How would you feel about catching a fish like this?
And this is not some kind of deviation at all, but a completely understandable phenomenon. And you all know this fish...
Pacu is the common name for several species of omnivorous South American freshwater piranhas. The pacu and the common piranha (Pygocentrus) have the same number of teeth, although differences in their alignment are noted; The piranha has pointed, razor-shaped teeth with a pronounced mesial bite (the lower jaw protrudes forward), while the pacu has square, straight teeth with a slight mesial or even distal bite (the upper front teeth are pushed forward in relation to the lower ones). As adults, wild pacu weigh more than 30 kg and are much larger than piranhas.
The designation Pacu is of Brazilian-Indian origin. As soon as large representatives of the genus Colossoma appeared in the aquarium hobby, they immediately received the name pacu. In the Amazon, this word collectively refers to small and medium-sized representatives of the genera Metynnis, Mylossoma and Myleus. At the same time, the species Colossoma macropomum is known as “tambaqui”, and Piaractus brachypomus is known as “pirapitinga”. 
Pacu, along with piranhas, are close relatives of popular aquarium characins such as neons and tetras. The current classification of these fish is complex and, in many cases, controversial. This is because ichthyologists rely on characteristics that may overlap randomly (cladistics) when reconstructing relationships between taxa. In some cases, DNA analysis is carried out, which confuses rather than adds harmony to the arrangement of species. Ultimately, an artificial arbitrary classification results. 
Head profile and teeth of a common piranha (left), head profile and teeth of a pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus, right)
Piranhas and pacu are members of the subfamily Serrasalminae ("Serrated salmonids"), all members of which have a serrated keel running along the abdomen. However, diet and dental structure are very different between these groups. 
Currently, the pacu includes the following genera: Acnodon, Colossoma, Metynnis, Mylesinus (Mylopus), Mylossoma, Ossubtus, Piaractus, Tometes and Utiaritichthys. Each of these groups includes one or more species. For example, the commercial black and red-bellied pacu are the species Colossoma macropomum and Colossoma brachypomum, respectively, and Piaractus mesopotamicus is known as the Parana River pacu. 
All representatives of pacu inhabit the rivers and streams of the Amazon and Orinoco basins of the Amazon lowland, where they are part of the Neotropical fish fauna.
The fish are often marketed as “herbivorous piranhas.” With the right level of care, they can become responsive pets. However, there is information that calls into question the possibility of keeping fish by ordinary aquarists. Despite the fact that pacu are not as carnivorous as piranhas, and their jaws are designed to crush nuts and seeds, they can pose a danger to humans.
Pacu originally roamed the waters of the Amazon and are now found in North America and Asia after sport fishing was allowed. In 1994, two fishermen from New Guinea died after being attacked by a mysterious creature in a lake that practically riddled their bodies. The men died from loss of blood. As it turned out later, responsibility for this “crime” lay with the pack. These attacks prompted world-famous extreme fisherman Jeremy Wade to travel to this Guinean lake and catch the culprit - a giant killer pacu. Attacks on people and animals are made only by young, immature individuals of the brown pacu. 
Pacu was introduced as a commercial species into the Sipik River in 1994 and into the Ramu River in 1997. Local residents do not like these fish because they eat native species, including young crocodiles, and occasionally attack people.
While pacu are predominantly vegetarian in nature, in Papua New Guinea there are reports of the fish reaching very large sizes and attacking humans. In fact, the largest specimens are caught in this state compared to the rest of South America. They gained notoriety as "egg eaters" after red-bellied pacu in two separate incidents bit off swimmers' genitals and left them to bleed to death in 2001.
Pacu are one of the main commercial species of the Amazon. In addition, due to their resistance to low oxygen levels and low dietary requirements, they are a favorite subject for aquaculture.
Research has shown that farmed pacu taste similar to hybrids of striped bass, tilapia and rainbow trout, but are superior to catfish. In South America, its meat is famous for its softness and sweet taste. 
