Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

what do you all think of this...I think its crazy. I use to own two piranhas when I live in Germany, where you could go down to the local pet shop and buy them for only 10 euros (15 dollars). I use to feed them small fish and small rats, I could only think of the damage that they could do in the small ponds found around the area. what do you think??? Did you see the story on CBS and the other local news stations...everybody thinks it a real piranha, I think it will pop my float tube..lol....FEAR NO FISH!!!
stowersdl@yahoo.com

It was probally a Pachu(spelled wrong) it is a cousin of the piranha
but not aggressive and sol here in the states as a fresh water ciclid

been into fresh water tanks for years it prob. got to big for the tank and some one let it go.

They found one a few years back it was huge !

Tight Lines Dom

I remeber in Vegas the found a 15lb Picasamus (sp) in Lake Mead. People were dumping their fishtanks when they didnt want them anymore. Those fish eat alge. Can you imagine how big one of those wouls get after eating alge in the delta.

As Dom mentioned, it's probably a Pacu since they're widely available at most local aquarium shops. Not too long ago you could drive to Reno or Boise to buy pirannha.

You'd probably find all sorts of exotics dumped into local park ponds, etc because that's the way lazy people dispose of their fish when the novelty wears off....

I know a couple of ski coves I'd love to stock with piranhas down here in the south.

I caught a piranha at a small city pond in Brea (southern cal) one day. I bucketed the thing and brought it to the local pet store to verify it.

Yep, it was a pirahna. I called the DFG from the pet store and they told me not to worry about it.... they can't survive a winter.

So if there are Pirahna in any of our waterways - they won't be there for long. at least that is what I hear!

Gotta love them bleeding heart naturalists! Sing two choruses of "Born Free" and introduced potentially hazardous exotic species into out lakes and rivers!

Still a neat story, even if it wasn't a piranha!

BassManDan

BassManDan wrote:Gotta love them bleeding heart naturalists!

BassManDan

????????

Like the cop who released his pet alligator into a City lake here in L.A. ?
Dumb has no political affiliation.

BassManDan wrote:Gotta love them bleeding heart naturalists! Sing two choruses of "Born Free" and introduced potentially hazardous exotic species into out lakes and rivers!

BassManDan

they found those pacus in a tiny lake here in modesto, their harmless. just another color for your swimbaits

fish_food wrote:
You'd probably find all sorts of exotics dumped into local park ponds, etc because that's the way lazy people dispose of their fish when the novelty wears off....

That seems like too much work for me, walking to the local park.

I prefer giving them a proper sendoff via of the commode.

Just call me Tule Bender

I wonder if they eat Quagga mussle's????

Back in 2005 it was reported that this Pacu was caught in Clear Lake while fishing for carp: