African Tigerfish

African tigerfish are best described as asocial to loosely aggregative predators: juveniles show schooling behaviour, while adults are largely independent hunters that tolerate one another only when conditions favour it. The African tigerfish has a reproductive strategy closely tied to seasonal river flooding. Courtship behaviour is relatively minimal and largely indirect, with spawning triggered by environmental cues such as rising water levels, increased current flow, and temperature changes during the rainy season. As rivers overflow onto floodplains, adult tigerfish migrate into newly inundated areas where food is abundant, and predation pressure is lower. Spawning occurs in open water or among flooded vegetation, where males and females release eggs and milt simultaneously for external fertilisation. There is no parental care, and adults quickly return to deeper channels once spawning is complete. After fertilisation, the eggs hatch rapidly, usually within 24 to 48 hours, an adaptation that reduces exposure to predation and unstable floodplain conditions. The larvae and fry develop in shallow, food-rich floodwaters, feeding initially on plankton and small invertebrates before transitioning to a piscivorous diet as they grow. Juveniles often form small schools, which provide some protection from predators and improve feeding success. Growth is fast, and individuals become effective predators at a relatively young age, gradually shifting to a solitary lifestyle as they mature. Sexual maturity is typically reached within 2 to 3 years, and adults may live for 10 to 20 years, repeating seasonal spawning migrations multiple times throughout their lifespan.