Red-bellied Pacu

Colossoma macropomum
The Red-bellied Pacu is a tall, laterally compressed fish that looks very similar to, and is often confused with its cousin, the Red-bellied piranha. The lower jaw of the Piranha is a little bit more out, than the Pacu's, and the Pacu is a vegetarian, whereas the piranha is carnivorous. Like the Piranha, the Red-bellied Pacu is a gray or silvery fish with red on its belly. The Pacu's lower body fins are also red. Pacu will also grow substantially larger than the Piranha. This fish belongs to the only genus of fish with true molars (teeth). The Red-bellied Pacu is also known as the Black Pacu, the Giant Pacu, and the Tambaqui.
Males have a more intense red color to the belly than females.
Pacus diet is formed out of fruits, grains, fish, zoo-plankton, insects, snails, and decaying plants (algae/weeds).
The Red-bellied Pacu is usually solitary. This species lives in waterways running through heavily forested areas subject to annual flooding. The adults may remain in the flooded forests during first 5 months of flooding. The Red-bellied Pacu uses its molars to crack open Brazil nuts, a favored food item.
Male Red-bellied Pacus become sexually mature at around age 3 and females around age 4. Female Pacus lay smooth, spherical eggs that are then fertilized by the male. The eggs are not guarded prior to hatching. Young and juvenile Pacus live in black waters of flood plains until they become sexually mature. Pacus quickly grow to a very large size. They can reach up to 110cm in length. Pacus are not to be kept in home aquariums!!! (see pictures for further explanation)


Photos by Dusko Bojic.