Vincent'sFUNWILDFACTS

38 species

Fish in South America

Here are 38 species of fish that live in South America. Every species has its own page with measurements, habitat, behaviour, IUCN conservation status and sources.

Bony Fish2

Electric Eel
Least Concern
🐟 Bony Fish

Electric Eel

Electrophorus electricus

10–20 kg
10–15 yrs
WetlandForest
Rummy-nose Tetra
Not Evaluated
🐟 Bony Fish

Rummy-nose Tetra

Petitella bleheri

0.001–0.002 g
3–6 yrs
WetlandForest

Other36

Ageneiosus pardalis
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Ageneiosus pardalis

Ageneiosus pardalis

50–300 g
3–8 yrs
RiverWetlandRainforest
Arapaima
Data Deficient
🐟 Fish

Arapaima

Arapaima gigas

100–200 kg
15–20 yrs
RainforestRiverWetland
Argentine anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Argentine anchovy

Engraulis anchoita

5–25 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Atlantic croaker
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Atlantic croaker

Micropogonias undulatus

0.5–2.5 kg
6–12 yrs
CoastOceanWetland
Atlantic Thread Herring
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Atlantic Thread Herring

Opisthonema oglinum

50–250 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoastReef
Bloch's Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Bloch's Catfish

Pimelodus blochii

0.3–2.5 kg
5–10 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Bluehead Wrasse
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Bluehead Wrasse

Thalassoma bifasciatum

20–150 g
3–6 yrs
OceanReefCoast
Broad-striped Anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Broad-striped Anchovy

Anchoa hepsetus

3–8 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Chilean herring
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Chilean herring

Strangomera bentincki

15–45 g
3–5 yrs
OceanCoast
Chilean pilchard
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Chilean pilchard

Sardinops sagax

80–200 g
15–25 yrs
OceanCoast
Chilean sprat
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Chilean sprat

Sprattus fuegensis

2–8 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Chub mackerel
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Chub mackerel

Scomber japonicus

0.3–2.8 kg
8–12 yrs
OceanCoast
Common Dolphinfish (Mahi-mahi)
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Common Dolphinfish (Mahi-mahi)

Coryphaena hippurus

7–40 kg
2–5 yrs
Ocean
dusky anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

dusky anchovy

Anchoa lyolepis

2–8 g
1–2 yrs
OceanCoast
Gafftopsail catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Gafftopsail catfish

Bagre marinus

0.5–2.3 kg
5–12 yrs
CoastOceanWetland+1
Inca Scad
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Inca Scad

Trachurus murphyi

0.15–1.5 kg
8–12 yrs
OceanCoast
Leatherjack
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Leatherjack

Oligoplites saurus

0.1–0.5 kg
3–5 yrs
CoastOceanMangrove+1
Magdalena River Tiger Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Magdalena River Tiger Catfish

Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum

3–25 kg
8–15 yrs
RiverWetland
Mapale Sea Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Mapale Sea Catfish

Cathorops mapale

50–300 g
3–6 yrs
CoastOceanRiver+1
Nile tilapia
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Nile tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

0.5–4.3 kg
5–10 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Orangespot sardine
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Orangespot sardine

Sardinella brasiliensis

15–45 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Pale catfish, South American catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pale catfish, South American catfish

Rhamdia quelen

0.1–2.5 kg
4–8 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Peruvian Anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Peruvian Anchovy

Engraulis ringens

15–25 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Pimelodus grosskopfii
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pimelodus grosskopfii

Pimelodus grosskopfii

0.15–0.8 kg
5–10 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Pimelodus yuma
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pimelodus yuma

Pimelodus yuma

50–150 g
3–6 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Pseudopimelodus schultzi
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pseudopimelodus schultzi

Pseudopimelodus schultzi

15–45 g
3–6 yrs
RiverWetland
Redband Parrotfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Redband Parrotfish

Sparisoma aurofrenatum

0.2–0.9 kg
5–7 yrs
ReefOceanCoast
Redear Sardine
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Redear Sardine

Harengula humeralis

15–45 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoastReef
Round sardinella
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Round sardinella

Sardinella aurita

80–150 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Scaled Sardine
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Scaled Sardine

Harengula jaguana

15–35 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Sorubim cuspicaudus
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Sorubim cuspicaudus

Sorubim cuspicaudus

1.5–8 kg
8–15 yrs
RiverWetland
Southern Ray's Bream
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Southern Ray's Bream

Brama australis

0.5–6 kg
8–15 yrs
Ocean
Striped parrotfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Striped parrotfish

Scarus iseri

30–150 g
4–7 yrs
ReefCoastOcean
Threadfin shad
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Threadfin shad

Dorosoma petenense

20–150 g
2–4 yrs
LakeRiverWetland
Trachelyopterus insignis
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Trachelyopterus insignis

Trachelyopterus insignis

15–35 g
3–6 yrs
RiverRainforestWetland
Zabaleta anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Zabaleta anchovy

Anchovia clupeoides

3–15 g
1–3 yrs
CoastOceanRiver