Piranha with human teeth. Fish with human teeth. Unusual fish of the world - photo. Breeding red pacu piranha

(Colossoma macropomum), or a large colossom, belongs to the small genus Colossoma, widespread in South America, which includes four more species of rather large fish: C. brachypomum - black colossoma, C. Bidens - red-breasted colossom, C. Oculus - toothed colossoma and C. orbignyanum - orbignian colossom.

The largest member of the genus. In the Amazon basin, it is the second largest fish after the arapaima. Individual specimens can reach a length of more than one meter and weigh about 30 kg, with 10% of body weight coming from fat.

The colossom genus is a member of the Characidae family, which includes such popular aquarium fish as neons and tetras.

It was first described in 1816 by the Cuvier biology meter.

The existing classification of the family is quite complex, and, to date, is controversial.

In body shape, all colossoms are very similar to the common piranha, infamously known for its bloodthirstiness.

Some taxonomists even distinguish black pacu and common piranha into a separate subfamily Serrasalminae (“Toothed salmon”), all of which have a toothed keel running along the abdomen.

Despite the significant difference in size, black pacu and piranhas the same number of teeth, very different in shape, which indicates differences in the food habits of these species.
If piranhas have pointed, razor-shaped teeth, triangular in shape, and their lower jaw protrudes noticeably forward, then the upper jaw protrudes forward in the pacu, and the teeth are square and somewhat reminiscent of human teeth.

The teeth of the black pacu are square and somewhat reminiscent of human teeth.

Strong teeth allow the fish to crack open the hard shell of nuts inaccessible to other herbivorous fish.

black pacu widespread throughout almost the entire Amazon basin, with the exception of the upper reaches of large rivers with black and clear water. Judging by the tributaries of the Rio Madeira and Rio Negro, this species lives in them only at a distance of about 150 km from the white-water rivers.

The high water period falls on the time interval between mid-December and mid-June.
When the water level in the rivers begins to rise rapidly, adults black pacu gather in flocks and swim to spawn in white waters. The exact location of the spawning grounds is still unknown, most likely they are located along flooded grassy dams. After spawning, the flocks break up and the fish migrate to floodplain forests flooded with black and clear waters, where they feed on fruits and seeds.

black pacu collect their favorite fruits and seeds from the floodplain flora in the sequence in which they enter the water. They equally willingly consume large seeds of both dry and juicy fruits. For example, the seeds of the rubber tree (Hevea spruceana, Euphorbiaceae) make up about 58% of the total fruit consumed by fish at this time. Hevea fruits are capsules that explode after ripening, and the seeds contained in them scatter in different directions. Hevea seeds are about 4 cm in size and are covered with a very strong shell, which can only be destroyed by the jaws. black pacu. Fish gather under rubber trees, waiting for seeds to fall into the water.

Second most important in the diet black pacu, are considered large fruits of the palm tree (Astrocaryum jauary), which are covered with no less hard shell.

During this period, fish accumulate a significant amount of fat, which they will need in the future, when the water level becomes low and the amount of food is sharply reduced.

Depending on the nature of the floodplain and the water level, the fish remain in the flooded forest for four to seven months. When the water level drops, most black pacu slides into the original riverbeds, and some fish remain in floodplain lakes.

As soon as large representatives of the genus Colossoma appeared in aquariums, they immediately began to be called pacu.

The word pacu is of Brazilian-Indian origin. In the Amazon, this name is given to representatives of the genera Metynnis, Mylossoma and Myleus, smaller than Colossoma macropomum, which is better known as tambaqui in its homeland.

juveniles black pacu and common piranha is very similar. Medium-sized dark spots are scattered over the silver-steel body. This coloration, coupled with a peculiar shape, makes them attractive objects for keeping in aquariums.

As it grows, expressive coloring black pacu loses contrast and becomes from light brown to almost black. The anal and pectoral fins are colored to match the body. And on the caudal fin, two wide, black, vertical stripes are distinguishable. One of which runs at the base of the caudal fin, the other fringes it.

The intensity of the shades is affected by the transparency and color of the water. In black water, colored with humic acids, as in the Rio Negro, the color of the fish is very dark, while in white waters, it is much lighter, up to light golden.

A heat-loving species, the optimum water temperature is 25-27°C, the value of 14°C can be considered critical, below which the fish die.

