Reply by: CUclimber Posted: 6/30/2012 1:41:11 AM Points: 491
It's kind of funny how the locals were so worried about getting in the water because of these fish. I would rather swim with one of those than a gar. I doubt they will survive the winter there anyway. They have been caught here in Colorado too.
Reply by: takeakidfishing Posted: 6/30/2012 2:16:15 AM Points: 5315
Yep
If I remember right.Two of these fish where caught in Chatfield last year.I have not heard or seen anything about these kinds of fish being caught this year out at Chatty.So I would think if they did reproduce the winter took care of them.
As someone who used to be deeply involved in the tropical fish arena, I still stand by my belief that these fish should be strictly banned from importation and sale. Pacu get huge, and will outgrow any home aquarium. These things are better left to people who have literal POOLS for housing fish, as in the tens of thousands of gallons that are measure in yards deepXwide, not the inches home tanks are. But, they sell em for 3$ at petsmart because they're cool looking as juvi's and uneducated people buy them. They get huge, and they get killed or dumped into local lakes when people can't house them anymore. This would be like keeping an elephant for a pet in an apartment hoping it "grows to the size of the home" and stays small and cute.
Reply by: Tubejig Posted: 7/1/2012 10:28:15 AM Points: 337
I totally agree with aero! I have owned Pacus in two different aquarium environments, I had a pacu outgrow my 30gal aquarium and found it one morning dead, I then got a 60gal aquarium and housed two pacus for a few years in which both of them outgrew that. They became so big that whenever someone would walk by the aquarium unexpectedly they would spook and hit the side of the glass so hard I thought it was only a matter of time before they would break it and I would have 60 gallons of water on my floor. I gave them away to someone with a much larger aquarium. Based on my experience I would not recommend pacus as pets and dont believe they should be available for sale.
Reply by: Browns Hunter Posted: 7/1/2012 11:39:11 AM Points: 3070
aero, you hit it on the head. There are a number of fish that grow too big for all but the biggest aquariums. Red Tailed Catfish and Shovelnose Catfish, Snakeheads, Arrowanas, and Pacus are all examples. On the saltwater side, I've seen stores selling baby thresher sharks!
Of course, its not much different from the people that enjoy having Burmese Pythons and Annacondas for pets. The story of that one python that was found with a deer in its stomach was unbelievable!
Reply by: koko Posted: 7/1/2012 12:44:29 PM Points: 196
Ive had red pacus before when I was back in college. I can tell you that they will eat anything from frozen chicken wings to sausages. Probably not endangering humans, but I could see why it can be scary when they do get up to 60 lbs.
There has only been one death from these fish. It came from where they are native to and in that case it bit a guys "nut" and he ended up bleeding to death
Pacus were introduced into Papua New Guinea in large numbers as a food source for native people. Probably because the rivers in the country don't have a lot of food (the reason the fish was introduced in the first place), they have taken to attacking people. I'm not sure if any one has been killed.
I doubt people in the U.S. have much to worry about from a few stray fish, but I agree...this is one of many species that shouldn't be sold in pet stores (red-tailed catfish, arawana, etc.)
