For some you have already heard, about some watched movies … but whether these freshwater predators really so dangerous? Have you ever heard about fish that inhabit the ureters in humans? Did you know how much voltage produces electric eels? Find out which are freshwater fish most fearsome predators that can kill a man, and we begin with a giant catfish …
Goliath Tigerfish
Widespread in most parts of Africa, tigerfish are wild predators with big teeth, sharp as a razor blade. Often hunt in flocks, and sometimes eat large animals. Attacks on humans are rare, but do happen. The two largest types are Hydrocynus Goliath and Hydrocynus vittatus, which is commonly referred as tigerfish. Hydrocynus Goliath, which can weigh up to 50 kg, lives in the rivers and lakes of the Congo. Hydrocynus vittatus can weigh up to 15 kg and lives in the course of the Zambezi River.
Piranha
Known for their sharp teeth and voracious appetite, piranhas inhabit several major river basins in South America. Although known as a fish that will eat each piece of meat on which they come, attacks on humans are still very rare.
Piranha are acquired image of bloodthirsty beasts during the historic visit of Theodore Roosevelt to Brazil, when Roosevelt saw a group of piranhas how to pieces corpse cow in seconds. His dramatic testimony about this event feeds our imagination through the spectacles of Hollywood for years, although the ‘spectacle’ that he experienced was manipulated, thus as fishermen blocking group of piranhas and starved for several days before Roosevelt’s visit.
Piranhas are an important predator in the river, and often resort to cannibalism if there is not enough food. It is not known how many species there are piranhas, but it is estimated that this figure is between 30 and 60s.
Giant Catfish – largest freshwater fish
Big catfish lives in many rivers around the world.
The largest recorder is the Mekong giant catfish, which had reached a size of 3.2 meters and 300 kg. Mekong giant catfish was declared as critically endangered.
Big catfish are rarely considered dangerous to humans, although throughout history recorded many bizarre story in which these fish play a major role. Fishermen have caught catfish from whose womb they practiced human body parts, and even children. Considering that all the stories very old and unverified, probably are myths, but big catfish can really hurt you.
Electric eel – electric fish
Despite its name Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) has more in common with catfish than with classic eels. This unusual fish inhabits the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, where hunts and defends itself by creating a strong electric shock.
Thanks to specialized internal organs, may produce pulses of electricity greater than 500 volts, enough to kill an adult.
Electric eels mainly eat invertebrates, and attack humans only when they feel threatened.
Candiru – known as “vampire fish”
Although many have never heard of it, Candiru is a freshwater fish whose habitat people bypassed in a wide circle.
These small, narrow fish feed on gills of larger fish in the Amazon. However, during the last few centuries there have been reports about how these unusual creatures inhabit the urinary tracts of men and women.
Inhabited in humans, causing severe infection that is difficult to recover even after surgery and treatment. It has long been believed that urine attracts the candiru, although recent studies have shown that these animals do not show any interest for the urine.
There are very few documented cases that candiru attack people, with an average width of half a centimeter and an average length of 7.5 cm, these fish are a little too big to form uric channels. However, many people do not dare to come even close to candiru fish habitat.
