Pacu Diet
The natural diet of the pacu is terrestrial plants, fruits, insects, crustaceans & seeds. In captivity where the natural food source may be diminished the pacu will predate on small dead fish. Introduced to Thailand.
Pacu Identification
The Pacu has powerful, human like teeth that are used to crush its food and can cause serious bites. Similar in shape to a bream but with a head similar to a piranha, this fish is claimed to be a herbivore but in Thailand is omniverous. The body colour of this particular specie is dark brown to black.
Pacu Flyfishing in Thailand
Thailand Flyfishing Season: All Year
Pacu are a tremendous fly fishing target fish. The pacu is often called a vegetarian piranha although they prefer fruit, nuts and vegetables they will eat almost any thing as they are opportunist feeders. They never eat living fish but will sometimes take fish chunks. They have teeth like a human which are blunt, they use them in the wild to crush hard nuts. When hooked the pacu will go on short sharp runs constantly changing direction and spinning in circles, once they spot the landing net they will dive and turn using their body mass to shed the hook. Most pacu are lost at the net.
Pacu are a narrow plate shaped fish with a small mouth with an impressive array of teeth. The black Pacu has a dark black upper body and back with a dull silver belly. Their grey fins are tipped with black. Their native habitats are rivers and river or stream fed lakes. Their favoured locations are under trees and weed beds, seeking out shade and cover. They feed on falling nuts and fruit. The Pacu will only spawn in running water over gravel runs.
The Brazilian government set up a breeding programme a few years ago and released many red Pacu into the wild as a food source. The Red Pacu have since taken over the Black Pacu's habitat to such an extent that the black Pacu is now very rare in the wild.