The hydrochemical parameters of water are not of particular importance: the general hardness can be in the range from 2 to 20 °, pH from 6 to 8 units. The main thing is that the aquarium has effective filtration and periodic water changes.

Resistant to low oxygen content in water.
The water added to the aquarium should be well settled, as the species is sensitive to gases dissolved in water, which can cause gas embolism in fish, which can result in the death of fish.

Despite the large size black pacu relatively peaceful fish, besides, their mouthparts are not too adapted for hunting other fish.

Any medium and large non-aggressive species are suitable for joint keeping, in particular herbivorous chain mail catfish, which will pick up food leftovers from the ground.

Being frightened, it can hit the glass of the aquarium hard and if it is not thick enough, then there is a high probability of its destruction with the ensuing consequences.

In an aquarium appropriate for the size of the fish and with proper care black pacu can become responsive pets.

However, care should be taken when having these fish in an aquarium. Despite the fact that the diet black pacu Unlike the diet of piranhas, which consists mainly of plant foods, their strong jaws, capable of cracking very hard seeds and nuts, can be a serious danger.

So in Scotland, in the Edinburgh Museum "The World of Butterflies and Insects", he bit off the finger of a child who inadvertently lowered it into the aquarium. The child then required emergency surgery.

A similar incident occurred in Fort Worth (Texas, USA), when a sixty-centimeter jumped out of the water and bit off the nose of its owner, who was leaning over the aquarium.

In the pet trade, it often appears as a herbivorous piranha. The juveniles sold usually measure 5-8 cm, but sellers often forget to warn potential buyers that the small size of the aquarium will not hold back the growth of these fish. As a result, frivolous aquarists who failed to create decent living conditions for purchased black pacu, outgrown their aquariums, release them into natural reservoirs.

Being a tropical fish black pacu perish in too cold water, but adapt well in warm waters, where they often become a competitor to local species.

Thanks to this carelessness of aquarists, various types of pacu have appeared in many rivers in the United States.

In the nineties of the last century, as a commercial fish, it was introduced into the Sipik and Ramu rivers (Papua New Guinea). Local conditions turned out to be so favorable that the fish began to grow to such sizes that they had never reached in their homeland.

Despite this, the natives do not like black pacu because they reduce the number of local species, including young crocodiles. There are even rumors of an attack black pacu on people.

But in the tropical part of South America, black pacu It is a favored aquaculture species due to its remarkably fast growth rate and high palatability of the meat, which is renowned for its tenderness and sweetish taste, reminiscent of a cross between tilapia and rainbow trout.
During the first year of life, juveniles black pacu gaining weight of more than one kilogram.

Under optimal conditions, life expectancy black pacu in an aquarium can reach 25 years.

Black pacu diet

black pacu Omnivorous, they consume both animal and plant foods. But excessively high-calorie food can quickly lead fish to morbid obesity, so animal feed should not exceed 10% of their diet. This primarily concerns adults; for adolescents, the share of animal feed can be higher, about 40%.

The main attention should be paid to plant foods, since fish prefer them in nature.

Willingly eats pieces of soft tropical fruits (bananas, figs) and vegetables (tomatoes, pumpkins, lettuce, cabbage, etc.), without much difficulty they can even eat watermelon peels.

Reproduction of black pacu

In nature black pacu tend to stay alone.
Their spawning is seasonal and occurs during the rainy season, when the water level in the rivers rises strongly, causing a decrease in hardness and pH.

At this time, adults gather in large flocks and migrate into the depths of the flooded selva, where they spawn in areas rich in vegetation.

juveniles black pacu prefers floodplains of black-water rivers, where it feeds on insects, mollusks and decaying vegetation.

Sex differences in black pacu are weakly expressed. Sexually mature females grown under optimal conditions are noticeably larger and fuller than males. A distinctive feature of the females is the shape of the abdomen.

In an aquarium, get offspring from black pacu quite problematic, the limiting factor here is the volume of the spawning ground. The minimum dimensions of which are 160X60X80 cm. Spawning black pacu reminiscent of carp spawning.

During industrial breeding, sexual products are taken from the producers, after which the fertilized eggs are incubated in special containers.

The fertility of females is from 50 to 200 thousand eggs. Caviar is glued to the substrate (water hyacinth, fishing line, etc.) or scattered along the bottom. At a temperature of 26-29°C, the larvae swim on the 5th-7th day.

