Piranha is one of the most ferocious wild fishes in the world. They’re very aggressive and always keep on having an attacking tendency. From detecting their prey to hunting them down and protecting their territory, their aggressive nature has been well-extended among all the behavioral facts of Piranha.
Piranha’s communication and understanding are among the most advanced in water worlds, if not the best. They are only a few of the species that can communicate with other types of fish along with their own.
It doesn’t end here. Right from the birth of a piranha to being the most mature one in the water, their structural, behavioral, and social strategies and plannings change and develop a lot. Rather than waiting, let’s learn how piranhas live and sustain in their world.
An Overview of the Behavioral Facts of Piranha
Piranha is not similar to the gentle fishes of the water. Their body aspects and aggression make them different from others. They have their own choice of water body, they have their behavioral traits out there. Let’s have a look.
| Behavioral Aspects | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Growing behavior: | 01. Young Piranha: Training stage of socializing. 02. Middle-aged Piranha: Learns to become aggressive and protective. 03. Matured Piranha: Becomes the king of their territory. |
| Physical characteristics: | 01. Muscular body 02. Sized around 7 to 8 inches 03. Weight around 2 pounds 04. Silvery-gray, gold, or bright in color |
| Feeding habit: | Skin and flesh of big fishes, aquatic fruits and veggies, and other sources of nutrients like seeds. |
| Aggressiveness and territoriality: | Very much aggressive and territorial. |
| Mating and breeding habits: | Lays eggs during monsoon. |
| Migration pattern: | Moves in groups. |
| Social behavior: | Highly socialized and communicative. |
Why Does Piranha Behave Significantly?
You won’t find piranhas to be like cool and calm all the time. They do have their nature and behavior of survival, and they follow that strictly.
Instinct: Piranhas are very protective and possessive. They are very cautious towards any kind of danger and uneven circumstances. That’s why they always remain aggressive toward everyone in the water. Sometimes, they even fight with other piranhas as well, they are that much possessive and aggressive for their territory.
Survival: Talking about their hunting as well, they had to be aggressive. Otherwise, they won’t be able to get their desired food. Be it small or big fish, their approach remains the same everywhere.
Also, their survival needs make them social, which drives them to keep themselves in groups.
Genetics: Piranhas, by nature, are aggressive and possessive. The trait goes on from their parents to their generations. No matter whether you try to raise it in a captive manner, nature will still prevail, more or less severely. Their body structure, sharp teeth, and other traits uplift their heritage.
Significance of Understanding the Diversified Behavior of Piranhas
Understanding the diversified behavior of piranhas is important in many ways. They are as follows.
Balance for the ecology: In the South American aquatic ecosystem, piranhas are present in big numbers. So, it’s important to understand their role in the ecosystem. Through proper research, scientists can understand their role significantly. This is also important to conserve this species and piranhas’ wildlife management.
Understanding predator-prey interactions: Piranhas are predators and aggressive. They prey on animals in groups. So, understanding their predator-prey interaction is crucial to understand the impact of their prey population on the local ecology.
Human safety: There are myths that piranhas attack humans drastically. Proper research is required to understand the validation of the myths. This will play a role in the human safety of the surrounding piranhas.
If you are willing to have more knowledge about piranha overview then you should read this article.
Growing Habits: Structural & Physical Adaptations
Piranha is a freshwater fish; their main territory is in the freshwater of the Amazonian region. You can also find them in large in the rivers of South America and so on.
While undergoing the process, you’ll expect several changes and adaptations of the fish from the start to the end. Here they follow:
1. Growth of Baby Piranha:
Once the fishes take birth, they rapidly grow until the first six months. They’ll grow around 6-7 inches on average this time. Then, they’ll rise an inch yearly for a specific time if they survive their natural lifespan.
2. Time to Grow Fully:
The average size of a fully grown piranha is about 7-8 inches in length. Their best size can be 16 inches, but only for some of the breeds out there. They grow significantly for the first six months, then grow slowly until they reach their growing stage.
This growth prevails for 2-3 years right after birth.
3. Body Color:
Red-bellied Piranha is the most common breed available around. They mostly come in silver color with red patches on their body, which is what names them such. But apart from that, some piranhas are yellow, black, and green. The colors are set to the environment they are raised in.
4. Tooth Development of Piranha:
At an early stage, Piranha has some sharp triangular teeth. As they tend to grow, the shape changes and takes into enamel structure, quite like the teeth of sharks.
Not only the structure but also the sharpness is compared to that tier as well. If a piranha bites, it can cut the human skin within minutes.
With the development of their body, the lower jaw gets exposed outside. And there, the teeth become visible. They keep losing their teeth as they live, but it gets replaced simultaneously.
5. Lifespan of Piranha:
Piranha is one of the longest surviving fishes out there. They can live up to 25 years in their own comfortable space. But in a captive or raising condition, their average survival ranges from 10-20 years.
Feeding Habits of Piranha
As the fish grows within its territory, it collects food with proper tendency and technique. This includes the fish’s hunting technique, raising the younger ones, feeding habits, etc. And exploring these is the prime key of this section.
1. Food Menu of Piranha:
Living in the wild on their own, the piranhas tend to collect and hunt the fins of larger fishes. They are omnivorous and tend to consume both green and flesh out there.
The fish also prefers the flesh of such big fishes, thanks to their sharp teeth that enable them to nip their prey around and consume it by themselves.
Apart from big fishes, Piranha prefers small insects and fish as well. Mainly the aquatic invertebrates deep down there is their primary consumption. Veggies, plants, figs, and other fruit items are also favorable to them.
2. Feeding the Young by Piranha:
Piranhas develop their desired tooth very young; they can consume the best foods as per their period. But the younger ones sometimes need to be provided with the best of their kind per requirements.
For rapid growth, the parents of piranhas prefer to provide their infants with the best protein source. Greens and micronutrients under the water are good sources of protein for them. Besides, the usual foods that the piranhas take, like the fins and flesh of big fish, can also be a good treat for infants.
3. Identifying Their Prey:
Piranha’s smelling sense is top-notch. They can identify and detect their prey around just by smelling. Even the range and type of prey come under their radar.
As soon as they detect their prey, they just pound on them. This makes them survive in the murky waters of the Amazon, the most favorable living condition for piranhas.
4. Hunting of Food by Piranha:
Just like many species, Piranha does group hunting. As you already know, they love to attack and consume parts of big fish, and they must be in a particular community for that. As they see their prey, they collectively collect their portion by themselves.
As per their age and size, the smaller or underaged ones prefer to search for food during the daytime. But the experiences and matured ones come during the late afternoon, evening, or dawn.
But a good thing among them is their bond and tendency to share parts. But when there are food shortages, they try to snatch other’s food by hook or crook, maybe during the distributions.
Aggression and Territorial Habits
As bright as they are, piranhas are territorial and aggressive toward their belongings. They socialize and stay in groups, mainly covering a portion of the water body area.
So, they have to be protective about certain things among themselves to keep their living up at a certain height.
1. For Their Territory
Piranhas live in certain conditions and water types. Hardly you’ll find them in any other environment because they can’t sustain there. So, they set their favorable territory and live among themselves.
And any kind of external disturbances from outside could shake them up thoroughly. At that moment, they do everything to keep the harmony in their favor by attacking or protecting.
Their water bodies mainly consist of different kinds of fish, including their breeds. So, to keep their territory safe and marked, piranhas always stay alert and aggressive to prevent any conspiracy towards them.
2. For Food
Living in a limited territory, piranhas have to be bounded by limited privileges. Food is one of them. Not all will get the food unless they stand up for themselves. And for that, they have to be aggressive and have fighting spirits.
The same goes for hunting as well. No matter how big of a group they are in, all must be aggressive and fierce during their livelihood and lifestyle. If they are not aggressive towards big fish, they would be consumed instead over there.
Breeding (Mating) Habits & Migration Patterns
Piranhas lay thousands of eggs at a time in the water; on average, the number is around 5,000. Their breeding environment is the central bodies of water, like lagoons.
You’ll observe several behavior, color, and migration changes during their process. Not that much longer, but indeed helpful to know.
1. Knowing the Breeding Time and Condition:
Piranhas breed during the rainy seasons mostly. The time can vary by two months, depending on the water body and region. When piranhas are in breeding condition, they lose all their color no matter what. They are turned black.
Possessiveness arises among the piranhas during those stages. When the mother piranha is at rest or trying to roam freely, the father piranha is always beside and guiding her. Any other fish coming nearby gets chased or off by the other Piranha.