The brown pacu fish (Colossoma macropomum) reaches a length of 108 centimeters and weighs approximately 25 kilograms, although there are specimens weighing up to 40 kg. Pacu lives in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins and is a freshwater piranha. The appearance of the pacu is reminiscent of piranhas: the body is high, laterally compressed, the eyes are large. Body color ranges from gray to black, with variations. About 10% of body weight is fat.
Brown pacu are usually solitary; juveniles consume zooplankton, insects, and snails. Adult fish are mainly herbivorous, feeding on fruits and other plant foods. Young individuals stay in the river waters until puberty. 
There are predatory fish in European rivers that attack people. However, the worst thing is that the goal of the river predator is male genitals. It is almost impossible to avoid an attack when encountering such a fish, so the authorities in Denmark and Sweden, where several fishermen have already died, are calling on citizens to refrain from swimming for a while.
Scandinavia has already confirmed that several fishermen died from blood loss after being attacked by a predator fish. How this fish got into its unusual habitat is still unknown. This type of fish is called pacu, and it was discovered in the Øresund River in Denmark. In appearance, this fish is as unpleasant as it is dangerous; it has a rather frightening appearance and large teeth. 
Pacu fish... You must admit that many of us have never even heard of such a creature from the underwater world. It’s a pity, because this depth can attract attention not only because of its physical characteristics, but also due to the huge number of rumors associated with its alleged bloodthirstiness and aggressiveness.
Pacu is completely harmless, despite the fact that its size is much larger than that of its closest relatives, and the teeth of this fish look very much like human ones. She is a true vegetarian and eats only plants.
There were rumors about the emergence of a new population of bloodthirsty pacu. But it seems that they were not confirmed. And if this was true, then individual individuals became only an exception to the main rule.
Pacu fish: habitat
Everyone knows that piranhas are found in southern latitudes. The subject of our conversation is no exception. Where does the pacu fish live? Photos are mainly taken in South America and the Amazon basin. Although you can also find these fish in Africa.
Nutritional Features
As mentioned above, paku only likes vegetarian food. In captivity, they prefer to feast on fresh lettuce, nettles, spinach, and love green peas (even canned). And they will never refuse spirulina and wolfberry ice cream. For variety, pacu fish menus sometimes include granulated, freeze-dried and other elements of animal origin.
Pacu fish. Keeping in an aquarium
Pacus of impressive size have to be kept in huge demonstration aquariums. On average, their length ranges from 30 to 40 cm, but some specimens can sometimes reach 60 cm. There is a known case when a fish weighing 25 kg grew to 88 cm in length. Living in captivity, pacu grow no more than 50 cm in length, and their weight does not exceed 2 kg. But still, such a large fish requires a fairly large aquarium, at least 200 liters, in which the water needs to be changed regularly. It is also necessary to install powerful air exchange and filtration systems of good quality.
If you are going to have several individuals at once, then make sure that they have somewhere to spread out. Please note that a 100 liter aquarium is quite enough for young fish, but this is only for a short time.
Fish breeders feed them pieces of bananas, figs and other exotic fruits. However, they will not refuse pumpkin, cabbage, tomatoes and cherries. The peculiarity of pacu is that it does not completely digest food, which entails a large amount of waste. That is why the ideal neighbors for pacu fish are herbivorous catfish, which feed on leftover food and push undigested waste to the surface, thereby helping to keep the aquarium clean.
Some inhabitants of the underwater world are familiar to us, others we have eaten, and not everyone even knows about the existence of others. There are species of fish that we didn’t even know existed. They are completely different: huge and tiny, dangerous and not so dangerous, with bizarre shapes and strange names. From this article you will learn that there is, for example, fish with human ones; it is probably not known to every person. Many strange fish live in the underwater depths, we will also talk about them. So, let's begin our journey into the fascinating and exotic world of fish.
Paku
This is the most real fish with human teeth. Pacu is a freshwater inhabitant of many rivers in South America. It is also found in the Orinoco and Amazon basins. It also reached Papua New Guinea, where they began to artificially breed it in order to raise it to a higher level. Fish with human teeth belongs to the same genus as piranha (Serrasalminae), although their preferences and habits differ. Piranha is a carnivorous species, but pacu eats absolutely everything and prefers vegetation.
Fish with human teeth: why is it called that?
The most important difference between pacu and piranha is the structure of the teeth. Piranha, as we know, has sharp teeth, which many compare to a razor. But a fish with human teeth has a completely different jaw structure, which is why it is called that. If you look into her mouth, you can really get scared and horrified. Her teeth are square and straight, very human-like. Fish use them mainly for chopping fruits and nuts, although they can also feast on invertebrates. It was her craving for nuts that once deprived two fishermen of their genitals in Papua New Guinea. As you can see, although the pacu is not such a predator as the piranha, the strength of its jaws can still cause irreparable harm. But in the USA, the fish is legal, and anyone can purchase it and place it in an aquarium. But for some reason people don’t take into account that a pacu can grow up to a meter and weigh about 30 kg. Therefore, then the owners simply release her into the nearest body of water. This can explain the fact that fish appeared in Denmark and England. Some sources report that pacu is already available even in Russia.
Lion fish
Continuing to talk about what kind of worlds exist, we cannot lose sight of this cute creature. The lion fish is mostly motionless among the corals, only sometimes swimming from one place to another. It attracts the attention of people and numerous aquatic inhabitants with its unusual coloring, dorsal and pectoral fins, which resemble a large fan. However, behind the bright appearance there are sharp needles that secrete poison. A fish will never be the first to attack a person, but if he accidentally steps on it or even touches it, then just one injection will greatly worsen his general well-being. And after several injections, a person will not be able to swim to the shore on his own; he will need help.
frilled shark
This predator is called that because of the brown formation on its body that looks like a cape. And due to the large number of folds on the skin, it is also called a corrugated shark. Scientists believe that such formations on the skin serve as a reserve of body volume to accommodate large prey in the stomach. Due to its teeth bent inward, this inhabitant of the waters is unable to crush food, so it swallows its prey whole. This is where folds in the skin that can stretch can come in handy. You can see a shark in any ocean, but not in the Arctic.
Blob fish
Some types of fish are truly capable of striking with their appearance. The drop fish is one of them. It looks so unattractive that it is considered one of the most terrible fish on the planet. They live off the coast of Tasmania and Australia, and at the moment there is a threat of their complete extinction. The body of this ugly fish consists of a gelatinous mass, the density of which is less. It has absolutely no muscles, but this does not prevent it from lazily opening its mouth and swallowing everything that swims in front of it (if it is edible).
Big Mouth
This unusual individual lives in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. The body of the largemouth is narrow and long (up to 1 meter). And the mouth is gigantic in size (a third of the entire body length), and can even stretch. This unusual inhabitant of the oceans has no scales, ribs, or normal bone structure. The thin body on the tail turns into a thread, at the end of which there is a luminous organ. Due to the presence of only light cartilage and deformed bones in the skeleton, the fish is very light, it has tiny eyes and a very small skull. The size of the mouth allows the largemouth to swallow prey that is larger than itself in size.
Bagswallow
This deep-sea inhabitant is also called the black eater. This fish grows no more than 30 cm in length, and it was named so because of its ability to completely absorb prey that is several times larger than itself. For example, it can easily swallow prey that is 4 times longer and 10 times heavier than the bag swallow itself! Its jaws are very large, and its fangs help hold the prey while the fish pushes it into its stomach. When food begins to decompose in the stomach, a lot of gas is formed there, which is why the fish involuntarily rises to the surface of the water. Very little is known about these inhabitants, since it is simply impossible to observe their way of life in their natural conditions.
Macropinna smallmouth
It is impossible to see this fish and not scream in fear and surprise at the same time. Why? Because she has a transparent head! The barrel eye (second name) can easily track prey through such a head with its tubular eyes. The specimen was discovered only in 1939. In her usual environment, she is motionless, and if she decides to move, she does so in a horizontal position and very slowly. Previously, it was completely unclear how the eyes of a fish work, because there are olfactory organs right above its mouth, and the eyes are located right inside its surprisingly transparent head, and they only look up. In 2009, scientists finally found out that macropinna has an extremely unusual structure of the eye muscles. It turns out that the eyes of a fish are usually in a vertical position, and if there is a need to look ahead, then it moves them to a horizontal position! Once this happens, she can see her mouth and grab her prey!
Anglerfish
This is a real deep sea monster. It is called not only an angler fish, but also a devil fish. This one has bare skin, a spherical body shape, and the female has a “fishing rod”. This predator hunts thanks to a special growth on its back - during the process of evolution, one section of the dorsal fin was separated from the others, and at its end a transparent sac appeared in which bacteria live. What's most interesting is that the angler fish can make these bacteria light up! He regulates this himself, narrowing or expanding blood vessels. The female can grow up to 65 cm, and the male - only 15-45 mm! When the male ends puberty, he attaches himself to the female with sharp teeth (usually from the side). Soon he fuses with her tongue and lips, and his teeth, intestines, and eyes are reduced in such a way that he becomes a simple appendage that has lost its independence.
Conclusion
From this article you learned what unusual fish exist (photos above). It doesn’t matter whether they pose a danger to humans or not, you shouldn’t be afraid of them. After all, the main thing is to have information and know what each individual is capable of.
Among the numerous inhabitants of home aquariums there are many exotic species. These are rare Malawian cichlids, and tetradon from the distant island of Borneo, and tiger bots. It is difficult to surprise the modern amateur fish farmer; What is there to be surprised if... piranhas often live in a city apartment.
The belly and fins of a piranha are red.
Ferocious predator in the house
Red-bellied pacu, pacu fish, Piaractus brachipomus - all these are the names of a small fish, as if flattened on both sides and covered with small silvery scales. Its belly and fins have a red tint. This is a real piranha. However, specific. The fact is that the basis of her diet is vegetarian food.
Feeding Piaractus brachipomus
The vegetarian selection is varied. These are lettuce leaves, various grains, chopped fruits and vegetables, and grapes. Some owners use bananas or other tropical fruits that grow in the natural habitat of the “herbivorous predator.”
Pacu is called a herbivorous piranha because its food is plant food.
From organic matter, the red pacu piranha prefers bloodworms (preferably large ones), larvae of other insects, snails, worms, and crustaceans. It is possible to feed fish fry and even raw meat - after all, the pacu fish is half a predator.
However, the introduction of meat into the diet should be approached with caution: Such food can cause aggressiveness if consumed continuously.
The main thing you need to know about feeding this pet is that there should be a lot of food. After all, the average size of an adult reaches from 30 to 60 cm.
Aquarium for piranha
Of course, for such a giant, you need to choose an appropriate habitat. One “living unit” will require at least 300 liters of water. So even for a small flock of 3-4 individuals you will need a house with a capacity of about a cubic meter. The water temperature should be maintained in the range from 22 to 28 °C, acidity - from 6 to 7 pH, hardness should be 1-15 dGH. It is very important to have a good filter in your aquarium. Every week you need to replace at least a third of the water volume in the aquarium.
Gravel is best for soil. You should not decorate artificial habitats with living plants: fish use them for food. Sometimes a few stones on the gravel are enough to form the interior for an aquarium with a red pacu.
This fish grows quickly, and its lifespan often reaches 10 years, so it is better to immediately prepare a large (at least 1.5 meters on the plane) glass house with a height and width of at least 1 meter.
Close to others
If you want to diversify a small underwater world, you should understand that When keeping piranha pacu, the following factors must be taken into account:
- relatively large size of the individual;
- belonging to predators.
Therefore, you need to choose appropriate neighbors: impressive in size and not shy. From the experience of the aquarium hobby, we can distinguish the arowana fish and catfish of the plecostomus species in terms of better compatibility and livability.
Basically, the red pacu is quite peaceful and gets along with other species of fish (except perhaps very small ones). But the risk is always present.
Breeding and features
By the age of two years, the piranha pacu reaches sexual maturity. In nature, females lay eggs, which are fertilized by the male. The fry grow quickly.
However, captive breeding of this species of fish comes with certain difficulties. There are few successful examples, and to obtain offspring they resort to special injections.
There are farms that breed pacu fish fry for aquariums. They are found in the Far East and in their natural habitat - South America.
