Pacu, Testicle-Eating Fish Species, Caught In Lake Lou Yaeger In Illinois

[Shadow]

Why do people do this? Wonder if they ever catch any of these people who illegally release these animals?

When biologists say the pacu fish eats nuts, they may be correct in more ways than one.
The pacu, a toothy fish that can weigh up to 55 pounds, (http://animal.discovery.com/fish/river-monsters/red-bellied-pacu.html)has been spotted in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois, KSDK reports. (http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/325986/3/Fish-with-teeth-found-in-Illinois-lak)
Responding to a report that a fisherman had reeled in a piranha on June 7, lake superintendent Jim Caldwell brought the fish to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, where it was identified as a pacu. Some reports say another pacu was seen a couple of weeks later.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/07/pacu-testicle-eating-fish-illinois-lake_n_1656015.html

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Why do people do this? Wonder if they ever catch any of these people who illegally release these animals?

When biologists say the pacu fish eats nuts, they may be correct in more ways than one.
The pacu, a toothy fish that can weigh up to 55 pounds, (http://animal.discovery.com/fish/river-monsters/red-bellied-pacu.html)has been spotted in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois, KSDK reports. (http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/325986/3/Fish-with-teeth-found-in-Illinois-lak)
Responding to a report that a fisherman had reeled in a piranha on June 7, lake superintendent Jim Caldwell brought the fish to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, where it was identified as a pacu. Some reports say another pacu was seen a couple of weeks later.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/07/pacu-testicle-eating-fish-illinois-lake_n_1656015.html

Being quite fond of my family jewels I'll not being going swimming in any lakes there . Not willing to take the chance no matter how long the odds are against losing a testicle! OUCH!-Tyr

[Shadow]

Being quite fond of my family jewels I'll not being going swimming in any lakes there . Not willing to take the chance no matter how long the odds are against losing a testicle! OUCH!-Tyr

Nasty looking little fish...that's for sure. Could you imagine reeling one of those things in? I'm wondering if they are saying attacks are 'uncommon' just because there arent a large population of them in the lake. Or... if they really ARE more prone to eat snails etc..

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Nasty looking little fish...that's for sure. Could you imagine reeling one of those things in? I'm wondering if they are saying attacks are 'uncommon' just because there arent a large population of them in the lake. Or... if they really ARE more prone to eat snails etc..

Could be that the fish is newly released and has not had time to populate the lake in large numbers yet!
Or not too many people have been going swimming naked in the lake (skinny dipping) so no cases of losing family jewels reported there yet! :laugh:

[Shadow]

Could be that the fish is newly released and has not had time to populate the lake in large numbers yet!
Or not too many people have been going swimming naked in the lake (skinny dipping) so no cases of losing family jewels reported there yet! :laugh:

Just don't go skinning dipping then I guess. Wouldn't want to confuse the little bastards into mistaking the ' family jewels' for snails. :thumb:


Wonder what game and fish does to try and catch these fish...if anything. Weren't they trying to kill off snakeheads in other lakes at one point to prevent them from ruining the habitat?

[Dilloduck]

3567My son caught one in Texas----at first we thought it was a pirahnna (sp)

[Shadow]

3567My son caught one in Texas----at first we thought it was a pirahnna (sp)

Cool picture...very colorful fish. Was it aggressive? What did ya do with it after catching it?

[Dilloduck]

Cool picture...very colorful fish. Was it aggressive? What did ya do with it after catching it?

no more so than a bass. Can't remember eating it and I know we didn't throw it back. Never caught another one and it was a pretty small lake.

[jimnyc]

I've owned Piranha's, Pacu's & had a few Snakehead's over the years. None of mine got as big as the stuff you see on the news though. My biggest Piranha was probably about 4 inches or so, but he ate everything and anything in his tank. The Pacu's generally grew to about 8-10 inches, but were less aggressive. The Snakehead was a vicious little bastard, only growing to like 3-4 inches, but like the Piranha he ate anything. But the largest I ever had were my Oscar's, which weren't as aggressive as the others, but easily would have just swallowed them whole. The Oscar's were each about a foot long or so.

[Shadow]

I've owned Piranha's, Pacu's & had a few Snakehead's over the years. None of mine got as big as the stuff you see on the news though. My biggest Piranha was probably about 4 inches or so, but he ate everything and anything in his tank. The Pacu's generally grew to about 8-10 inches, but were less aggressive. The Snakehead was a vicious little bastard, only growing to like 3-4 inches, but like the Piranha he ate anything. But the largest I ever had were my Oscar's, which weren't as aggressive as the others, but easily would have just swallowed them whole. The Oscar's were each about a foot long or so.

I remember watching a documentary on the snakehead fish that have been released in Lakes and ponds in the US. Ugly little suckers. Found a story on them.

Native to china...brought here for food. Article does say...if you catch fish you don't recognize to contact game and fish.

Snakehead found in Wisconsin

Snakehead fish are native to China but are imported into the US as aquarium fish as well as food fish. Snakeheads can cause serious problems to native fish populations if they get established in US waters.A snakehead was found recently in a river in Wisconsin. Incredibly, it was not identified before it was released back into the river! It could


be an aquarium pet that got too big and was dumped, or it could have been imported for food and somehow been released into the river.
A few months ago snakeheads caused quite a stir when one was found in a pond in Maryland. The media make a fuss about it and hyped it far out of porportion. Snakeheads have been found in US waters over a dozen times in the past few years but made little news until the snakehead was found in Maryland.Snakeheads look a lot like bowfins to me. They feed in similar ways and have teeth. If you catch a snakehead, don't try to lip it! Do kill it, though, do not release it back into the water.

http://fishing.about.com/cs/fishfactsinfo/a/aa092703a.htm

And you are right they will eat anything...including rodents and birds...

