# Tambaqui / Cachama (*Colossoma macropomum*) The Tambaqui, also known as Cachama, is a big, friendly fish that lives in rivers and lakes. It has a round body and loves to eat fruits and seeds that fall into the water. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Freshwater rivers and lakes - **Also known as:** Cachama ![Tambaqui / Cachama](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Colossoma_macropomum_205143907.jpg&width=800) Photo: w_endo, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colossoma_macropomum_205143907.jpg) ## Appearance The Tambaqui / Cachama is a large, deep-bodied fish with a disc-like shape, sporting dark grey to black coloration dorsally that fades to a lighter yellowish belly. It has strong, piranha-like teeth and prominent scales, making it distinct among large Amazonian fish. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Characiformes - **Family:** Serrasalmidae - **Genus:** Colossoma ## Interesting facts - Locals often call them 'fruit eaters' because of their love for fallen forest fruits. - Tambaqui are cousins to piranhas but prefer fruits and seeds over meat! - They are one of the largest scaled freshwater fish in South America, weighing up to 44 kg! - Young Tambaqui sometimes hide among piranha schools for protection! ## Special abilities - **Nutcracker Jaws:** Tambaqui can crush tough seeds and nuts with their powerful, molar-like teeth, helping them exploit a unique food source. - **Low-Oxygen Warrior:** Tambaqui can survive in low-oxygen waters by gulping air and using specialized blood oxygen absorption, enabling survival during dry seasons. - **Amazonian Gardener:** Tambaqui helps spread seeds of fruit-bearing trees throughout the Amazon, acting as an important aquatic seed disperser. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-110 cm - **Weight:** 10-44 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-18 years - **Swim Speed:** 20 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 20 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding These large omnivorous fish eat a huge variety of foods, mainly fruits, seeds, and zooplankton. - **Age differences:** Young Tambaqui primarily eat zooplankton, gradually shifting to fruits, seeds, and larger plant matter as they grow. - **Primary Foods:** fruits, seeds, zooplankton, insects, algae, small fish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Tucum Palm (*Astrocaryum vulgare*) — disperses seeds of its fallen fruits - **Eaten by:** [Spectacled Caiman](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spectacled-caiman) (*Caiman crocodilus*) — young Tambaqui are prey for caimans - **Eaten by:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — a significant food source for Amazonian people ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always be careful around water and ask an adult before swimming. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Tambaqui / Cachama? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Tambaqui / Cachama? 50-110 cm ### How much does Tambaqui / Cachama weigh? 10-44 kg ### How long does Tambaqui / Cachama live? 10-18 years ### What does Tambaqui / Cachama eat? These large omnivorous fish eat a huge variety of foods, mainly fruits, seeds, and zooplankton. ### How fast can Tambaqui / Cachama swim? 20 km/h ### Where is Tambaqui / Cachama usually found? Freshwater rivers and lakes ### How does Tambaqui / Cachama hunt? Foraging ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Tambaqui / Cachama: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tambaqui-cachama)