Their starting food is the smallest plankton or high-quality fine-grained dry food with the obligatory addition of plant components.

The role of black pacu in nature

In nature black pacu act as seed distributors. The fish spread up to several kilometers from where the seeds were swallowed. Moreover, the seeds are distributed over the territories where it is convenient for plants to grow, along the flood plains in the floodplains of the rivers.

Black pacu in nature

It is likely that black pacu Together with land animals, they play a key role in seed dispersal in the Amazon. Large individuals are most effective in such work, as they eat more and swim further. But such specimens in nature are becoming less and less every year. Overfishing has reduced some populations by up to 90%.

Given the role that black pacu play in the distribution of trees, it can be assumed that the disappearance of fish may lead to a reduction in the area of ​​tropical rainforests.

Some inhabitants of the underwater world are familiar to us, others we have eaten, and not everyone even knows about the existence of others. There are species of fish that we didn't even know existed. They are completely different: huge and tiny, dangerous and not very dangerous, with bizarre shapes and strange names. From this article you will learn that there is, for example, a fish with human ones, it is probably not known to every person. Many strange fish live in the underwater depths, we will also talk about them. So, let's start a journey into the fascinating and exotic world of fish.

Pacu

This is the most real fish with human teeth. Pacu is a freshwater inhabitant of many rivers in South America. It is also found in the Orinoco and Amazon basins. It also made its way to Papua New Guinea, where they began to breed it artificially in order to raise it to a higher level. Fish with human teeth belongs to the same genus as piranha (Serrasalminae), although their preferences and habits differ. Piranha is a carnivorous variety, but pacu eats absolutely everything, prefers vegetation.

Fish with human teeth: why is it called that?

The most important difference between pacu and piranha is the structure of the teeth. Piranha, as we know, has sharp teeth, which many compare to a razor. But a fish with human teeth has a completely different jaw structure, which is why it is called that. If you look into her mouth, you can really get scared and horrified. Her teeth are square and straight, very similar to human teeth. Fish use them mainly for chopping fruits and nuts, although they can also eat invertebrates. It was her craving for nuts that once deprived the genitals of two fishermen in Papua New Guinea. As you can see, although the pacu is not such a predator as the piranha, the strength of its jaws can still cause irreparable harm. But in the US, the fish is legal, and anyone can buy it and place it in an aquarium. But for some reason, people do not take into account that the pack can grow up to a meter and weigh about 30 kg. Therefore, then the owners simply release it into the nearest body of water. This can explain the fact of the appearance of fish in Denmark, England. Some sources report that there is already a pacu even in Russia.

lion fish

Continuing to talk about what kind of worlds exist, we cannot lose sight of this cute creature. The lion fish is mostly motionless among the corals, only occasionally swims from one place to another. It attracts the attention of people and numerous aquatic inhabitants with its unusual coloration, dorsal and pectoral fins, which resemble a large fan. However, behind the bright appearance are sharp needles that secrete poison. A fish will never be the first to attack a person, but if he accidentally steps on it or even touches it, then just one injection will greatly worsen the general state of health. And after several injections, a person will not be able to swim to the shore on his own, he will need help.

frilled shark

This predator is called so because of the brown formation on the body, which looks like a cape. And due to the large number of folds on the skin, it is also called a corrugated shark. Scientists believe that such formations on the skin serve as a reserve of body volume to accommodate large prey in the stomach. Due to the teeth bent inward, this inhabitant of the waters is unable to crush food, therefore it swallows its prey whole. This is where the folds on the skin, which can stretch, come in handy. You can see a shark in any ocean, but not in the Arctic.

drop fish

Some types of fish are really able to amaze with their appearance. Drop fish is one of them. It looks so unattractive that it is considered one of the most feared fish on the planet. They live off the coast of Tasmania and Australia, and at the moment there is a threat of their complete extinction. The body of this ugly fish consists of a gelatinous mass, the density of which is less. It has absolutely no muscles, but this does not prevent it from lazily opening its mouth and swallowing everything that swims in front of it (if it is edible).