Great Snakehead Fish Fact Sheet


What Great Snakehead Eat - Anything that moves, including fish, frogs, snakes,crustaceans and even birds and rodents. They ambush their food, they do not usually chase it.



http://fishing.about.com/od/fishspecies/a/snakehead_facts.htm

[Dilloduck]

For a nominal fee I would be willing to fish for snakeheads the rest of my life except on weekends. I need weekends off.

[jimnyc]

I remember watching a documentary on the snakehead fish that have been released in Lakes and ponds in the US. Ugly little suckers. Found a story on them.

There are various breeds I believe, as you used to be able to get little guys at the pet store, and then you would hear about these 5 pounders caught in lakes and such. The little guy I had would bite me, plants, other fish and even fake plants. Just a destructive fish! I couldn't imagine having such a large one in a tank, you'd probably have to feed it a steak everyday!

I'm not sure about elsewhere, but in NY you can no longer find Piranha's, Pacu's or Snakeheads, but you can still find the Oscar here and there.

[Shadow]

For a nominal fee I would be willing to fish for snakeheads the rest of my life except on weekends. I need weekends off.

You could be like that guy that searches the murky water for man eating snakeheads (and other river monsters) with only a snorkle and a spear. ;)

[Dilloduck]

You could be like that guy on that searches the murky water for man eating snakeheads (and other river monsters) with only a snorkle and a spear. ;)

I saw that show---no thanks--I'll stick to a rod and reel. My cajones are too important to me.

[Shadow]

There are various breeds I believe, as you used to be able to get little guys at the pet store, and then you would hear about these 5 pounders caught in lakes and such. The little guy I had would bite me, plants, other fish and even fake plants. Just a destructive fish! I couldn't imagine having such a large one in a tank, you'd probably have to feed it a steak everyday!

I'm not sure about elsewhere, but in NY you can no longer find Piranha's, Pacu's or Snakeheads, but you can still find the Oscar here and there.

Probably why they end up in lakes and ponds. Get too big and are too expensive to keep. NM has a lot of illegal to own or sell animals now too. They have lists hanging in the pet shops of all the breeds.


I saw that show---no thanks--I'll stick to a rod and reel. My cajones are too important to me.

aw...come on...where is your sense of adventure. :)

[jimnyc]

Probably why they end up in lakes and ponds. Get too big and are too expensive to keep. NM has a lot of illegal to own or sell animals now too. They have lists hanging in the pet shops of all the breeds.

Sad that some idiots do that. Many pet stores or zoos will gladly take fish and reptiles that outgrow their environments. Putting them in lakes and ponds is not only screwing up the water, but basically putting a death sentence on the animal too.

I wish I didn't sell off all my tanks. Now I feel like getting a few more Oscars! It gets expensive with the fish like that after awhile too, as they can eat! I used to give my 2 Oscars a handful of pellets everyday, and every other day they ate like 20 goldfish apiece. I finally had to setup a 2nd tank, 20 gallons, just as a place to put their food, as it got tiresome going to the pet store so much. Easier to just get a damn cat!

[Shadow]

Sad that some idiots do that. Many pet stores or zoos will gladly take fish and reptiles that outgrow their environments. Putting them in lakes and ponds is not only screwing up the water, but basically putting a death sentence on the animal too.

I wish I didn't sell off all my tanks. Now I feel like getting a few more Oscars! It gets expensive with the fish like that after awhile too, as they can eat! I used to give my 2 Oscars a handful of pellets everyday, and every other day they ate like 20 goldfish apiece. I finally had to setup a 2nd tank, 20 gallons, just as a place to put their food, as it got tiresome going to the pet store so much. Easier to just get a damn cat!

Plus you have to clean their tanks... and have a place to store them while you do that etc...

Cats are better...you can't cuddle with a fish. :)

[Dilloduck]

Plus you have to clean their tanks... and have a place to store them while you do that etc...

Cats are better...you can't cuddle with a fish. :)

Fish don't scratch up your entire house.

[aboutime]

The Testicle-Eating Fish Species has a scientific name. But they shortened it, and made it easier for the Layman to understand, when they called it 'The BARNEYFRANK fish'.

[Shadow]

The Testicle-Eating Fish Species has a scientific name. But they shortened it, and made it easier for the Layman to understand, when they called it 'The BARNEYFRANK fish'.


No you are wrong. The testicle eating fish is called 'feminazi fins'. Your version would never hurt the testicles...never.

[Shadow]

Fish don't scratch up your entire house.

Have fish ever saved their owners lives by sniffing out dangerous gas leaks...or warning of fires while owners were alseep. I think not.:rolleyes:

[aboutime]

No you are wrong. The testicle eating fish is called 'feminazi fins'. Your version would never hurt the testicles...never.


Of course! I stand corrected. That BARNEYFISH is probably, literally....'Having a BALL' (no pun intended) about now.

Good on you!