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'Pachu' () is a uncommon name used to refer to several species of South American freshwater fish that are closely related to the piranha. They are mainly herbivores, but will also eat small fish, insects, and meat on fishing lures^[1] (see omnivorous). Their teeth, which may resemble human teeth, are used to cut through vegetation and crush seeds that fall into the water. Pacu and piranha are distinguished from each other by their teeth and jaw alignments; piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth in a pronounced underbite, whereas pacu have square, straight teeth in a less severe underbite, or a slight overbite. Toothy fish caught on White River is piranha cousin Kathryn Lucariello Additionally, full-grown pacu are much larger than piranha.

Contents

Classification

Species of Pacu

Importance to humans

Aquariums

Game fish

Food fish

References

External links

Classification

Pacus are a characin fish, meaning they belong to the Characiformes order. The ongoing classification of these fish is difficult and often contentious, with ichthyologists basing ranks according to characteristics that may overlap irregularly (see Cladistics). DNA research sometimes confounds rather than clarifies species ranking. Ultimately, classifications can be rather arbitrary. Subfamily Serrasalminae
Pacu, along with piranha, are currently further classified into the Serrasalminae family. Serrasalminae means "serrated salmon family" and is a name which refers to the serrated keel running along the belly of these fish. However, dental characteristics and feeding habits further separate the two groups from each other.
The common name ''pacu'' is generally applied to fish classified under the following genera:

★ ''Acnodon''

★ ''Colossoma''

★ ''Metynnis''

★ ''Mylesinus (Mylopus)''

★ ''Mylossoma ''

★ ''Ossubtus''

★ ''Piaractus''

★ ''Tometes''

★ ''Utiaritichthys''

Each of these groups contain one or more separate species. For example, the fish often found in pet stores known as the 'Black Pacu' and the 'Red-bellied Pacu' belong to the species '''Colossoma macropomum''' and Colossoma brachypomum, respectively. A species popular among aquaculturists is the '''Piaractus mesopotamicus''', also known as 'Paraná River Pacu'.

Species of Pacu

★ ''Colossoma brachypomum'' - Red-bellyed Pacu, Common Pacu or Red Pacu

★ ''Colossoma macropomum'' - Tambaqui, Black Pacu, Black-finned Pacu, or Gamitana

★ ''Colossoma oculus''

★ ''Colossoma orbignyanum''

★ ''Acnodon normani'' - Sheep pacu

★ ''Acnodon oligacanthus''

★ ''Ossubtus xinguensi'' - Parrot pacu

Importance to humans

Aquariums

Black pacu (''Colossoma macropomum'' at Denver's Downtown Aquarium.

Pacu are commonly sold as 'Vegetarian Piranhas' to home aquarium owners. With the proper equipment and commitment, pacu have been known to make responsive pets. One such example was Swish, a 30-inch pacu owned for over 20 years by a Chinese restaurant (Kau Kau) in the Chinatown district in Seattle, Washington; one aquarium technician said of Swish, "He'd rub his body on your arms, kind of like a dog." Chinatown fixture Swish was "part of the family" Florangela Davila
However, the fish are a poor choice for the typical hobbyist. While they are not aggressive carnivores like the piranha, their crushing jaw system, used primarily for eating seeds and nuts, can be hazardous. One toddler needed surgery after a pacu (misreported as a piranha) bit her finger at Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World in Scotland. Commenting on the incident, Deep Sea World zoological manager Matthew Kane warned, "Pacus will eat anything, even children’s wiggling fingers." Girl needs surgery for piranha bite to finger Gareth Edwards
Additionally, profit-driven pet stores which ignore long-term fish welfare, sell pacus as small as 2-3 inches long and neglect to warn customers that fish growth is not inhibited by tank size, contrary to popular fish lore. Pacu, Tambaqui, Piratinga, Silver Dollars "Most UK dealers now refuse to stock this species due to the large size and expensive aquarium requirements it demands," according to Practical Fishkeeping magazine's Matt Clarke. Angler catches fruit-eating piranha Matt Clarke Indeed, pacu should be raised in very large aquaria, they can quickly grow over 30 inches long and need enough space to live healthily. PACU: Finesse of the Tropic Overwhelmed hobbyists are suspected of illegally releasing their pacu into wild waterways.
Though they may be acting out of a sense of benevolence, home aquarists releasing their pacu are misguided: as tropical fish, pacu will die in cold weather; as newcomers to an ecosystem, pacu may out-compete native species for available food, habitat, and other resources, or displace them by introducing exotic parasites or diseases. Most wildlife resource authorities prohibit releasing exotic fish, including pacu, into the wild. Officials of one Texas lake have put a $100 bounty on the pacu caught there. Mystery Fish Caught At Buffalo Springs Lake Identified
Pacu have been illegally introduced as exotic species into freshwater habitats throughout the world. Scientists dispel fears of piranha invasion in Cat Tien Reserve Discoveries in the United States have been reported in Alabama Fish Thought To Be Record Bream Is A Pacu Jade Hindmond , Arizona Woman catches piranha relative in Yuma area , Arkansas, Colorado Foreign Creature Found In Cherry Creek Reservoir , Idaho Pirhanna-like Fish Caught in Lake Lowell , Maryland Dundalk fish tale loses its bite: Experts conclude catch in local pond is pacu, not piranha Candus Thomson Massachusetts Rare Fish With Teeth Caught In North Attleboro , Michigan Suspected piranha caught near Dollar Bay Mark Wilcox , Minnesota Lifelong St. Croix River angler reels in a big surprise , Missouri Man Catches Pacu Fish In Mississippi , New Hampshire Frightening Fish Doesn't Have Piranha's Bite , New York A Kid in Rondout that looked like Huck Finn said they caught one in Upper Rondout , North Carolina Wildlife Experts Don't Bite On Tale Of Piranha In Lake Gaston , North Dakota South American freshwater fish caught at Patterson Lake Kim Fundingsland , Ohio Boy Hooks Piranha-Like Fish From Ohio River Ten Year-Old Catches Toothy Fish , Oklahoma Experts Say Fish Resembling Piranha is a Pacu , Pennsylvania Local fisherman reels in a piranha Deborah Weisberg , Texas Exotic fish caught in Lake Texoma Joyce Godwin Texas Man Catches Fish With Human-like Teeth , Utah Piranha-like fish caught in Utah Lake was a pacu , Wisconsin Wrong type fish biting: Man catches exotic Pacu from Black River Bob Lamb , and Wyoming A Brazilian fish out of water Cory Matteson .
State wildlife authorities typically advise home aquarists who wish to get rid of overgrown pacu to cut the heads off the fish and dispose of them as garbage. However, Habitattitude, a US national initiative led by the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force, recommends humanely disposing the fish through a veterinarian or pet retailer, returning them to retailers, or donating them to a local aquarium society, school, or aquatic business. Habitattitude Additionally, aquarium-raised fish can be eaten (see note in ''Pacu as food'' for cautions and instructions). To Serve Fish

'''Colossoma macropomum'''
A pacu, also known as ''Tambaqui'', for sale in the Manaus Fish Market, Brazil. Photographer Thorke Østergaard noted that this fish was approximately 34.3 inches (85 cm) long.

Game fish

In Appendix B of ''Through the Brazilian Wilderness'' Through the Brazilian Wilderness, , Theodore, Roosevelt, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, , (see also online version Through the Brazilian Wilderness ), Theodore Roosevelt advised, "For small fish like the pacu and piranha an ordinary bass hook will do." Concerning the pacu, he added:
More recently, South American rivers including the Amazon have become a popular destination for recreational anglers, who go to fly fish for pacu. The International Game Fishing Organization has sponsored fly-fishing courses for native Brazilian fishermen, typically accustomed to subsistence fishing, so they can work as guides to fishing tourists. Fishing Adventures along the Xingu River – Pará, Brazil
When bait-fishing in pacu-stocked ponds, anglers in Malaysia are advised to use circle hooks, size 2 or larger, and braided leather rather than nylon leaders which are easily broken by the pacu's teeth. Since pond pacu often nibble at the bait before taking it, anglers should let them swim away with the bait. If the angler simply allows the line to tighten, the circle hook will slide to the side of the fish's mouth and embed its point there. Hooking the fish Aznir Malek

Grilled pacu over rice with sides of lettuce, tomato, onions, and plantains, with a lemon-half garnish.
Photograph taken in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, by Marc Alan Davis.

Food fish

Theodore Roosevelt wrote of catching and eating pacu in his book ''Through the Brazilian Wilderness''. He described them as "good-sized, deep-bodied fish," and noted, "They were delicious eating."
Today, the Amazon river is experiencing a crisis of overfishing. Both subsistence fishers and their commercial rivals compete in netting large quantities of pacu, which bring good prices at markets in Brazil and abroad. Big Fish, Little Fish Battle Over the Amazon's Bounty Larry Rohter
Aquaculture may relieve the overfishing crisis, as well as improve food security by boosting fish supplies. Various species of pacu are increasingly being used for warm-water farm fishing around the world. Pacu are considered ideal for their tolerance of the low-oxygen water in farm ponds. They also don't require a lot of expensive protein in their diet, and can be raised year-round in warm or temperature-controlled environments. Farming with Fins Jennifer Kulier
Research shows that the "flavor of (farmed) pacu is comparable to that of hybrid striped bass, tilapia, and rainbow trout, but superior to catfish." In South America, pacu are prized for their sweet, mild flavor.
[Note that aquarium-raised pacu can be cooked and eaten, but care should be taken to ensure that no chemicals or medicines were used in the aquarium. Heather Candelaria provides a recipe and preparation instructions on the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society's website.]

References

1. Toothy fish caught on White River is piranha cousin Kathryn Lucariello

External links

★ Habitattitude, an advertising and marketing campaign to raise public awareness of what to do with unwanted aquarium pets and plants. The national initiative was developed by the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force in partnership with several US government agencies including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Sea Grant Program, as well as the pet and aquarium trade and the nursery and landscape industry.

★ ''Texas man caught a fish with a mouth full of teeth'', [Online video] KAMC reporter Mark Kennedy interviews Scott Curry at Buffalo Springs Lake, Lubbock, Texas. CNN, 2006-07-18.