350-Pound Arapaima Fish Caught in South America [Watch]

Two fishermen were lucky to catch a big fish while fishing in South America.

2 Fishermen Catch a Huge Arapaima in a Fishing Expedition in South America

In a video uploaded on YouTube, a fisherman can be seen casting a line several times during a fishing expedition in South America. He was assisted by a local guide, Titus.

They catch a six-pound Arowana, a native fish in the area, which can grow up to 25 pounds in weight. They release the fish shortly after catching it, according to A-Z Animals.

Five minutes later, another fish is on the line, and it's so big that it almost snatches the rod from the fisherman's rod. It takes a load of physical strength and skill to reel it.

Titus pulls the boat backward, but the fish keeps heading for protection. Eventually, they can get a hold of it, and its size is massive.

Titus estimates the size of the fish to be around 350 pounds. The fish they caught was an arapaima.

The sight received mixed responses from the netizens. One said it was the most incredible fish he had ever seen. The online user said it was a "fish of a lifetime."

Another said he was impressed with the rod's strength, given the fish's size. A different person agreed, giving credit to the rod builders.

What is an Arapaima?

Arapaima is a massive, sleek, streamlined freshwater fish that is native to the streams of the Amazon River, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.

They can breathe air, allowing them to survive in pools with low water levels or decaying vegetation.

They have broad, bony heads, which usually come in copperish-green in color. Their bodies are black with a white center, and their tails are red. They have upturned mouths and streamlined bodies.

Their mouth works like a vacuum. When hungry, they open their mouth to suck up the food nearby. Their tongue and sharp, bony teeth enable them to shred their prey. Their tongue and sharp, bony teeth allow them to shred their prey.

This type of fish has several names. In Brazil, they are called "piracucu," a Tupi word that means "red fish." In Peru, they are called "paiche."

Arapaima is usually found in Brazil, Peru and Guyana. They live in slow-moving and oxygen-deficient rivers of the Amazon River basin. They can breathe air and stay submerged for 10-2- minutes at a time and survive up to 24 hours outside the water.

Arapaima lays thousands of eggs in nests, which hatch at the beginning of the wet season between October and November. The male arapaimas protect the fry by drawing them into their flat, long mouth and moving them to another location if predators get too close.

Their sexual maturity is up to four or five years of age. They can live up to 20 years.

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