Red-Bellied Pacu

Red Bellied Pacu
Wade with a Red-Bellied Pacu
Facts
Maximum Length:	3 feet
Maximum Weight	55 pounds
Area Found	Amazon, introduced to Papua New Guinea
Diet	Herbivore (Omnivore in Papua New Guinea)
In River Monsters
Episode(s):	The Mutilator, Mighty Rivers: The Ganges
Season(s):	3, Mighty Rivers Season 1

This article is about the relative of the piranha. For other uses, visit Piranha (disambiguation).

The Red-Bellied Pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) is a fish native to South America. It is a distant, herbivorous relative of Piranhas.

River Monsters

The Mutilator

In "The Mutilator," the first episode of River Monsters Season 3, Jeremy Wade investigates two cases from Papua New Guinea where men were attacked in the water resulting in severe damage to their reproductive organs. Jeremy quickly starts to catch Pacu, which he notes as being odd given the fact that they hail from South America. However, he does not suspect them due to their herbivorous diet. However, evidence builds as Jeremy hears more stories of their aggressive nature and of wounds that resemble bites from human teeth, as Pacu have rectangular teeth. Jeremy eventually concludes that they have taken up a new lifestyle in Papua New Guinea where they are more destructive to their habitat and other animals.

Description

Young Red Bellied Pacu have red bellies, which is where they get their name. This adaptation is perhaps used to "confuse" potential predators into thinking they are Piranhas. However, older Pacu do not possess this as they are too large to be attacked by most Amazonian fish.

Introduction to Papua New Guinea

Some scientists thought it would be beneficial to introduce the Red Bellied Pacu into the waters of Papua New Guinea. This, however, was a huge mistake. The South American ecosystem greatly differed from New Guinea, and Pacu numbers increased uncontrollably. They started to put severe pressure on other animals and themselves, and started to destroy vegetation across the New Guinea's rivers. They also became more opportunistic and began attacking other animals, including humans. The arrival of Pacu even impacted the much larger Saltwater Crocodiles, as they relied on the habitats being destroyed by Pacu.

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