Fish With ‘Human Teeth’ And An Appetite For Testicles Discovered In Lakes

You know when you were young? You’d wonder down to the river and fish with your friends whilst soaking in the sun and, when the day drew on, you’d sit on the bank and have your feet dangling in the water with your trousers rolled up and the fish would nibble on your toes? Probably not, to be honest. Not unless you’re Tom Sawyer.

But, for a moment, suspend your disbelief for the sake of the analogy. Basically, if you read that and thought “Oooh I haven’t ever done that, it’s 2016, but I damn well want to!” fill your boots, it sounds like fun. That is unless your closest body of water is in Michigan, however.

Why’s that? You ask? Well, some fish have been found swimming there with what appear to be “human teeth”. And, while they might have a good crack at your toes if presented with the opportunity, they are much more fond of testicles… yep.

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What are they? They’re pacu fish. Where do they come from? People buy them for their aquariums but, since they grow pretty big pretty fast, they’re all too often released into the wild.

Nick Popoff, manager of the DNR’s Aquatic Species and Regulatory Affairs Unit, said releasing pets “is almost never humane”

“Pets released from confined, artificial environments are poorly equipped to fend off predators and may be unable to successfully forage for food or find shelter

Those that do succeed in the wild can spread exotic diseases to native animals. In the worst-case scenario, released animals can thrive and reproduce, upsetting natural ecosystems to the degree that these former pets become invasive species“

Oooh make your mind up, doc. No but seriously, don’t let your pets go to the wild. This isn’t Pokémon, your Butterfree won’t fall in love and leave you as you cry and your Pidgeot isn’t going to protect a flock of Pidgeys from a Fearow.

sportfishin.asia

Men swimming in the presence of Pacu fish are advised to be extra vigilant in regards to keeping their testicles on their bodies. There haven’t been any documented incidents of anyone being bitten between the legs in Michigan so far but, back in Papua New Guinea, Pacu fish are affectionately nicknamed ‘Ball Cutters’.

Delightful.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!