Does this large South American fish bear a resemblance to any fish that you know? It is actually the largest member of the piranha family. Don’t worry though, pacu don’t share the same feeding habits as their relatives. Do you eat your daily requirement of fruit? The pacu (or tambaqui) does. In fact, this frugivore (fruit & seed eater) is a great example of the saying “you are what you eat.” The “fruity taste” of this fish makes them a highly sought after choice in the Amazon fish industry. Pacu will wait under a plant or tree to catch the falling fruit and seed at the water surface. What happens if nothing falls for quite a long time? Pacu have occasionally been seen leaping out of the water to grab low-hanging fruit.

Come visit both the pacu and the red piranha in our River Scout gallery.

• Young and juveniles live in black waters of flooded plains until they reach maturity.
• The pacu uses its big, broad molars and strong jaws to grind and crush seeds.
• The pacu is the largest Amazon fish in its family, Characidae, and is related to
• It has a lifespan of 30 to 35 years.
• The flesh of the pacu has a light and fruity taste and is highly valued by the Amazon fish industry. In addition, local populations catch and consume this fish. So it is under heavy fishing pressure in the wild.

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