Pacu caught by kid in CA- news segment

[Cardeater]

10-year-old likely caught invasive species of fish in Dry Creek near Antelope, experts say

Pacus are often mistaken for piranhas because they both have teeth.

www.kcra.com

This came up in my news feed even though I don't live in California. There's an article but the video shows more images of the fish.

Do you pacu/piranha experts agree with gaming that it appears to be a Pacu? As the segment says, hard to tell from the pic.

This is probably an example of someone releasing a pet into that creek?

 

[Trouser Bark]

That little kid probably wouldn't have gotten a piranha reeled in on monofilament line. It looks like a pacu to my eye though they both look strikingly similar. Young red belly pacu reportedly hang out in schools of piranha when they're young supposedly because they look so similar even the piranha can't tell that 'one of these things is not like the others'.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

It is clearly a young pacu.

 

[Deadeye]

Definitely a pacu - it has the even snout compared to the piranha’s underbite.

 

[Cardeater]

So I knew nothing about these fish but was intrigued by the description of the Pacu teeth as "human like." I did a Google search and I have to say that their teeth are creepy looking to me.

 

[duanes]

There are Pacu from Uruguay, and Argentina that tolerate quite cool temps, and are considered a delicacy in certain Buenos Aires and other Argentine restaurants.
Here is an Argentine winter scene, in a river where Pacu are found, that is snow .

 

[MatteoTheEnder22]

There are Pacu from Uruguay, and Argentina that tolerate quite cool temps, and are considered a delicacy in certain Buenos Aires and other Argentine restaurants.
Here is an Argentine winter scene, in a river where Pacu are found, that is snow .
View attachment 1526158

There are pacu from Uruguay? I gotta go back down there soon and try to fish for em then.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

There are Pacu from Uruguay, and Argentina that tolerate quite cool temps, and are considered a delicacy in certain Buenos Aires and other Argentine restaurants.
Here is an Argentine winter scene, in a river where Pacu are found, that is snow .
View attachment 1526158

Ive never known this. Thank you. What is the species name?

IME red belly pacu die around 55F.

Pacu and silver dollar teeth:

 

[Trouser Bark]

I rode a motorcycle to Ushuaia and much of Argentina and Chile get strikingly cold.

There are Pacu from Uruguay, and Argentina that tolerate quite cool temps, and are considered a delicacy in certain Buenos Aires and other Argentine restaurants.
Here is an Argentine winter scene, in a river where Pacu are found, that is snow .
View attachment 1526158

 

[Joshuakahan]

10-year-old likely caught invasive species of fish in Dry Creek near Antelope, experts say

Pacus are often mistaken for piranhas because they both have teeth.

www.kcra.com

This came up in my news feed even though I don't live in California. There's an article but the video shows more images of the fish.

Do you pacu/piranha experts agree with gaming that it appears to be a Pacu? As the segment says, hard to tell from the pic.

This is probably an example of someone releasing a pet into that creek?

Too bad people can’t keep stuff like this to themselves instead contacting F&G, the news etc…oh well