Number 11: Wels Catfish Longer than a Volkswagen Beetle, the Wels
Catfish is one hefty, scary animal. In addition to its crazy length, it also clocks in at
660 pounds. For reference, that’s larger than your average male grizzly bear! The Wels
Catfish lives all over Eastern and Central Europe and reportedly has developed something
of a taste for human flesh. Its method of trapping and killing its victims is especially
brutal. This behemoth will simply use its massive body to drag you under the waves,
hopefully drowning you before it gets a chance to take the first bite. Wels Catfish have
been around for a long time, with depictions of this demonic swimmer dated back as far
as the Middle Ages, when it was reported to swallow children whole. Some speculate that
Wels Catfish near Chernobyl have grown even bigger, thanks to the radiation. These monsters
are already terrifying enough without adding a dose of nuclear power to their arsenal.
Yikes! Number 10: Alligator Gar
You might be better off tangling with an actual Alligator! The Alligator Gar is a meaty, torpedo-shaped
fish with the snout of a gator and the body of an eel. At 10 feet, it’s half as long
as a giraffe is tall. Imagine that appearing suddenly out of the murky waves. The good
news is, this North American terror doesn’t typically attack humans, but if it does, watch
out! Their snout is full of razor-sharp teeth that can rip your limbs to shreds in a New
York minute. Plus, Alligator Gar can use their strong snouts as battering rams, dazing perceived
threats and sending them reeling. One direct hit can be the difference between life and
death, as a dizzying blow can easily send even the strongest swimmer spinning out to
the bottom. Between the teeth and the snout, we don’t know what’s worse! Alligator
Gar have one more trick up their fishy sleeves too. Their eggs are notoriously toxic and
will send you to the emergency room if you eat one. This keeps vulnerable Alligator Gar
embryos from being gobbled up by predators. Ultimately, the best advice when it comes
to these critters is to stay away! Number 9: Wolf Fish
This eerie fish is a prehistoric throwback, a giant creature whose apex predator status
makes it one of the most ferocious fish in all of South America. Also known as Anjumara,
the Wolf Fish swam out of the womb with a giant chip on their shoulder and are known
for being aggressive, predatory, and lethal to anyone or anything unlucky enough to cross
their paths. At 90 pounds of solid muscle, the Wolf Fish is almost as heavy as a small
Octopus and far more territorial. Get in its way, and you are certainly begging for a world
of hurt. In addition to its massive size, it also has rows of terrifying teeth, the
better to rip you to tiny pieces. Unlike many of the fish on this list, the Wolf Fish will
attack if you immediately wander into their waters, so be wary next time you fancy a dip
south of the equator. You might not return from your vacation to tell the tale!
Number 8: Black Piranha All Pirhanas are fairly nasty, but Black Pirhanas
really do turn it up to eleven with their viciousness and sheer size. Unlike many of
the others in their species, Black Pirhanas are huge, weighing in at 10 pounds. While
that might not seem so big as compared to the other fish on this list, remember that
Pirhanas, regardless of size, will hunt in packs. Sounds like the stuff of nightmares!