big mouth

This unusual individual lives in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian oceans. The body of the large mouth is narrow and long (up to 1 meter). And the mouth has gigantic dimensions (a third of the entire length of the body), and even can be stretched. This unusual inhabitant of the oceans does not have scales, ribs, and a normal bone skeleton. The thin body on the tail turns into a thread, at the end of which there is a luminous organ. Due to the presence of only light cartilage and deformed bones in the skeleton, the fish is very light, it has tiny eyes and a very small skull. The size of the mouth allows the bolshemouth to swallow prey that is larger than itself in size.

sack swallower

This deep-sea dweller is also called the black devourer. This fish grows no more than 30 cm in length, and it was named so because of the ability to absorb the whole prey, which is several times larger than itself. For example, it can easily swallow prey that is 4 times longer and 10 times heavier than the baggullet itself! Its jaws are very large, and fangs help to hold the prey while the fish pushes it into its stomach. When food begins to decompose in the stomach, a lot of gas is formed there, due to which the fish involuntarily rises to the surface of the water. Very little is known about these inhabitants, since it is simply impossible to observe their way of life in their natural conditions.

Macropinna smallmouth

It is impossible to see this fish and not cry out in fright and surprise at the same time. Why? Because she has a transparent head! The side-eye (second name) can easily follow prey through such a head with its tubular eyes. The specimen was discovered only in 1939. In her usual environment, she is motionless, and if she decides to move, she does it in a horizontal position and very slowly. Previously, it was completely incomprehensible how the eyes of a fish work, because there are organs of smell right above its mouth, and the eyes are located right inside its amazingly transparent head, and they only look up. In 2009, scientists finally found out that the macropinna has an extremely unusual structure of the eye muscles. It turns out that the eyes of the fish are usually in a vertical position, and if there is a need to look ahead, then it moves them to the horizontal! Once this happens, she can see her mouth and grab her prey!

anglerfish

This is the real deep-sea monster. It is called not only an angler, but also a devil fish. This one has naked skin, a spherical body shape, and the female has a "rod". This predator hunts thanks to a special outgrowth on its back - in the process of evolution, one section of the dorsal fin separated from the others, and a transparent bag appeared at its end, in which bacteria live. What is most interesting, the anglerfish can make these bacteria light up! He himself regulates this by narrowing or expanding the blood vessels. The female can grow up to 65 cm, and the male only up to 15-45 mm! When the male ends puberty, he attaches to the female with sharp teeth (usually on the side). Soon he grows together with her tongue and lips, and his teeth, intestines, eyes are reduced in such a way that he becomes a mere appendage that has lost its independence.

Conclusion

From this article, you learned what unusual fish exist (photos are given above). It doesn’t matter if they are a danger to humans or not, they should not be afraid. After all, the main thing is to have information and know what each individual is capable of.

Pacu fish ... Agree that many of us have never even heard of such a creature from the underwater world. It's a pity, because this depth can attract attention not only because of its physical features, but also due to the huge number of rumors associated with its alleged bloodthirstiness and aggressiveness.

Pacu is completely harmless, despite the fact that its size is much larger than that of its closest relatives, and the teeth of this fish look very much like human ones. She is a real vegetarian and eats only plants.

Rumors about the emergence of a new population of bloodthirsty pacu took place. But they don't seem to be confirmed. And if this was true, then individual individuals became only an exception to the main rule.

Pacu fish: habitat

Everyone knows that piranhas are found in southern latitudes. The subject of our conversation is no exception. Where does pacu fish live? Photos are mainly taken in South America, and in the Amazon. Although you can also find these fish in Africa.

Nutrition Features

As mentioned above, pacu only tastes like vegetarian food. In captivity, they prefer to feast on fresh lettuce, nettle, spinach, and green peas (even in canned form). And they will never refuse ice creams of spirulina and wolfia. For variety, pacu fish menus sometimes include granulated, freeze-dried and other elements of animal origin.

Pacu fish. Keeping in an aquarium

The impressive size of the pack has to be kept in huge demonstration aquariums. On average, their length ranges from 30 to 40 cm, but some specimens can sometimes reach 60 cm. There is a known case when a fish weighing 25 kg has grown to 88 cm in length. Living in captivity, pacu grow no more than 50 cm in length, and their weight does not exceed 2 kg. But still, for such a large fish, a sufficiently large aquarium is required, at least 200 liters, in which the water needs to be changed regularly. It is also necessary to install powerful air exchange and good quality filtration systems.

