fish, small turtles and octopuses

Blue marlin

Blue marlin is one of the largest fish in the world. It reaches 5 meters in length. Females are much larger than males. Marlin lives in Atlantic Ocean and is considered a favorite prey for sport fishing enthusiasts; catching it is considered a great success.

The largest predatory fish is the great white shark, its length reaches 6 meters. The great white shark lives in the ocean and poses a serious danger to humans, as it loves coastal water, as a result of which it often attacks people. The white shark is a rare species; their population is very small. The average lifespan of a white shark is about 70 years; sexual maturity in females occurs only at 33 years, and in males at 26.

A great white shark attacks a person, but only when he invades its hunting territory

Freshwater giants

Sea inhabitants, of course, the most diverse and numerous, but also river representatives can amaze with their size and uniqueness. Therefore, when fishing in unfamiliar places, you need to take safety measures so as not to become a victim of some giant. No one knows how big the catfish in a nearby lake or river could grow to.

The largest freshwater fish is the arapaima. It grows up to 2 meters in length, but there is a legend in which a fisherman was lucky enough to catch an arapaima 4.5 meters long. The scales of this fish are large, located on the head large plates. Interestingly, scales are many times stronger than bone. main feature This representative of the water element is that she breathes ordinary air, like mammals, and she inhales so loudly that it can be heard from afar.

Once every 20 minutes, the arapaima floats to the surface for a breath of fresh air.

The catfish grows up to 4 meters, and its weight can reach 300 kg. This fish has no scales; depending on its habitat, the color of the surface of the catfish’s body changes. The color can be: yellow, black, most often brown. They feed mainly on small fish and crustaceans. There are even known cases of attacks on humans. In winter, active activity decreases, catfish do not feed, gather in groups and wait out the cold times in pits.

Sexual maturity in the common catfish is reached at 3-4 years of age.

Giant freshwater stingray

It poses no danger to humans if handled correctly. It has two large spikes on its tail. He holds the victim with one, and injects poison into the other. When fishing, it always swings its tail, so you should be extremely careful.

In the list of “Largest Freshwater Fish,” the beluga comes first. It belongs to the sturgeon family. This fish lives in the sea, but enters rivers to spawn. Some of the belugas spend the winter in rivers. She is a long-liver, tracking the age of some individuals, scientists have come to the conclusion that the beluga can live up to 100 years. The fish has a thick, cylinder-shaped body of ash-gray color. It is a predatory fish and its fishing is prohibited.

Beluga caviar is the most valuable in the world

Carp

Carp lives in freshwater; the main condition is that the reservoir has no current and the bottom is muddy. The body is covered with small scales. The largest carp caught by a person weighed 48 kg. It feeds on reed shoots, aquatic plants, mollusks and even the eggs of other fish.

The third largest among the sturgeon family. The fish is quite aggressive, its color has white spots on the sides and on the back. The white sturgeon can reach 5-6 meters in length and weigh about 800 kg. They live quite a long time, their age can reach 110 years, sexual maturity occurs no earlier than 14 years for males, and no earlier than 18 years for females.

White sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in the United States

Siberian taimen, or Russian salmon, belongs to the salmon family. She rightfully holds the title of the largest salmon in the world. The length of the fish can reach 1.5-2 meters, weight - 70-80 kg. It feeds on all smaller fish. The color varies, but the head is always olive green and the tail is red. Taimen grow larger than other salmon due to their long lifespan.

IN mating season taimen acquires a copper-red color throughout the body

Giants living in an aquarium

Can also be found in aquariums major representatives. Some people prefer to keep rather large pets. We will talk about three representatives of the aquarium world.

Better known as pangasius. Shark catfish is considered the largest aquarium representative. In an artificial environment, its size is much smaller - 50-70 cm - than the size of fish in the wild - up to 1 meter. Outwardly it looks like a shark, which is why the catfish got the name shark. Large catfish require a large aquarium to move freely.

The fish is very shy and can even faint for up to 20 minutes.

Among the major aquarium fish It is worth noting the armored pike. In an aquarium, its size directly depends on the conditions created; being in a small aquarium, the pike begins to grow in width; in the wild it grows much larger - up to 1.5 meters in length. It is not advisable to keep the armored pike in an aquarium with other fish, as it can be aggressive towards them. The fish has long and strong jaws, gray body covered with dark gray or black spots, hard scales.

The armored pike lives no more than 20 years

Distributed in the Amazon basin. The color can be different: gray, brown, black, with yellow spots scattered throughout. A special artificially bred species is popular for aquariums; this astronotus has a red color. It quickly gets used to people and allows itself to be fed from the palm of your hand. The ocellated Astronotus is unique in its behavior; it sometimes allows itself to be stroked, but with sudden movements it senses danger and, in defense, can bite its owner. In nature, there are individuals that reach 45 cm, but in an aquarium their size does not exceed 25 cm.

The average lifespan of the ocellated astronotus is 18 years

We told you what the biggest fish in the world is. Our Earth is inhabited by many unusual creatures, each of which is unique. Such individuals are admired, scientists study them. Each representative of the fish element has its own size, color, and vital features.