Piranha Crunch

To many, the name conjures up images of bloodthirsty fish who savagely tear down their prey in a matter of minutes, only leaving the skeletal remains of it’s victim as a symbol of it’s ferocious triumph.

In reality, piranhas are shy and very skittish fish. They get nervous and spook quite easily and are not the bloodthirsty animals that people perceive them to be.

Piranhas are native to the South American rivers and can be found in the amazon basin, the Orinoco, the Guyana rivers, and the Sao Francisco river systems. Most species of piranhas are grouping fish, which means that they travel in large packs. Others, such as the Black Piranha, are solitary fish and cannot be kept with any other fish.

Piranhas can grow from 10 to 18 inches in length. Piranhas have a distinguishing row of teeth which help them tear down their prey. When feeding, piranhas usually attack in packs, usually waiting until one of their members attack first, often called the “scout.” Piranhas can live anywhere from 8-10 years, although there have been some reports where they have lived longer.

There are many different species of piranhas. The species that most people think of when they hear the word piranha is the Red belly Piranha. Here is a list of some of the piranha species in scientific grouping: