Diet
Black Pacu are omnivores, feeding on fruits, seeds, nuts, zooplankton, insects, snails and decaying plant matter.
Average lifespan
Black Pacu are long-lived fish and can live for 20 years or more.
Size
Adults commonly reach about 70 centimeters (2.3 feet) in length, and the largest individuals can grow to about 1.08 meters (3.5 feet).
Weight
Large adult Black Pacu can weigh up to 40 kilograms (88 pounds).
About
Black Pacu, also known as Tambaqui, are native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins of South America. Young fish grow up in the dark, nutrient-poor waters of floodplains, while adults move into flooded forests during the rainy season. They are close relatives of piranhas, and young Black Pacu look so similar that they are often mistaken for them.
Size and behavior
Black Pacu are large, deep-bodied fish with dark silvery-grey sides and black fins. They are generally peaceful. When the rivers flood each year, adults swim deep into the flooded forest to feed, building up fat reserves that can make up around 10 percent of their body weight. These reserves help them survive the dry season, when food is much harder to find.
Diet and nutrition
During the flood season, Black Pacu feed mostly on fruits and seeds that fall into the water, cracking open hard nuts with their strong teeth. In the low-water season, they switch to filtering zooplankton from the water. Many seeds pass through them unharmed, so they help spread trees and plants throughout the flooded forest.
Tropical Rivers & Lakes
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Conservation status
Black Pacu are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. They are an important food fish in South America, and heavy fishing has made large adults much rarer in many areas. The clearing of floodplain forests and the damming of rivers also threaten the habitats they depend on.
Fun fact
Black Pacu have flat, square teeth that look remarkably like human molars, which they use to crack open nuts and seeds.
Common Name: Black Pacu
Also known as: N/A
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