Pacu, The Fish With ‘Human-like Teeth’ Notorious For Cutting Testicles Seen In European Waters For First Time

A species of fish related to the piranha with human-like teeth has been seen in European waters for the first time.

Pacu which is also known as ball-cutter is notorious for cutting testicle of unwary swimmers.

Although the fish is usually found in the Amazon river basin, a bombshell report has claimed that one has been caught by fisherman Einar Lindgreen in an eel trap off the coast of Sweden.

According to Henrick Carl from Denmark’s Natural History Museum; “The pacu is not normally dangerous to people but it has quite a serious bite. There have been incidents in other countries, such as Papua New Guinea where some men have had their testicles bitten off.”

Carl added that pacu fishes are largely vegetarian and nip away at those in the water only because they are hungry.

He said: “They bite because they’re hungry, and testicles sit nicely in their mouth.”

While the reason the pacu strayed into European waters remains unknown, it could be put down to a hankering for some exotic international cuisine.

It's possible that this pacu, found so far from home, could have been dumped after being kept as a pet. That was the explanation offered when other examples of the breed turned up in Lake Michigan and the river Torridge in Devon.

Peter Rask Møller of the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, says the jury’s still out on whether this latest “ball cutter” fish found in Scandinavian waters is another aquarium escapee or the pathfinder for a piranha invasion.

He said: “Discovering whether this fish is a lone wanderer or a new invasive species will be very exciting, and a bit scary”.

“It's the first time this species has been caught in the wild in Scandinavia.”

“Male swimmers should keep their pants on in case there are more pacus out there in our cold Baltic waters,” he added.