Besides those, you can also assume that the Piranha has started mating once they start picking up gravel in its mouth. You’ll see them as if they’re digging or making room for themselves.
2. Piranhas Laying Eggs:
When the piranhas are in their breeding condition, it is holistic to provide them with their best comfort condition. The mother piranha should not be disturbed or hampered by the everyday lifestyle.
Mother piranha lays the eggs in their pits, holds them to dig by themselves, and always stays close to them. At the same time, the father piranha will always keep guiding the eggs from any external causes or fish.
The mother piranha can lay around 700-6,000 eggs at a time. And within 2-3 days, the eggs start to hatch.
3. Moving and Taking Care of the Fries
As the baby piranhas grow, they are kept in groups always. Wherever they go, their parents keep them under proper guidance and regulation. All the socialization and stuff are taught within the period.
Brine shrimp is one of the most desirable foods for the baby piranhas. Apart from that, seeds and other water veggies are good sources of nutrients for the baby piranhas. They are also served with the skin of big fish by their parents.
Ecological Adaptation
Piranha, in general, favors living in the Amazonian ecosystem. That condition favors their lifestyle, like hunting, raising, living, etc.
Their roles in your made-up ecosystem have to be survival and favorable ones for them. You can prefer an aquarium, gravel, plants, a filtration system, feeder fish, and water. You can expect minimal anaerobic bacteria formations that will allow the Piranha to survive there.
You don’t have to ensure an open environment at any cost. A closed one with a proper and sustainable ecological privilege would allow the Piranha to live. Just consider some points in your mind to make them feel the best.
1. Suitable Environment:
Piranhas always prefer to stay in fresh water at any cost. The Amazonian region has been their most favorable habitat, but they are also native to South America’s central and southern rivers. The tropical rivers and streams could also be their favorite place, mostly of murky waters.
Their water body temperature could range from 50°F to 57°F. You can already understand that they are primarily suitable for cold waters and can survive to overwinter conditions. But the condition has to be adaptable.
2. Hunting Tactics:
Being one of the most socially developed fishes in the water, piranhas always keep bonding with their group. And their bond comes into account when they set out to hunt their prey.
With their aggressive behavior and sharp teeth, they can attack many large fishes. They can sense the presence of their prey, then they form a group and start plotting against it. Once the prey comes to their zone, they attack it in a group and do their work.
In this case, their teeth deserve most of the credit. Because of their sharpness, even the biggest of the fishes fall to them. And the fish’s swiftness hardly entraps them to the big animals.
3. Adaptation for Food:
Piranhas mainly depend on other big fishes for their food. Having strong communication and group skills, they are always up for hunting and collecting their food in groups. Sometimes, the anaerobic bacteria and other microorganisms can be their pick, mainly for the younger ones.
From the big fish itself to their flesh, fins, skins, etc., the piranhas live by eating other fishes. But one thing is for sure; they don’t consume their breeds. Grouping and bonding are something they maintain very strongly.
4. Piranha As Prey:
There are many fishes and aquatic animals that choose Piranha as their prey. And when such happens, you must think about how strong that animal could be. Just because they are strong and socially active doesn’t mean they are the strongest in their region.
Nowadays, humans also hunt piranhas and prepare their meat for cooking and eating. Crocodiles, caimans, sharks, pescatarian fishes, etc., are one of their most common consumers. Apart from them, larger animals like dolphins, herons, etc., also consume piranhas.
Social Behavior
You can say piranhas are one of the most brilliant fishes in their community. Their aggression and proper communication take them ahead of many fish breeds out there. You already know their favorite place to live is in the Amazonian conditions.
They mend in groups or solo. But from hunting to recreational roaming, you’ll always find them with others. Their communication skills are so developed that their reach has surpassed their breeds. Most of them can also communicate and command with other fishes as well.
Depending on the nature and breed, the lifestyle and social behavior of the fish differ. Especially when you keep them captive, they show many differences in their social behavior. Let’s look at some of the glimpses.
1. Social Behavior of Piranha in the Wild:
Hunting Plan: You’ll need help finding piranha hunting food. As said before, their communication skill is top-notch, making them socialize among themselves. So, when it comes to hunting, they mend and set themselves as groups.
Hunting: They divide and form themselves as per their sizes. And then, considering the daytime, they set out by themselves to catch their prey. You already know how well-developed their smelling senses are. So, a group of piranhas with that sense would always succeed in their mission.
