# KZ- Freshwater fishin report (a very odd fish)



## KodiakZach

Last week my neighbor caught this fish on a piece of bread, but it was so dark out, the pic hardly came out. The fish had orangish red all over the bottom mouth area. The rest was silverish and it had very, very nasty teeth:










After asking for some help on the Internet, it was identifyed as a Red Belly Pacu with a description as follows: "*the Red Belly Pacu is a non-native fish that gets introduced to local waters. People keep them in aquariums and sometimes release them into the wild. Pacu are closely related to the Piranha, as both are from the Amazon. Red Belly Pacu are similiar in appearance to Red Belly Piranha but the Pacu is mostly a vegetarian."*

Well I assure you it isn't a vegetarian because this week my 8-yr old caught it on a live shiner. I wonder if I should remove/destroy it next time I catch it since it appears to be an invasive non-native species? Here are the latest pics of it:




























Finally, wrapped up that night with a small BASS, also on a live shiner, and about 1000 bug bites:


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## lipyanker

*No good*

KZ,
I used ton raise pacu in my aquariums and your right they are not just vegetarian they would compete with the other predators in the tank and if there in your bass or crappie pond you better believe they are eating the fry and the minnows in there also. Also they tend to grow larger than those pic you put up so they may be eating the target species in their juvenile stage.

LY


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## Jigmaster

*Pacu*

KZ~ you may want to Let University of Florida know about this one. I know they partner with Florida Wildlife and conservation Commission. They Doccument and track this stuff. 

Florida is becoming more and more like the Movie Lake Placid every day -Giant Snakes that eat Alligators and Deer. 20 LB. African Rats that have invaded the Florida Keys, Cuban Tree Frogs and Lizzards that have nearly eliminated our Native Species. 






PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE WHEN IT COMES TO FLORIDA'S AQUATIC ALIENS 

Fishes native to distant parts of Africa, Asia, and South America are thriving in Florida's freshwater marshes, swamps, lakes and canals which now host 28 reproducing populations of exotic species. The 1990s alone saw six different exotic species establish a biological foothold. 

How these aquatic immigrants affect native fish and habitats are questions pursued by Paul Shafland, head of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Non-Native Fish Lab Research in Boca Raton. 

"Preventing future introductions is of paramount importance because of the possible negative biological and environmental consequences--most of which are difficult to predict" Shafland said. 

Most exotic fish thriving in Florida's freshwaters were either released by private aquarists or escaped from holding ponds managed by the tropical fish industry. "Exotic fishes are the basis of an important multi-million dollar industry in Florida," he said. "In fact, Florida produces more than 80 percent of the tropical fish grown in the United States." 

The worst case scenario can be pretty grim. Introducing exotics is usually a step down a one-way street. Most illegally introduced pet fishes die, but the survivors may reproduce and become difficult, if not impossible to control or eradicate. 

"At the same time exotic species can change the profile of the aquatic community by competing with native species for food or altering the natural balance by excessively aggressive behavior or simply over-crowding limited habitat," he said. 

Alien fish may also bring to their new habitat exotic parasites or diseases with severe and often unpredictable impacts on native fishes, according to Shafland. Other species such as piranhas and freshwater stingrays can actually pose a physical or public health threat. 

Florida's fresh waters are now home to swamp eels, walking catfish, and clown knifefish from Asia, jaguar guapotes and Mayan cichlids from Central America, four species of tilapia from Africa, and 19 additional species from around the world. 

Shafland said the most rapidly spreading populations include the sailfin catfish, Mayan cichlid, and the brown hoplo. These fish species were all discovered in Florida during the past 20 years. 

The FWC attempts to prevent exotic fish introductions by developing regulations that define possession criteria for exotic species which are enforced by specially trained law enforcement officers, an on-going public education and information program, and eradication of isolated exotic populations when ever possible. 

"On four occasions piranhas have been found in Florida ponds, but we were able to eradicate them before they could spread," he said. "The FWC plans to keep the state's waters free of piranha. Although private citizens in some northern states are allowed to possess piranha, that is not the case in Florida. Piranha are prohibited by law in Florida and violators are subject to prosecution." 

Shafland and his fisheries team at the Boca Lab are involved daily in assessing the exotic fish populations in the state, and developing management strategies to cope with any negative consequences. In one notable exception, the FWC introduced an exotic predator, the butterfly peacock bass, to the canals of Miami-Dade and Broward counties to control the existence of a huge population of exotic tilapia. 

"This program has been a tremendous success," he said. "The butterfly peacock has reduced the number of tilapia while also creating an $8 million per year sportfishery. The South American butterfly peacock is a world class sportfish, and it has had no known negative impact on native fish. It needs to be emphasized that we thoroughly studied the butterfly peacock and the canals for many years before the first fish was ever released." 

Shafland is concerned that the media sometimes projects "The Sky Is Falling!" mentality when it comes to exotic fish in Florida. He points to the near hysteria regarding the mid-1960s discovery of walking catfish as a classic case of press over-reaction. 

"Media coverage of the recently discovered swamp eel is reminiscent in many ways of the reports about the dangers posed by the walking catfish," he said. "Predications of an environmental catastrophe turned out to be exaggerated at best and sometimes were nothing more than the product of creative imaginations. 

"Yes, we must be concerned about the unauthorized releases of exotic fish, and we should make every reasonable effort to prevent this from happening," he said. "But we should have learned from the walking catfish experience to beware of unsubstantiated doomsday predictions." 

Further information about Florida's exotic fish may be obtained by writing: The FWC Non-Native Fish Research Lab, 801 Northwest 40th Street, Boca Raton, FL 33431. 

Note To Editors: Photos of certain exotic fishes available upon request. 




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## KodiakZach

FYI.. I e-mailed the Florida Museum of Natural History - Ichthyology Department to let them know about the Pacu and asked if I should kill it next time I catch it.

I'll let you know what I hear back from them.


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## yogai

we see em in GA sometimes, but the winter kills em


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## KodiakZach

Here is the reply from UFL:

Zach: Thanks for sending the photo. The fish is a Pacu, as you noted. I am not sure of the species but can work on that if it is important. Is there any evidence that the fish is reproducing in the lake - i.e., small ones?

Pam Fuller at USGS here in Gainesville tracks exotic species so I will forward this message to her. Please send any more info you have to her; she notifies me and other ichthyologists of new records.

Pacus are primary herbivores but will eat meat when it is readily available - apparently including a shiner on a hook. Yes, you should destroy them; they have negative impacts on the environment, including eating native plants which native fishes rely on for spawning and larval habitat. BTW, Pacus are very good to eat. 

Larry

>Hi,
>
>I live in a subdivision called Lake Forest. The community is built around a 55-acre lake stocked with Bass, Bluegill, and the like. 2 times in the last week we have caught a fish we think we have identifyed as a Red Bellied Pacu, a South American cousin to the Piranha. You can see the pictures of the fish we caught here:
>
>http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32058
>
>I just wanted to let you guys know because I was told you guys track
>invasive non-native species found in Florida. The first time it was
>caught on a piece of bread, the second time on a live shiner. That is
>what got me concerned -since it appears to be carnivorous. That's why I
>wanted to check with you guys and see if I should kill it next time I
>catch it because I don't want to leave it in the lake and have it
>destroy the local Bass population. 
>
>Thanks,
>
>Zach


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## lipyanker

*monsters*

Kz,

In the ideal environment they get up to 30lbs.


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## SeaSalt

i had two pacus in my fish tank. they can grow really large...


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