The Great Barracuda is an extremely large fish with a silvery silhouette.

It is very hardy, long-lived, aggressive, and difficult to house with any other fish smaller than itself. A 150 gallon or larger aquarium is sufficient to start with as a juvenile. As an adult, it will require as much room to swim as possible in a 500 gallon or larger tank; long aquariums or circular raceways are preferred.

The diet of the Great Barracuda consists of smaller feeder fish and chunks of other meaty foods.

There are almost 15,000 species of marine fish. The appearance, nutritional requirements, environmental needs, reproduction, compatibility with other marine creatures, and survival adaptations of these different species vary remarkably. To successfully maintain an aquarium, the aquarist needs to understand all of these aspects of a fish before considering adding the fish to the tank. Understanding these characteristics of a fish before acquiring it, and knowing from where it was obtained, is necessary to provide the conditions in which the fish can thrive.

Fish Facts

Name: Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

Family: Sphyraenidae

Range: Atlantic, Indian Ocean

Size: Up to 7 feet

Diet: Carnivore

Tank Set-up: Marine: Coral or rock, plants

Reef Compatible: No

Tank Conditions: 72-78°F; sg 1.020-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4

Minimum Tank Capacity: 500 gallon

Light: High

Temperament: Aggressive

Swimming Level: Middle

Care Level: Moderate