If you are going to have several individuals at once, then make sure that they have where to turn around. Please note that a 100 liter aquarium is quite enough for young fish, but this is only for a short time.

Fish breeders feed them slices of bananas, figs and other exotic fruits. However, they will not refuse pumpkin, cabbage, tomatoes and cherries. A feature of pacu is that they do not fully digest food, which entails a large amount of waste. That is why the ideal neighbors for pacu fish are herbivorous catfish, which feed on leftover food and push undigested waste to the surface, thereby helping to keep the aquarium clean.

Pacu is a South American freshwater fish found in most rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of the Amazonian lowlands. Paku also made it to Papua New Guinea where they were artificially bred to help the local fishing industry. Pacu shares common roots with piranhas in the genus Serrasalminae, although they have different habits and preferences. The piranha is a carnivorous species, while the Pacu is an omnivore, with a plant preference. The difference is evident in the structure of their teeth. The piranha has razor-sharp teeth, while the pacu's are squarer, straighter, and eerily reminiscent of human teeth.

Pacu use its teeth mainly to grind nuts and fruits, but they also occasionally eat other fish and invertebrates. They commonly eat floating fruits and nuts that fall from trees into the Amazon, and on a few occasions have even attacked the testicles of male swimmers, mistaking them for nuts. They earned a dangerous reputation after they castrated several local fishermen in Papua New Guinea. So when fish were found in several lakes in Denmark, and later in Washington, New Jersey and Illinois, a little panic ensued.

While Pacu are not aggressive carnivores like piranhas, their crushing jaw system can be dangerous. One toddler needed surgery after a pacu bit his finger at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. The manager then commented on the incident, saying "Pacu will eat anything, even baby wiggling fingers."


These fish are legal in the United States, and can be purchased from pet stores. The problem is that many aquarium owners don't realize that pacu can grow to over a meter long, which is too long for a typical home aquarium. When a pet outgrows their fish tank, the owners end up releasing it in nearby lakes. This explains the fact that fish began to be found in many water bodies outside their natural habitat.

If you want even more creepy underwater inhabitants, then for this there is a separate photo tape, where as many as 25 no less strange creatures are collected.

These curious-eyed fish usually swim leisurely around the aquarium. Looking at them, it’s hard to guess that these are close relatives of the scary ones. Yes, pacu fish is from the piranha family, but it mainly feeds on plant foods and is not dangerous for humans.

The name pacu is used for several large species of fish of the piranha family (Serrasalmidae) that live in the rivers of South America. The number of teeth in common piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) and pacu are the same, but their structure is very different. The teeth of the predatory Pygocentrus nattereri (also called the red piranha) are pointed with a clearly visible mesial bite (with a protruding lower jaw).

Pacu teeth are straight rectangular (sometimes called square). The bite may be slightly mesial or distal: the teeth of the upper jaw are slightly advanced, and the upper jaw may protrude slightly forward. Or both jaws in the same position: none of them protrude.

Which pacu are popular with aquarists?

The homeland of all pacu is the waters of the Orinoco and Amazon basins. They are part of the neotropical fauna. They are often referred to as herbivorous piranhas when sold. But in order for pacu to become real pets that please the owner, it is necessary to provide proper conditions and care for them. After all, these fish are not small! Typically, aquariums contain black (aka brown) and red pacu.

On the Latin names of pacu

The Latin scientific names used in this article correspond to the latest updated fishbase data. Based on the data of this site, it is concluded that the Russian names black and brown pacu refer to the same species, the scientific name of which is Colossoma macropomum. Valid (correct) synonyms are such Latin names: Colossoma nigripinne and Piaractus macropomus. The authors of articles on some Internet resources consider black pacu as a separate species and use the name Colossoma brachypomum for it, which is erroneous, because according to the fishbase site this name is synonymous with the Latin name for red pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) and, therefore, is applicable to Russian name red paku.

About the red pack

There are several Russian names for this pack. Most often it is called red pacu, sometimes it is called red-breasted pacu, and very rarely - two-toothed colossom. According to fishbase, the currently accepted Latin scientific name is Piaractus brachypomus, which has synonyms: Colossoma bidens means two-toothed colossom; the second commonly used synonym is Colossoma brachypomum. The name Colossoma branchypomus cannot be used for this species because there is a misspelling in the last syllable.

