Deadly red-bellied piranhas arrive in Fife aquarium
It may be decidedly wintry outside, but Fife now boasts a new tropical attraction.
- By Leeza Clark
- Published in the Courier : 02.12.10
- Published online : 04.12.10 @ 03.48pm
The 10 red-bellied piranhas had outgrown their display at an English aquarium and were collected by members of Deep Sea World's zoological team. They are now settling in at the North Queensferry visitor attraction.
The infamous South American freshwater fish, famed for their razor sharp teeth and voracious appetite, have initially gone into quarantine prior to going on public display as part of the aquarium's new JAWS feature.
Aquarist Michael Morris said, "Moving piranhas is always a risky business due to their incredibly sharp teeth.
"You have to take extreme care when you catch them and they can easily bite through their plastic transport bags."
The fish were placed into two bags to provide extra protection and were checked at regular intervals during the journey north.
He added, "We also had a plentiful supply of spare bags just in case of any incidents. Thankfully, however, the whole journey went smoothly and we even managed to make it through the snow."
Found throughout the Amazon, the piranha is among the most famous and most feared inhabitants of the river. They are reputed to be able to strip the flesh from a cow within minutes and with their razor sharp teeth and exceptional jaw strength can even leave their mark on steel.
In the wild the fish, whose name comes from the Tupi Indian words of "pira" for fish and "ranha" for teeth, help to keep rivers fresh and healthy by eating he carcasses of animals.
Only about half of the 35 species are carnivores, but when trapped in pools and lakes formed by drying rivers in periods of drought, meat-eating piranhas will attack and eat all they can find, even resorting to cannibalism if need be.
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