Scary creatures September 19, 2019-
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Started by metmike - Sept. 19, 2019, 1:30 a.m.

Vampire Fish (Payara)

  • Latin name: Hydrolycus scomberoides
  • Scary feature: Two long fangs
  • Range: Amazon Basin of South America
  • Size: Length: 1 to 1.7 feet (30 to 51 cm); Weight: 10 to 35 pounds
  • Diet: Other fish (including piranhas)

Payaras are called vampire fish because, in addition to spiky teeth, they have two elongated fangs jutting up from their lower, upturned jaws.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjguZEu86s0

 vampire fish payara

 

Payaras hunt alone by swimming into schools of fish and use their fangs to impale prey which includes piranhas. Fish that eat piranhas are scary animals indeed.

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By metmike - Sept. 19, 2019, 1:34 a.m.
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Payara

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payara

In the aquarium

The payara, which is also sold as the saber tooth barracuda, vampire fish, vampire tetra, or saber tusk barracuda, is a popular species for large, aggressive aquariums. It requires a large aquarium and can only be mixed with relatively large species, as smaller will be seen as potential prey.