Pacu Fish Shows Up in New Jersey Lake
In Scandinavia, and now New Jersey, skinny dippers are being warned of a close cousin to the South American piranha fish, the Pacu fish.
It has been spotted in waters by fishermen, but unlike their cousin, they are vegetarian. The warning is valid though as the Pacu fish likes to break open nuts they find floating in the water with their powerful jaws. So skinny dippers, especially men, are being warned there could be a case of mistaken identity in what men consider ‘family jewels’ and the Pacu considers a snack.
ABC News reports , Ron Rossi of Delran caught a pacu fish at Swedes Lake in southern New Jersey last weekend. The question remains: How did a pacu end up in a south Jersey lake? According to experts the fish was most likely released by a hobbyist after it grew to big for its fish tank. They can grow up to 3 feet and outgrow their welcome. An owner will then toss them into a lake.
Larry Hajna, spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says: "I've been explaining to people that the fish is designed to eat fruits and nuts that are dropped into the river, "That's why it has human-like teeth. Stories that it eats certain parts of the male anatomy are greatly exaggerated."
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