African Arowana Heterotis niloticus

The African Arowana, also called the Nile Arowana, is native to deep waters of West, East and Central Africa. It can reach around a metre in length. In deep water depleted in oxygen, it is able to supplement intake by surfacing and breathing air through its mouth.

Although its shape resembles the Amazonian, Asian and Australian arowanas and, like them, it is a boneytongue, it is not a true arowana and is not closely related to them - it is more closely related to the South American Arapaimas. Despite its size, its main diet is plankton. Pairs mate for life and build nests of plants and mud where they guard eggs and fry.