Red Bellied Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) are beautiful, glittery fish native to fresh waters in South America.
They are known for being meat-eating fish that descend on a wounded or dead animal for a feeding frenzy!
They often travel in shoals but this is for defence and not to hunt for food. They do have razor sharp teeth for feed on fish and crunching through crustaceans.
Despite their more unnerving characteristics, Red Bellied Piranha are actually quite a shy species. They are glittery in appearance so they look like shimmering water, helping to camouflage them from predators on the riverbank such as caiman crocs or birds.
Type
Fish
What do they eat?
Insects, fish, crustaceans, worms and plants
Size
30-40cm
Water Type
Fresh water
Where are we?
South America