What is paiche? The White King of the Amazon

Paiche is the ancestral King of the Amazon. Scientists call it Arapaima gigas, in Brazil it is known as pirarucu, and in Peru it has carried the name paiche for centuries. It is one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet, an ancient species that rises to the surface to breathe air, native to the rivers and lakes of the Amazon basin.

A giant with a delicate flavor

For a fish of this size, paiche is remarkably refined on the plate. The flesh is white and firm, with large flakes, and the flavor is mild, buttery, and faintly sweet, with none of the muddy notes commonly associated with river fish. The fillet is free of pin bones, allowing for clean portioning with almost no waste. Chefs rank it alongside halibut and Chilean sea bass, with a provenance story that neither can claim.

Why it is so rarely seen

Wild arapaima was intensely fished for generations, and the species is now protected across much of its range. International trade in wild fish is strictly governed by CITES, the convention regulating commerce in protected species. This is why paiche almost never appears on markets outside South America, and why aquaculture is the only serious path to bringing it to the world.

From the Amazon to your kitchen

Amazonian Reserve raises paiche at the source, in the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon, near the city of Pucallpa. Our fish are born in our own hatchery, grow in ponds fed by their native waters, and are raised without antibiotics. Each harvest is frozen at the optimal moment, so that kitchens across four continents can serve paiche year-round, with full documentation supporting every delivery. If you are a culinary professional and would like to taste it, request a sample through our contact page and we will respond within one business day.