SANFORD, Texas -A surprising visitor from the Amazon River recently made headlines in the Lone Star State.A local fisherman landed a Tambaqui (Colossoma macro
A local fisherman recently landed a Tambaqui , commonly known as the pacu fish , in Lake Meredith , about 37 miles northeast of Amarillo, according to the Lake Meredith Aquatic & Wildlife Museum.a close relative of the piranha and has "human teeth," but it is actually a vegetarian unlike its carnivorous cousins.
The fish caught at Lake Meredith is a sizable specimen that museum staffers believe was "released into Meredith by someone who may have owned it as a pet." Museum officials say that pacu fish can grow up to 3 feet 6.5 inches long, weigh up to 88 pounds and quickly outgrow aquariums. Texas Parks and Wildlife reported that a red-bellied pacu was caught in 2006 out of the San Marcos River, while a 7.95-pound pacu was caught in 2012 from the Concho River in San Angelo.
Pacu fish, with their voracious appetites, could potentially disrupt the balance of Lake Meredith's aquatic life. They are known to consume a variety of plant matter, seeds, and small animals, which could lead to competition with native species for food resources and affect the local biodiversity. This incident highlights the broader issue of invasive species and the unintended consequences of releasing exotic pets into the wild. Conservationists and wildlife agencies stress the importance of responsible pet ownership and the need for public awareness about the potential impacts of introducing non-native species into local ecosystems.
Amazon River Lake Meredith Invasive Species Texas Conservationists Biodiversity Pet Ownership
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