The Perilous Piranha

The Piranha, which is also called the Caribe, is a very fierce fish that lives in fresh water of South America. They have also as of recent years been introduced into other areas where they were not native.
They are now living in Hawaii, Central America, and Northern areas of Brazil.

There are many different kinds of Piranha, however all of them belong to the group called Pygocentrus.

Piranha can differ in color, and may be gray, yellow, blue or red to black in color and be as short as 6 inches to as long as two feet in length.

The Piranha has a very fierce face that has been described as looking like a bulldog, with a wider and larger lower jaw and rows of teeth that are razor sharp.
When one tooth breaks off from the mouth of the piranha, another will grow in to replace it.

The Piranha reproduces by laying eggs in the water. They do not care for their young.

Piranha are called opportunistic feeders and they are also carnivores. They will eat nearly anything in their path, from sea animals anf fish to land animals that enter the water.
Some of the normal prey for Piranha’s are fish, crabs, bugs, birds, rodents, or any animal that lands in their way in the water.
They feed in schools and seem to go into a feeding frenzy type activity much like sharks do.

Piranha are daytime feeders and are at their most active during the daylight hours. This type of fish or animal is known as diurnal.

Piranha are not the only ones that are opportunistic in their world.There are a great many animals that will also eat the piranha.

Caiman, snakes, otters, other piranha, and sometimes people prey upon these predator fish.