UPDATE: Piranha relative found in northern Romania lake

Piranha fish are to be found in the Firiza artificial lake, located 10 km away from Baia-Mare, in Maramureş county, according to a fisherman who said he caught several at the end of last week, Agerpres reported. He posted images of the fish he caught on Facebook.

The piranha is a freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs.

UPDATE: Representatives of the Tăuții de Sus Forest Management Administration told Digi24.ro that the fish believed to be piranha is actually a species called Pacu, which could be mistaken for piranha.

Also a South American freshwater fish and related to the piranha, pacu fish can reach more than 1 meter in its natural habitat, whereas piranhas grow to between 12 and 35 cm. Both are omnivorous fish, but the piranha is better known as carnivorous. The two species have different teeth and jaw alignment: piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth, while pacu have squarer, straighter teeth, which are similar to human teeth.

Vasile Pop, a representative of the Maramureş County Association of Hunters and Fishermen, told Agerpres that the fish was intentionally released into the lake’s waters, probably by a collector of exotic fish.

“This fish species is not found in mountain waters, and in Romania in general, and certainly a collector of exotic fish released them into the lake, for unknown reasons,” he said.

According to him, the presence of the piranhas in the lake can potentially endanger the fauna of the lake but also the tourists who might bathe there.

(Photo:Greg Hume/ Wikipedia)