Fish with teeth swimming in Michigan lakes and rivers

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South American fish with a bad reputation for biting people is swimming in Michigan lakes, ponds and rivers.

The Pacu is an Amazon River fish with a mouth full of teeth that can grow to 3 feet long and 55 pounds. People buy them when they are small because they are aggressive and attack and eat goldfish and other prey.

“Predatory fish are very popular,” says Jeff Boshoven, co-owner of Bosh’s Reef fish store.

But when the pet Pacu outgrow their aquariums owners often release the fish into a nearby body of water.

This summer it’s been caught in Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron and other Michigan water ways.

That’s a potential problem because the invaders may spread exotic disease, and some say they will bite humans, especially men.

“They will bite people in the lakes and the rivers where they are at,” explains Boshoven. “I won’t tell you what the Amazonians call them but they tend to bite men. Leave it at that.”

Biologists say Pacu’s mostly eat fruit and used their teeth to munch nuts that fall into the water.

We’ve searched but find no confirmed cases of Pacu’s biting humans.

The Department of Natural Resources suggests owners donate an unwanted Pacu to an aquarium or zoo or ask the pet store where they bought it if they will take it back.

“If someone has some they want to get rid of, bring them to the store and I will find a home for them,” says Boshoven. It’s not a natural fish for the Great Lakes.”

You are viewing this post: Fish with teeth swimming in Michigan lakes and rivers. Information curated and compiled by Kayaknv.com along with other related topics.

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