Payara
Hydrolycus scomberoides
- Tank length
- 500 cmabout 16 ft (197 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C75–82 °F
- pH
- 6–8
- Adult size
- 60 cm24 in
- Lifespan
- 10–20 yrs
A fast open-water predator with huge fangs that needs live-fish-trained care and an enormous, well-oxygenated tank.A fast open-water predator with huge fangs that needs live-fish-trained care and an enormous, well-oxygenated tank.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
Payara may eat Acei cichlidPayara may eat Acei cichlid
- African butterfly cichlid
Payara may eat African butterfly cichlidPayara may eat African butterfly cichlid
- African clawed frog
Payara may eat African clawed frogPayara may eat African clawed frog
- Agassiz's cory
Payara may eat Agassiz's coryPayara may eat Agassiz's cory
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
Payara may eat Ajamaru rainbowfishPayara may eat Ajamaru rainbowfish
Amano shrimpPayara may eat Amano shrimpPayara may eat Amano shrimp
- American flagfish
Payara may eat American flagfishPayara may eat American flagfish
- Angfa rainbowfish
Payara may eat Angfa rainbowfishPayara may eat Angfa rainbowfish
- Arfak rainbowfish
Payara may eat Arfak rainbowfishPayara may eat Arfak rainbowfish
Assassin snailPayara may eat Assassin snailPayara may eat Assassin snail
- Banded gourami
Payara may eat Banded gouramiPayara may eat Banded gourami
- Bandit cory
Payara may eat Bandit coryPayara may eat Bandit cory
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 24–28 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 6–8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 2–25 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Amazon and Orinoco basins | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–20 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 36 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 500 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |