A known member of the family Characidae in the order of Characiformes, the piranha often referred to as the piraña is a omnivorous freshwater fish native to the rivers of the South American regions.
Notorious throughout Venezuela as caribes, the piranha are recognized for their razor sharp teeth, strong jaws and an insatiable appetite for animal flesh.
To date, the total number of piranha series is still unknown and often contested with new species continuously being reported. Estimates however range the number of species of the piranha to slightly under thirty to just over sixty with the largest species known as the black piranha.
Facts About the Piranha
▪ Piranhas are native to the Amazon basin, in the Orinoco rivers, within the rivers of São Francisco, the South American north-eastern region of the Guianas as well as in the Paraguay-Paraná river. Throughout the United States of America efforts to introduce species of the piranha in aquariums have been unsuccessful. Most cases of piranhas reportedly captured and kept as pets have often been revealed as nothing more than a case of misidentification of the fish known as the deep bodied herbivorous fresh-water fish known as the pacu often mistaken for the red-bellied piranha. The piranha fish has also been found in the southeast regions of the Kaptai Lake, Bangladesh, India as well as in the Lijiang River in China. Studies as to how the fish were introduced into such distant regions of the world from their natural habitat remain inconclusive, left only to a number of theories that exotic rogue fish traders may have released the piranha into the lakes to avoid being caught by law enforcement.
▪ The average piranha fish is between six to just over ten inches in length, however some species have been exported to be as long as up to 17 inches in total length. Traditionally there are only four genera that are considered to be true piranhas recognized by the unique development of their teeth ; they include the Serrasalmus, Pristobrycon, Pygopristis and Pygocentrus. All piranhas are known to have a single row of razor-edged and tightly packed teeth interlocked by small cusps in both their jaws. Used for quickly puncturing and ripping meat the individual teeth of the piranha are generally seen as widely triangular, tapered and having a flat-blade like appearance. Variations in the number of cusps among some species of the piranha is relatively small as the most are known for their tricuspid teeth and noticeable larger middle cusp which allows the individual teeth of the piranha to appear to a large extent triangular in its shape with the only exception of the Pygopristis genera, known for its pentacuspid teeth and slightly larger middle cusp.
▪ Piranhas are renown of their reputation as savage, aggressive predators that collectively hunt their prey in large groups. Latest studies however which began on the theory that the piranhas school as a way of hunting revealed on the contrary that the piranhas are in fact timid in their nature and school not as a means for cooperative hunting but instead as a form of protection from known predators including dolphins, cormorants, and caimans.
▪ During the breeding season piranhas lay their eggs by digging pits and swimming around them as a form of protection. The young piranhas when newly hatched will feed on zooplankton, eventually moving on to small fish when they become larger.
▪ Historically and even today indigenous populations have used the teeth of the piranhas to make weapons and tools as well as their meat as a popular source for food. However when fishing it has been reported that when a piranha is caught on the line it is often attacked by other piranhas.
▪ In some regions of the world piranhas are kept as pets, however in most parts of the United States recognize ownership of the piranha fish as an illegal act punishable by law. Notably in the Philippines, importing piranhas is illegal and if caught could land the person anywhere in-between six months up to four years in jail.
▪ The Pygocentrus nattered often referred to as the red-bellied piranha is by far the most common aquarium piranha and can be purchased either when young no bigger than your thumbnail or when fully mature. As the piranhas are known for aggression against their weaker species, when maintaining the red-bellied piranhas as an aquarium fish, it is important to keep the fish preferably in solitary, or in groups of four but never in pairs as it is often quite common to find individual piranha fish missing an eye due to a previous attack by another member of its species.
▪ Violent piranha attacks occurring in the Amazon basin have often result in death. The Brazilian state of São Paulo in 2011 reported over a 100 cases including people brutally attacked and injured by piranha fish which resulted in many Brazilian rivers today carrying warning signs about lethal piranhas. In another Brazilian attack 15 people were injured along the Tietê River in São Paulo.
▪ A study conducted in Suriname claimed that piranhas tend to attack mostly during the dry season when the water levels are low and food is somewhat scarce resulting to a heavier concentration of fish. Fatal attacks by the piranha fish are quite rare as most attacks have been reported in the form of nibbles and bites and sometimes more extreme resulting in the loss of hands and feet. Splashing violently in the water increases the possibility for the piranha to attack and as such children are often attacked.
Live Animals TV Piranha Tank Webcam
The Live Animals TV network providing support for animal shelters, nature preserves and zoos by raising the awareness and interest of conservationists via their website featured a live webcam of the Las Vegas Piranha tank. Currently the live feed is no longer available, however the website has included a recorded video of the South American fish until an available link is found.
View Live Animals TV Piranha Tank Webcam.
Mystic Aquarium Piranha Webcam
Founded in 1973 the Mystic Aquarium has served as a living research facility and public exhibit calling to attention some of the most fascinating marine species across the globe. Under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Spotte the Aquarium has been established as a leading progressive research entity and private owned non-profit organization. Visitors to the Mystic Aquarium website can watch a prerecorded video of the Aquarist Cris Sodergren as he talks about the then species of the month, the Piranha fish.
View Mystic Aquarium Piranha Webcam.