Thread: Fish ID

From what I have read they are opportunistic feeders eating what is available ,"(fruit ,seeds ,insects ,fish )".

Originally Posted by DUCK

Big question now. If Pacu are vegetarians why was this one caught on shrimp?

Global warming. But seriously:

"Pacus primarily eat nuts, fruit and small fish, according to the museum. However, expert Henrik Carl told NPR in 2013 that while the Pacu's "mouth is not so big … human testicles are just a natural target. It's not normal to get your testicles bitten off, of course, but it can happen."


In 2011, a Pacu was blamed for the death of two men in Papua New Guinea, who died from blood loss after something in the water had bitten off their testicles. Pacu's there have reportedly earned the nickname "the ball cutter."
The same species of fish was found in a lake in Illinois in 2012.

Originally Posted by Pop Jiggity

Global warming. But seriously:

"Pacus primarily eat nuts, fruit and small fish, according to the museum. However, expert Henrik Carl told NPR in 2013 that while the Pacu's "mouth is not so big … human testicles are just a natural target. It's not normal to get your testicles bitten off, of course, but it can happen."


In 2011, a Pacu was blamed for the death of two men in Papua New Guinea, who died from blood loss after something in the water had bitten off their testicles. Pacu's there have reportedly earned the nickname "the ball cutter."
The same species of fish was found in a lake in Illinois in 2012.

My skinny-dippin days are OVER!

And yet another reason to stay on the pier and out of the surf. I guess the Pacu consider them a "nut" so they're ok for them to eat.

Well......okay then.

From reliable sources at our natural resource agency:

"No surprise, we have documented a few from Chickasabogue, Eight Mile Creeks and last week, Demopolis Reservoir."

"A homeowner on upper Magnolia River reported catching two off their dock about seven years ago. If I remember correctly we identified them as black pacu."

Originally Posted by Pop Jiggity

Global warming. But seriously:

"Pacus primarily eat nuts, fruit and small fish, according to the museum. However, expert Henrik Carl told NPR in 2013 that while the Pacu's "mouth is not so big … human testicles are just a natural target. It's not normal to get your testicles bitten off, of course, but it can happen."


In 2011, a Pacu was blamed for the death of two men in Papua New Guinea, who died from blood loss after something in the water had bitten off their testicles. Pacu's there have reportedly earned the nickname "the ball cutter."
The same species of fish was found in a lake in Illinois in 2012.

I clicked on the Papua New Guinea and this was on there: "I had heard of a couple of fishermen in Papua New Guinea who had been castrated by something in the water," Wade told The Sun. "The bleeding was so severe that they died. The locals told me that this thing was like a human in the water, biting at the testicles of fishermen. They didn't know what it was."

When was the last time you were out fishing and had a human biting at your testicles??????

Their teeth are made for breaking nuts that fall from bushes and trees in South America. they had a whole episode about these on River Monsters. The natives report of these things attacking men that bathe in the South American rivers. They call them "ball-cutters" in their native language.

Yes, that is a red bellied Pacu from what I can tell in the tiny picture.

I have raised Pacu and Tambaqui in captivity for over 20 years and still own a few varieties of them now.

These guys can become major giants outside of their normal habitat--similar in size to Permit. The IGFA record is only 44lbs, but they can reach 90lbs and nearly 4' length and are very long lived for a fish. While vegetarian and nut eaters in their native waters, they will become meat eaters when living in other areas of the world and will readily take shrimp as bait.

Certain varieties of Pacu are actually quite cold tolerant and will survive winters this far south (some others will not); and I am sure, based on that one's color, that it is a specimen that was either released or escaped during the recent flooding earlier this year. Due to eating less vegetation and more protein, they will also pack on more fat than normal and endure colder weather as a result.

As much as I love these as pets, if you find them in our local waters, DO NOT RELEASE THEM BACK. Either eat them (fine table fare), or turn them in to marine resources or a hobbyist who raises them such as myself. They can and will become highly invasive and decimate all resources around them--including vegetation, crustracia, fish and eggs and will even chew into structures such as piers, ropes, and even boats, etc. Their teeth are like a mix between sheepshead and piranha and they bite with extreme power and speed with pinpoint accuracy. Years ago, I had one actually EAT my aquarium filter flow pipe to the surface of the water, and the plastic suction cups and holders bracing the heater inside the tank. I'll post a picture of the naughty mongrel in action.

DSC02357.jpg

If a large one is free swimming, it can knock the breath out of you if it slams into your chest--which is why they are also known as tank busters. As stated above, they will quickly remove parts of your body if given the chance--bone and all, but more than likely finger tips and only if it is a giant one. While they are skittish in captivity during youth, they are not so in the wild--bold and brazen. As pets, once they get older, they desire to be petted by their owner and become quite tame--but needy for attention, and will eat all of their tankmates (face first usually) no matter how well you feed them.

Piranha (except the black variety), are tame compared to Pacus. You can swim with most piranha schools without any worries. Pacus have more than 34 times the crushing jaw power of a piranha, and teeth have sharp edges--add to that their inquisitive nature, and you've got a pain combo if they so choose to bite someone.

They are fast growers, and unless you have a thick glass 300 gallon aquarium or larger, I don't recommend keeping one as a pet.