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Red-bellied piranhas do not stay in groups in order to pack-hunt for larger animals, but instead group for protection against predators. Foraging methods vary throughout the different stages of a piranha's life. Smaller fish will search for food during the day, while larger fish will forage at dawn, in the late afternoon, and in the early evening.
Piranhas will often scavenge, [9] and some species such as Serrasalmus elongatus are specialized scale-eaters, feeding primarily on scales and fins of other fish. [3] Scale- and fin-eating is more widespread among juvenile and sub-adult piranhas. [20] Piranhas lay their eggs in pits dug during the breeding season and swim around to protect them.
Lepidophagy is a specialised feeding behaviour in fish that involves eating the scales of other fish. [1] Lepidophagy is widespread, having evolved independently in at least five freshwater families and seven marine families. [2] A related feeding behavior among fish is pterygophagy: feeding on the fins of other fish. [3]
While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 8 ounces, or about two servings, of seafood (which includes fish and shellfish) per week, it notes that nearly 90% of Americans don't ...
Pygocentrus cariba or black spot piranha is a species of piranha endemic to Venezuela and Colombia; specifically, to the Orinoco River basin lowlands and the Llanos region. This species can reach a total length of 27.9 centimetres (11.0 in). It is popular as a game fish. [2]
This characteristic combined with its large size make it a danger to humans. Piranha's attacks on humans are anecdotal for the most part. The piranha mostly prefers to eat small fish and insects, along with seeds and aquatic plant material. The pygocentrus piraya plays a key role in their ecosystem by regulating the population of other fish [5]
Like most fish, when the wimple piranha feeds on small fish or scales floating in the water, it uses suction feeding. However, to feed on scales attached to fish, it uses ram feeding, where the predator will charge at the fish; the force of this collision actually knocks scales free. The teeth are used to scrape scales from the body.
Characiformes / ˈ k æ r ə s ɪ f ɔːr m iː z / is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras. [1]