Piaractus brachypomus

Description

Piaractus brachypomus, the pirapitinga, is a large species of pacu, a close relative of piranhas and silver dollars, in the serrasalmid family. It is native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins in tropical South America, but it is widely farmed and has been introduced to other regions. In South Florida they are invasive in rivers, canals or lakes. As with a number of other closely related species, P. brachypomus is often referred to as the red-bellied pacu in reference to the appearance of the juveniles. This has resulted in a great deal of confusion about the nature and needs of all the species involved, with the reputation and requirements of one frequently being wrongly attributed to the others.