What exotic fish, related to the piranha, has teeth similar to human's?

maudy2

A pacu ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacu_(fish) Feb 04 09, 11:08 AM

queproblema

Yes, Maudy, it is a pacu; there are numerous varieties. The one I have in mind is Colossoma macropomum, the black pacu. It has a thick, leathery skin with scales and multi-cusped teeth that appear startlingly human. A friend who raises them in Alaska calls them "pacu," we called them "gambitana" in Colombia. http://cristian-m.deviantart.com/art/Black-Pacu-40D0023675-97073126 A close-up of the teeth: http://www.junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/amfishes/pacuteeth.jpg Feb 04 09, 7:46 PM

Indy_B

A Pacu. Pacu is a common name used to refer to several species of South American freshwater fish that are related to the piranha, which are also kept as pets in aquaria. They are popularly thought of as herbivorous, but in fact are omnivores, also eating small fish, insects, and meat on fishing lures. Their teeth, which may look human teeth, are used to cut through vegetation and crush seeds that fall into the water. Pacu and piranha have similar teeth, although the difference is jaw alignments; piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth in a pronounced underbite, where as pacu have squarer, straighter teeth in a less severe underbite, or a slight overbite. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacu (Information about them) http://www.oysterbaytackle.com/gallery05/sheepshead_teeth.jpg (Picture of what the teeth look like) Feb 04 09, 8:57 PM

queproblema

That's a sheepshead, there, Indy_B. I can't find a really good picture of the teeth. My memory tells me they had both uppers and lowers but all I'm finding are lowers. This one compares them with their relative, the piranha, which is not nearly so vicious as believed. (The orca suffer from a similarly unfair reputation. Yes, I know the orca's not a fish.) http://www.floridaconservation.org/fishing/fishes/teeth.html Who would guess both the piranha and the pacu are in the same family as the beautiful little neon tetra? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_tetra Feb 04 09, 9:53 PM