Fish with human teeth
Pacu is a freshwater fish that originally lived in the rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Unlike the notorious predators - piranhas - the red pacu has a tooth structure similar to that of humans. They are also adapted for eating plant foods; even the shells of nuts lend themselves to the powerful jaws of the pack. However, cases of injury to people by this fish are not uncommon.
In the wild nature of the Amazon, the fish “fat” up to 30-40 kg of live weight, reaching a meter or more in length. Naturally, a bite from such a “monster” is fraught with consequences, including traumatic amputation.
The lack of control over fish farming has led to the fact that various types of piranhas have colonized the freshwater bodies of other continents. Nowadays you can find her:
- On the islands of the Caribbean.
- In rivers and lakes of North America.
- In Europe.
- On the islands of the Pacific region.
The red pacu has a tooth structure similar to that of humans. Irresponsible aquarium owners release their pets into the nearest body of water, and if the pack manages to acclimatize, then it occupies its niche, displacing local species.
After cases of attacks by “vegetarian” predators on swimmers became known, the authorities of some cities banned swimming in reservoirs where this fish was spotted. And on the island of New Guinea, where the pacu, having settled in, feels “at home,” it has become a serious threat to local fishermen. Among the Papuans, this species was called “ball katu,” which translated means “cutting off the genitals.”
When purchasing such an exotic and dangerous inhabitant of a home aquarium as a red pacu, the maintenance of which requires considerable experience and skill, you should critically evaluate your capabilities so that instead of a cute curiosity you do not end up with a dangerous neighbor.
Freshwater fish with Paku teeth - can beat “drums”. Don't believe me? Read on!
The body of this fish is compressed from the sides and has an oval shape. The coating is small silvery scales. The edge of the caudal fin is decorated with a black stripe, and the fins themselves and the underbelly of the pack are beautiful red. The fins located on the chest of this fish are relatively small, but there are many of them. Of the total body weight, 10% is fat.
With age, the body color of the pacu changes almost to black, the characteristic pattern becomes more pronounced and saturated. But looking into the mouth of a paku, you can be very surprised, because its teeth in appearance are practically no different from human teeth. Why nature awarded this fish, similar to many of its other brethren, with such impressive teeth, still remains a mystery.
In the wild, males weigh slightly less than females. Representatives of this fish species can reach 25 kg, and they grow up to 90 cm in length. The maximum recorded weight of a caught pacu was 30 kg, and its length was 120 cm.
Habitat
This freshwater fish is common in the river basins of the Amazon, Orinoco and Paraguay. Moreover, in size, it is considered the largest fish in the Amazon. This species is found in Peru, Bolivia, as well as in Honduras, Taiwan, USA, Panama, the Dominican Republic and the Philippines. It was imported into the last listed countries.
Lifestyle
As a rule, individuals of this species stay solitary in vegetated streams and areas with good depth. Young pacu who have not reached puberty prefer to swim in polluted river waters, where adult individuals swim to get their fill during the flood and rainy season.
Another interesting fact is that they are capable of making sounds similar to beating a drum or croaking when competitors appear and while eating.
Food paku
Despite the fact that this species belongs to piranhas, they are not aggressive and feed on various vegetation. The menu of young individuals includes zoological plankton, as well as a variety of insects, crustaceans, and snails. In addition, pacu can feast on seeds, fruits and nuts of attackers in the water, which are crushed with the help of powerful teeth.
A highly developed sense of smell helps it find the food it needs, so the paku is able to smell the emanating smell of fruits even before they get into the river water.
Paku breeding
Under natural conditions, individuals of this type of piranha rise upstream of the Amazon River to spawn. Having reached the flooded plains, female pacu lay eggs, which are greenish in color and one millimeter in size. After the eggs are fertilized, they develop very quickly.
Spawning of pacu fish lasts several months from December to April.
Pacu fish and man
Recently, this type of fish has become very popular among avid aquarists. In captivity, fish are very shy and can even faint. They grow up to 45–60 cm and require an aquarium with a very large volume of water to keep them. To feed pacu, not only plant foods are used in the form of lettuce, spinach leaves, dandelions, nettles, fruits, and peas, both fresh and canned, but also pieces of meat. They also do not refuse food in the form of granules, and
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