(LIVE SCIENCE) – The rotting body of a dead Amazon "river monster" recently washed ashore in Florida, raising concerns about whether this gigantic predatory fish has joined the Sunshine State's ever-growing list of invasive species, according to news sources.
But although it might thrive in Florida's warm waters, this fish, known as the arapaima (Arapaima gigas) — a sizable creature that can grow to be 10 feet (3 meters) long and up to 440 lbs. (200 kilograms), according to a 2019 study in the journal PLOS One — the odds are stacked against it, at least for now, said Solomon David, an aquatic ecologist at Nicholls State University in Louisiana who wasn't involved with the recent arapaima sighting.
That's because these fish have some very particular quirks: They breed only in specific areas, spend valuable time and energy caring for their young, and don't reach sexual maturity until they're about 5 feet (1.5 m) long and at least 3 to 5 years old, David told Live Science. Moreover, it would take many individuals to have a sustainable population in Florida, and so far, just one dead arapaima has been found.
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