How to tell a red pacu from a red piranha

Due to its appearance, the red pacu fish at a young age is often mistaken for the dangerous predatory red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri. Especially if she swims in a species aquarium, near which there are no labels with the names of fish. Indeed, these two fish are very similar and have almost the same characteristics:

• laterally compressed high body with small silvery scales;
• the gill cover in the lower part and the belly are red;
• fins (paired ventral and anal) are also bright red;
• the edge of the caudal fin with a spectacular black stripe.

The main difference between these two types is the structure of the teeth. Consider a photo of a red pacu fish, pay attention to the open mouth. We see rectangular teeth, very reminiscent of human teeth. The teeth are large and strong with a wide top, so the fish can easily crack nuts.

But is it really necessary to look into the mouth of a fish to understand whether a red piranha or pacu swims in an aquarium? Yes, and how to do it? You don't have to look into your mouth. Take a closer look at the closed jaws of the fish. If the lower jaw protrudes very much forward, then you have a bloodthirsty piranha in front of you. If the jaws are approximately the same, this is a vegetarian red pacu.

Habitat, age and size

The habitat of the red pacu or two-toothed colossom is the numerous tributaries of the Amazon and Orinoco and the rivers themselves. There is evidence that this species was observed in Argentina.

This is an omnivorous fish, but the basis of the diet in natural conditions is nuts, which it cracks with its flat teeth and strong jaws. It practically does not eat meat, it can eat insects and rotting plant remains. This is a fast growing species, by the end of the first year of life it can reach 30 centimeters in length. It is an object of aquaculture and commercial fish farming. Popular with aquarists.

The maximum recorded length of the red pacu is 88 cm, the maximum weight is 25 kg. There is information about the maximum recorded age of this species, which was 28 years.

About the brown pack

Brown pacu is best known by the Latin name Colossoma macropomum, although there are synonyms: Colossoma nigripinne and Piaractus macropomus. In nature, they live in the Orinoco and Amazon basins.

Position in the system of fish: class Ray-finned fish, order Cypriniformes, suborder Characinoid, family Piranha.

An external difference, characteristic of all fish of the characin-like suborder, is a small adipose fin located behind the dorsal fin in front of the caudal fin. This pacu fish is the largest representative of this suborder in South American waters. With a tall, laterally compressed body, it looks like an ordinary piranha. However, it is well distinguished by color: the body is painted in shades of black and gray, so it has another name - black pacu. This large fish has large eyes, in which you can see the curiosity to everything that is around.

The usual size that most fish of the Colossoma macropomum species reach in nature is about 70 centimeters. The maximum recorded body length is 108 centimeters, and published data indicate the greatest weight - 40 kilograms. The brown pacu has a body composition of 10 percent fat (a fairly high figure), has tasty meat and is an object of fish farming. These highly immune fish have been introduced into many major rivers in the tropical Americas and even into the rivers of Southeast Asia to be raised for food.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Herbivorous pacu fish are often referred to as "human-toothed" fish. Their teeth bear a distant resemblance to human molars. Therefore, they very easily eat crops, and fruits and nuts, and plant residues that are found in the water. The brown pacu is no exception, at the same time it can eat small fish, insects and invertebrates.

The basis of the diet of young individuals is zooplankton, snails and insects. And only with age, the fish switch to a preferential plant-based diet.

The brown pacu breeds, probably, during flooding of rivers and in flooded floodplain forests. The fishbase website reports that juveniles and "juveniles" live in the black waters of floodplains until they reach sexual maturity. And adult specimens stay in flooded forests for five months after the flood, and then, apparently, return to the rivers.

The black pacu leads a solitary life, and this differs from the natterer piranha.

A difficulty in keeping any pacu is the need to acquire a sufficient volume tank, which can weigh up to one ton. In such an aquarium, you need to install powerful filters that will maintain high water quality. The heater should keep the water warm in the aquarium (about 26-28 C), you also need an aerator and lamps for lighting.

In the photo of the red pacu fish, the scenery of the aquarium is slightly visible - large rocks. You can also place large snags. Plants for decorative purposes are best used only artificial, any living plants will be eaten by fish.

The pacu diet in the aquarium should be balanced. An approximate composition of a serving might look like this - small pieces of vegetables and fruits (apples, cabbage or zucchini), combined with meat (clams or shrimp).