Genus · Tetras

Galeocharax

Galeocharax is a genus with 2 species in this atlas, catalogued in the Tetras section, recorded from Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and 7 more countries. Adult sizes run from 10 in to 12 in. Every species below links to a full researched profile.

Species in atlas
2
Adult sizes
10–12 in
IUCN assessed
2 of 2
Recorded from
10 countries

About the genus

Galeocharax is a genus of predatory characins in the family Characidae - the wolf tetras, named for their elongate, torpedo-shaped bodies and mouths lined with conspicuous, backward-curving teeth. The atlas's 2 species range very widely across South America, recorded from Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Paraguay, and Peru, and typically hunt smaller fish in open water in rivers and floodplain lakes. They are large for tetras, running 25 to over 12 in.

Neither the wolf tetra (Galeocharax gulo) nor the humpback characin (G. humeralis) is a mainstream aquarium fish - their size and predatory habits limit them to large specialist setups rather than typical community tanks, and they turn up mostly through the export trade for South American predatory fish rather than as deliberately bred stock. Both species are Least Concern, consistent with their broad range across multiple major river systems.

IUCN Red List: Least Concern · 2

The 2 species

Every Galeocharax recorded in this atlas. Each card links to a full researched profile — distribution, water parameters, and aquarium care, cited to primary sources.

(Cope, 1870)

Wolf Tetra, Hatchet Tetra

10 in SL · LC

(Valenciennes, 1834)

Humpback Characin

12 in TL · LC

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How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Genus Galeocharax. Aquarist Atlas. https://www.aquaristatlas.com/galeocharax/

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