Tambaqui is seen in Amazon and Orinoco basins in natural environment. In recent years its farming has been started in South Africa.                         

Fish farms and processing plants bonded with Sao Paolo, Nativ Pescados company are located near Sorriso in Amazon basin and farmed products are imported to Portugal as retail and to Switzerland as food service industry products.

This is a fish type which can reach to 108 cm in length and 40 kg in weight and it is fed with roots under the sea and the grass. It can live in waters with low mineral rate and it has tolerance to diseases and for this reason it is proper for farming.

It is a distant relative of piranha, and an omnivorous fresh water fish. It is consumed by Columbia and Brazil and known by some European countries.

French processing company Halieutis attempts to produce marinated Tambaqui sticks and the product has won Prix d’Elite price. Halieutis has also presented it to catering companies in April.