In the Ucayali River, there are lots of catfish which are not only huge, but good tasting as well (contrary to most of the catfish I've eaten). There is a one there called the Zungaro or Bagre Listado (Brachyplatystoma juruense pictured here), which reaches 24 inches and should put up a good fight, but its meat isn't appreciated as much as its larger cousins, the 12 foot Kumakuma (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum, see here), and the 5 foot Laulao Catfish (pictured here), are more typical of the flat land east of here, but they do extend as far as this river. The Kumakuma includes monkeys in its diet and kills the occasional human. A couple of other catfish found here are the 21 inch Shiripira (Sorubim lima) and the 5 foot Achacubo (Sorubimichthys planiceps), though they don't usually attract fishermen. One more excellent eating catfish in the river is the 36 inch Turushuqui (Pseudodoras niger, read about it here). This is one of the talking catfish. I've heard 5 inch specimens from this family croak like a frog when bothered. I wonder how loud this species could be. Also in the river is the popular game catfish known as Mota Blanca or Mota Comun (Pinirampus pirinampu, click on the picture here), which reaches 4 feet. The 21 inch Toa (Hemisorubim platyrhynchos) is another sought after eating catfish in the Ucayali. And better known as a sport-fish than a food fish is the beautiful 48 inch Pejje Torre (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, pictured here). Yet another of the fine tasting catfish in the Rio Ucayali is the 9 inch Novia Cunchi (Trachelyopterus galeatus) with its pink flesh. Then there is the ever-present Mota (Calophysus macropterus).

There are some great non-catfish in the river other than the Pirarucu and Arahuana mentioned in the first post. One of the sought after eating fish on this river is a 6 inch fish in the cichlid family, sort of like the basses of North America. This fish is the Bufurque (Hypselecara temporalis, here given the name Peruvian Cichlid and given an old Latin name). Of the 9 species of Anashua in Peru, 4 are in this river (9 inch Crenicichla anthurus, 11 inch C. johanna, 6 inch C. Proteus, and 9 inch C. sedentaria, for which you can read here) They put up a heck of a fight for such a small fish. Another favorite is the 47 inch Chambira (Hydrolycus scomberoides, see here, which is shaped like a barracuda but white in color. The 16 inch Carahuaza (Astronotus ocellatus) is here too. Some people eat the 8 inch disc-shaped Palometa (Mylossoma aureum) which occurs in schools in the river. Two more fish popular to eat in this river are the two Yahuarachi (Potamorhina altamazonica 11 inches and P. latior 8 inches) which have a perch-like shape. Then there are the two Chio chio (Psectrogaster amazonica and P. rutiloides), both reaching about 6 inches.

When we get to a slow-moving part of the Ucayali, we can try to catch some South American Lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa, see here), some people eat them in harsh times.