Pacu fish look like piranha when they are not very old. It's the reason why this bizarre fish is feared, especially among men. Dubbed as "testicle eaters" and "nutcrackers," pacu fish have human-like teeth powerful enough to crack nuts.
These invasive species have been reported in lakes and other bodies of water in Europe, including the UK and Denmark, that left men fearing unwanted castration. But do they attack humans and bite genitals? Here's what experts say.
A man holding pacu fish.
Do Pacu Fish Bite Male Genitals?
Pacu fish is native to South America and has a chilling reputation, according to Daily Star. The bite of a pacu fish is powerful enough to scare men into taking a dip in some parts of the world. These fish look like they are swimming with dentures. They have even rows of teeth inside their mouth designed for chewing just like humans.
In recent years, they are seen in some parts of Europe like Denmark, and on the Seine river in Paris, France. Their sightings in these areas have put men swimmers on alert.
The Pacu fish has human-looking teeth, which it uses for grinding up seeds of nuts they find floating on the surface of the water. (Image: Nisamanee wanmoon) pic.twitter.com/6vExJVeGSR
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) April 4, 2020
In some countries or states, it is legal to own them as pets so some people fear that pranksters would decide to release pacu fish into the reservoirs, lakes, and rivers across the United Kingdom to give Brits a nasty surprise. Fortunately, there have been no reports of Brits being attacked by pacu fish, unlike the piranha that has caused some mutilations on humans.
The nickname of pacu fish does not come from a desire to feast on the male genitals, but rather a case of mistaken identity. Pacu fish includes nuts from fallen trees in their diet and use their teeth to crack them open. Some believe that pacu fish might have mistaken testicles for fallen nuts and decided to attack them. On the other hand, experts said that this is only a myth.
Pacu Fish Testicle-Eating Behavior is Just a Myth
Due to the bad reputation of pacu fish online, some officials even suggested men swim with their bathing suits tightly tied. But there are only a few cases of pacu fish biting humans, and even these were overblown to cause fear, according to fish expert Peter Rask Møller from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
"Its teeth and powerful bite can for sure be dangerous, but to [have it bite you] is highly unlikely," Møller told National Geographic.
In 2011, local people in New Guinea blamed pacu fish for the deaths of two men after reportedly losing their testicles. However, investigations of the alleged incident did reveal much information or connection between the fish and the incident.
Lars Skou Olsen, curator of Copenhagen's Blue Planet Aquarium clarified that the pacu fish having alleged taste for testicles is just a rumor. Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist and National Geographic explorer, further emphasized that these species do not harm humans but could be dangerous to ecosystems.
Hogan warned that "it is illegal to release exotic species like pacu," so those keeping them in aquariums should educate themselves. Pacu fish could grow so fast and easily outgrow aquariums.
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