In addition, if you are swimming close to where the offspring are, you are at great risk of being attacked by a school of piranhas as they have a great defense instinct to protect their hatchlings from intruders. They are predatory fish that feed on other small fish, mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles such as anaconda babies, carcasses left by larger animals such as otters and any animal that falls into the water where they live.Īnd if one day you get a cut and step inside the waters of a Brazilian river, be careful, because piranhas can detect a drop of blood in 200 liters of water and they can easily perceive the vibrations of injured animals. Therefore, when a hungry school of fish attacks, the carcass of the prey is devoured quickly. Its teeth were not made to chew, but to cut and swallow. Because they attack as a group, it’s easy to hunt prey and provide protection from predators, such as the alligator. The piranha is notorious for its sharp teeth and a school of piranhas can strip prey to bones in a few minutes. There are more than 20 different species found only in the Amazon River. It is believed to exist from 30 to 60 different species of piranhas. Its frightening reputation contributed to the fish becoming the main character in some bloodthirsty Hollywood films. This small but powerful fish has a predator profile, with very strong jaws and very sharp teeth that can do great damage. The name “piranha” actually means “fish tooth” in indigenous Amazonian languages. We are talking about the fearsome piranhas, a freshwater fish, very agile, well known in our country and feared for its ability to tear the flesh of those who enter their territory. And we are not talking about the shark, even though his bite has the same strength as the bite of a shark. If so, then I am comfortable when referring to them as “The Ugliest Creature in Michigan.The Amazon is home to one of the most dangerous beings known locally as “biters” (“mordedores” in Portuguese). So the big questions: are the pacu breeding more and more here in Michigan? Are they even surviving? If so, just how many are there and can they become dangerous to humans as time goes by? Until we get more reports from the DNR we’ll have to assume the pacu still exists in various Michigan waters…possibly swimming northward and southward from Port Huron and into inland rivers and streams. The best thing for anyone to do with exotic pets is to donate them to a zoo or pet store if you’re tired of taking care of ‘em. In the worst-case scenario, released animals can thrive and reproduce, upsetting natural ecosystems to the degree that these former pets become invasive species.” Those that do succeed in the wild can spread exotic diseases to native animals. Not only will they scare the crap out of anyone – thanks to their resemblance to a piranha – but survival is not guaranteed.Īccording to Aquatic Species and Regulatory Affairs Unit manager Nick Popoff via , “Pets released from confined, artificial environments are poorly equipped to fend off predators and may be unable to successfully forage for food or find shelter. Also, aquarium owners may have gotten tired of caring for their exotic fish and dumped them in Michigan waters. The DNR believes the pacus may have been exotic pets of some Michigander and outgrew their fish tanks (they get huge) or were eating other pet fish. So how did this scary-looking fish get to Michigan?
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