Black Pirhanas can munch through just about anything with their maws packed with serrated
teeth. They also have a bloodthirsty sixth sense when it comes to choosing prey, going
for slower or injured animals, and gnawing them alive. Humans are no exception! Like
most fearsome animals, Black Pirhanas are native to the Amazon but can be found in other
places in Brazil and South America. Number 7: Giant Freshwater Stingray
These enormous creatures are half as long as a telephone pole and considered the planet’s
biggest freshwater fish. Giant Freshwater Stingrays are native to Southeast Asia, particularly
Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand, and don’t pose a deliberate threat to humans. Notice,
we didn’t say that they don’t pose any danger... Stingrays might not be aggressive
necessarily, but they come equipped with one of the most devastating weapons in all of
the seven seas- a giant barbed tail. You might remember the iconic Steve Irwin met his fate
at the business end of a Stingray, and with a huge barb to match their colossal size,
the Giant Freshwater Stingray is one of the scariest accidental assassins in the Mekong
River. Number 6: Payara
Also known as the Vampire Fish, Payara are ghoulish Amazonian predators that can grow
to the length of a large child. This fish preys on Piranhas, which should give you some
indication of just how vicious they are. With huge lower fangs that can easily pierce through
a human hand, the Payara is nothing to mess around with and probably the best argument
for wearing water shoes if you want to go wandering around the Amazon. When they are
not skewering human limbs, Payara use their fangs to impale helpless fishes before devouring
them. Interestingly enough, these creatures are popular pets and do fairly well in large
aquariums. Number 5: Golden Dorado
Don’t let the golden hue of this pretty predator fool you; the Golden Dorado is one
mean fish. Its jaws are exceptionally powerful, full of razor-sharp teeth, and ready to snap
down on anything that gets in its way. This terrifying fish is found mostly in the lower
part of South America, specifically Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Although
some Golden Dorado like to go solo, there are certain varieties that love hunting in
packs, maiming their prey before sucking them down. The biggest ones weigh 22 pounds, making
them as heavy as your average Dachshund and a million times more ferocious. Golden Dorados
are also known to be cannibalistic, playing a gruesome game of survival of the fittest
with their own kind. Number 4: Goliath Tigerfish
The Goliath Tigerfish also goes by the name M’Benga, which literally translates to “dangerous
fish” in Swahili- and if there ever was a dangerous fish, the Goliath Tigerfish is
it! This terrifying creature lives in the Congo Basin, where it terrorizes animals and
people alike with its mighty jaw stuffed with needle-sharp teeth. Did we mention that it’s
huge? Goliath Tigerfish can weigh up to 154 pounds. That’s almost as large as a small
Kangaroo! These dangerous animals are not afraid of humans either and will attack anyone
that inadvertently wanders into their territory. They’ve even been known to make meals out
of local Crocodiles and are simply not afraid of anything or anyone!
Number 3: Arapaima The Arapaima doesn’t just have teeth in
its mouth; it has teeth all over its tongue, making it a freakish spectacle in the aquatic
world… but we’re just getting started. Arapaimas are known to grow to nine feet long,
making them longer than Shaq is tall. These fish have one more fearsome feature that sets
them apart from other Amazonian predators; they are covered in armor. Yup, Arapaimas
are basically huge swimming tanks that can breathe both oxygen and air, making them one
of the coolest and scariest fish on the planet. Although Arapaima won’t necessarily pick
a fight with a human, they won’t shy away from one either. In reality, we are more of
a threat to these armored animals than they are to us. Arapaima have long been considered
a delicacy in the Amazon, and their sturdy scales are often used as jewelry and trinkets.
Number 2: Electric Eels Although they look like badass aquatic snakes,
eels qualify as fish, and Electric Eels top the charts when it comes to the deadliest
creatures living in the Amazon. Electric Eels are fairly unassuming looking, melting into
the murky brown bottom of the Amazon River, but their real superpower comes in the form
of their famous defense mechanism; 600 volts of electric power. 600 volts is enough to
cause organ failure in a human, and getting this hefty dose of electric buzz could put
Michael Phelps off-kilter in the water. It’s shocking personality aside, Electric Eels
are also larger than life, with some spanning eight full feet.
Number 1: Bull Sharks Just when you thought it was safe to swim
in fresh water, a new terror rises up from the depths. That’s right; sharks don’t
just swim in the ocean. Bull Sharks are entirely at home in freshwater, making them one of
the deadliest, scariest freshwater fish that you are likely to encounter. Bull Sharks can
survive in both fresh and saltwater, making them an unparalleled menace at places where
the land meets the sea. They flock to the Amazon River, filling up on all of the tasty
fish that live there and occasionally striking fear in the hearts of humans as well. In fact,
Bull Sharks can live up to 2,500 miles inland. That’s nearly the distance from New York
City to Denver! If you think these fishy fiends only live in the darkest corners of the Amazon,
think again. Bull Sharks have been found in the Mississippi River near Illinois. Bull
Sharks are aggressive and known to attack humans unprovoked. They are one of the deadliest
sharks in the world, and you can find them just about anywhere… maybe even your swimming
pool!
Thanks for watching! Would you rather wrestle a Bull Shark or walk barefoot through one
mile of the Amazon River? Let us know in the comments below.