Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Characins > Payara

   This remarkable Payara, also called the Vampire Tetra, illustrates just how diverse a group of fish the Characins are. They are not your typical tetras!

   An incredible fish, the Payara is a Sabre Toothed Tiger Fish that has two large fangs on its lower jaw that have led to its common names of Vampire Tetra and Vampire Characin. One look at the mouth of this fish and there will be no doubt that it is a vicious carnivore. The two main lower teeth are so long that there are holes in the upper jaw for them to fit into. They are fast and aggressive feeders and usually swallow their prey whole, but will sometimes chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces. They get large too, so if you want to keep one as a pet, be prepared to have a very high feeder fish bill!

   The Sabre Toothed Tiger Fishes are a group of fish known collectively as Pirandirá, as well as Payara. This group, of the genus Hydrolycus, consists of four species. The Payara are mainly known as a game fish and are prized by fisherman for their fighting ability. They can be kept in a large aquarium, but it will take a lot of work by a very advanced hobbyist to accomplish this. They are occasionally available and will readily adapt to aquarium life, but they are most often short lived. They often only survive for six months to a year, with just a few having been reported to live up to two years. Their diet and their need for a top quality environment, i.e. a extremely large aquarium to support a school of Payara along with optimal water conditions, takes the right type of dedicated hobbyist.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Dream Aquarium Build your own aquarium The Coolest and Funnest Screensaver in the World.

Distribution:
   The Payara, also know as the Vampire Tetra or Vampire Characin, was described by Cuvier in 1819. They are found in in South America, in the Rio Amazonas and its tributaries above mouth of Rio Tapajós. They inhabit clean fast flowing rivers and are often found in groups.

Status:
   The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The Payara is an iridescent silver fish with an elongated body that is streamlined and very powerful. The fins are semi-transparent, tinged with black towards the outer portions, and sometimes spotted with white. They have a large upturned mouth full of needle sharp teeth and two long fangs. These fangs are the two main lower teeth, they are so long that there are holes in the upper jaw for them to fit into.
   It is almost identical in appearance to its close relative known as the Sabertooth Characin Hydrolycus armatus, but the Payara is almost twice as large. It can also be distinguished from its cousin by a small circular dark spot on its gill cover, while the same marking on H. armatus is more of a bar shape.

Size - Weight:
   Maximum length is about 4 feet (1.2 meters) with a weight of up to 40 lbs (18 kg).

Care and feeding:
   The Payara are carnivorous piscivores. They only eat live foods, they love fish and preferably live ones. Appropriate aquarium fare includes live foods such as feeder fish, earthworms, and river shrimps. These fish could probably be trained to eat whole dead fish, such as frozen silversides and lancefish, but this has not been confirmed.
   A Payara needs a large home. If you plan on keeping one as a pet, be prepared to invest in a tank of 500 gallons or more with a better than average filter system. They require excellent water quality and it must be well oxygenated. As they are a messy fish, weekly water changes of 30 - 40% are recommended. They need lots of open space for swimming and a decor that provides some caves. They are easily frightened so you must be careful not to make any quick movements when around their tank. Payara have been known to fatally injure themselves by swimming into the sides of the aquarium when disturbed. As they are quite adept at jumping, the aquarium needs to have a tight fitting lid.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   They will swim near the middle of the tank.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
  Temp: 75 - 82° F (24 - 28° C)
   Ph: 6.0 to 8.0

Social Behaviors:
   In the wild the Payara is often seen in groups, but in captivity they tend to become belligerent towards their con specifics when kept in small groups. Ideal situations would be a school of six or more in a very, very large space or to keep them singly.
   They can become aggressive and have been known to attack fish that were too large for them to eat. Other very large fish may survive with them, such as a calm armored catfish, but they are best kept singly. Keep in mind that when they are kept singly they can become nervous, swimming frantically and even damaging themselves, especially if there is any quick movement around the tank.
   This is a fish that will not survive if it feels crowded so even though other large fish such as a Pacu or large catfish will probably be able to survive in the same tank, the Payara will do better if kept in a single species, single specimen tank.

Sexual Differences:
  Unknown.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   This fish has never been bred in captivity.See the general description of how to breed Characins in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   The Payara (Vampire Characin) are not exactly rare, but smaller aquarium-sized specimens are hard to find. When shipped from South America, they take up a lot of space which makes shipping costs high. This all means that if you are lucky enough to find one for sale, the price will be high.
   Before you purchase this species, be sure to check with the Fish and Game Department or other environmental authorities in your area to be certain that you can keep one of these fish. In certain states they are banned from public and /or private possession, Texas being one. Most likely this is due to concerns that people may unwittingly release them into native waters.

Author: Ken Childs
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CFS

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