Pirapitinga
Piaractus brachypomus
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The pirapitinga is a large pacu from the Amazon that reaches 88 centimetres. Juveniles, with red bellies, mimic the red-bellied piranha. It eats mainly fruit, seeds and nuts, as well as insects, and moves into flooded forest in the wet season. Its strong teeth can inflict serious bites. It is an important food fish, farmed and introduced outside its range.
- Scientific name
- Piaractus brachypomus
- Family
- Serrasalmidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Serrasalmidae
- Order
- Characiformes
- Synonyms
- Colossoma bidens, Colossoma brachypomum, Colossoma branchypomus, Colossoma mitrei, Colossoma paco, Myletes bidens, Myletes brachypomus, Myletes edulis, Myletes mitrei, Myletes paco, Piaractus brachipomus, Piaractus briachypumus, Piaractus mitrei, Reganina bidens, Wateina fowleri
Origin
- Native region
- América do Sul
Water
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C
- pH
- 4.8–7.5
- General hardness (GH)
- 0–15 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 88 cm
- Lifespan
- 28 years
- Minimum tank (volume)
- 2,430 L
- Minimum tank (length)
- 300 cm
Behavior
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social life
- School
- Swimming level
- Middle
Care
- Care difficulty
- Moderate
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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