Cachama (Colossoma macropomum) is a freshwater species recorded in Taiwan. It is found at depths of ≥ 5 m.
Scientific name: Colossoma macropomum · Water: Freshwater
Size: up to 108 cm
The cachama is a serrasalmid, a freshwater fish that swims near the bottom and migrates within rivers, and it is usually solitary. Its range is South America: the wild form in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, while the farmed form is widely distributed in South America. Adults stay in flooded forests for the first five months of flooding and feed mainly on fruit and grains, while the young live in the black waters of the flood plains until they mature. Adults eat zooplankton, insects, snails and decaying plants. It is farmed because it tolerates mineral-poor water and resists disease well, and it is marketed fresh and frozen. Maximum length is about 108 cm total length, commonly about 70 cm, and it can weigh up to 40 kg. Recorded water chemistry is pH 5.0 to 7.8 at 22 to 28°C, over 15°S to 35°S. The recorded depth starts at 5 m and no upper limit is recorded. It is taken by minor commercial fishing, is commercially farmed and is a game fish, and also appears in public aquariums. Large individuals can cause injury to people. Trophic level is 2, fishing vulnerability moderate to high at 47 of 100, and resilience medium. IUCN lists it as near threatened.
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