The red-bellied pacu (Piaractus brachypomus ) is a cousin of the piranha and is native to tropical and subtropical South America. The red-bellied pacu is an introduced species to many other areas, including Georgia. Pacu have been found in the Chattahoochee, Flint, Oconee and Savannah River basins. They live in fresh or semi-salty, brackish water, and while they have an appearance that will for sure raise the alarm, they are not as aggressive or harmful as their piranaha cousins.
“Pacu” is a term that refers to several species of related fish. They come in many varieties, including silver, grey, black and the ever popular red-bellied variety. Pacu range in size from 12-20 inches and weigh anywhere from 2-97 pounds. The different species of pacu differ in size, color, diet and habitat.
The red-bellied pacu have also been known to be raised in aquariums, which is probably how they were introduced out of their native habitat. People who don’t want their pet fish anymore will sometimes dump them in local waters, which is never recommended. Introducing a non-native species can be dangerous, as they may be an invasive species that wreaks havoc on the ecosystem, destroying food chains and reproducing out of control. Luckily, the introduced pacu are not a particularly invasive species, and there is no indication that their reproduction rates are alarming. That’s not to say that there isn’t the possibility that they can negatively impact the ecosystem that they are released into.
Pacu, unlike their flesh-eating cousins the piranha, who have sharp, razor-like teeth to tear flesh, use their very human-like teeth to crush nuts and fruits that fall into the water. They also eat vegetation and insects, and they do have powerful jaws for crushing. They are very adept at biting the bait off fishing lines. Despite their omnivorous nature and their crushing jaw power, they are not overly aggressive, territorial or dangerous. The reports that pacu indeed feast on the flesh of male swimmers are false. They are not flesh eaters, thankfully!
At the end of the day, there is no reason to be overly alarmed about the pacu. They are a unique organism that brightens up many aquarium habitats and are often grown in fish farms for food. People should be very careful not to release pacu and any other non-native species into the local ecosystems. Invasive species can harm the environment by disrupting the food chains and webs and reproducing so quickly that their population can choke the ecosystem.
Please reference the University of Georgia website that shows the pacu’s distribution in Georgia.
http://fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu/index.php?page=speciespages/species_page&key=piarspec