Food distribution: Distributing foods among themselves also prevails without much hassle. But there could be certain breeds that love to stay alone. Black Piranha is one of them. They socialize quite identically but just give themselves some more time and recreation.
Fighting: As they live in Amazonian conditions, they must tend to fight for survival. That is one of the mandatory qualities they have to possess. And they are built in that manner.
Their sharp shark-type teeth are one of their biggest weapons. And their teamwork always works. So, you can already imagine how planned and systematic their approaches during adverse conditions could be, well enough to sustain in Amazonian conditions keeping heads high.
2. Social Behavior of Piranha in Captive:
Behavior: When piranhas are kept in a particular pool out of their natural habitat, they become pretty shy to socialize but improve gradually. But they can hardly develop their usual communication skills once separated from their breeds at the earliest stage.
Hunting and Fighting: As the communication of the piranhas in captives is not that developed, they need help forming sound groups independently. Even if they do, they can’t bear that weight and power to attack their prey.
The same happens when they must overcome any obstacle or adverse condition in the water, among themselves or other fish. In short, they lose their natural strength and tendency to keep themselves up there.
Facts That Influence Different Behavioral Traits of Piranhas
By now, you already know how different piranhas are by nature. But that comes into account through different influential facts.
1. Aggressiveness:
Because of their aggressive nature, piranhas are always up for hunting, and that too for big fish. They always tend to remain in attacking nature towards their prey. Their default teeth influence them to be so. This sometimes leads to arise fight among themselves between the piranhas.
2. Socialization:
Being in groups has been their common and one of their most outstanding traits. Their communication is so developed that they tend to fulfill whatever work they are up to in groups, whether hunting or fighting. Piranhas can also communicate with other fishes, which hardly many fishes can.
3. Hunting:
Piranhas can hardly spend time without hunting. No matter what they do, they are always looking for something to bring in their favor, be it big fish or smaller ones. They collect green veggies and food even when they’re not into that.
4. Environmental Factors:
You already know that piranhas are freshwater fishes, and any environment or water body other than that is not their favorable condition. So, transferring or breeding them in other water bodies won’t be holistic for any of the parties.
5. Behavior While Breeding:
While the females lay their eggs in the cluster, the males always remain busy guarding them. No matter what the situation is, they are always concerned and alerted to the eggs’ condition. Even when the parent piranha is about to hunt, one of them (mainly the female) remains beside the eggs. And that, by default, makes them more aggressive than usual for the time being.
6. Feeding Habit
The availability of food plays a significant role in piranhas’ behavior. Their aggressiveness and thirst for blood are pretty high.
If they sense the presence of blood or injured animals around them, their feeding aggressive feeding behavior triggers.
Human-Induced Facts That Change Piranhas’ Behavior
Recently, studies have included much research on piranha’s behavioral traits. Their, by default, aggressive nature has been aggressive and attacking towards others.
But human-induced activities tried to make a change this behavior to make it sustainable as feeding motivation and starvation for other organisms.
Some of the human-induced factors that developed the behavior of the fish:
- Enabled piranhas to sustain in the cold, whereas they are highly intolerable in that environment.
- Suited them well enough to live on green plants and veggies if they don’t find fish to eat.
- Reducing toxic traits of biting other animals with their sharp teeth.
- Make them suitable to live under different fish communities and habitat compositions.
But, some human-induced factors change the lifestyle of the piranhas in a negative sense.
- The rise of global warming is making rivers dry up. And with that, the conservation of the piranhas in those water bodies is hampered severely.
- With the increase in plastic waste, the fish in the water, especially piranhas, are getting affected. Their feeding, mating, and normal way of life are getting disrupted due to the waste and additions in the water.
- Urbanization means more and more waste in the water. And that waste disrupts the characteristics of the freshwater body. With that intention, the fish in that water, for example, piranhas, falls victim to being in unpleasant conditions.
Conservation of their Behavior
Various projects work on different criteria for preserving the fish’s behavior. For piranha, there are many as well. They just create a sustainable living environment for the fish that keeps them aloof from any kind of external and dangerous impacts.
- While fishing, all the people have to be concerned about the regulations. Like there are proper ways of fishing rather than being fancy. Avoiding the areas where piranhas mate can be holistic conduct under the circumstances.
- Piranhas are freshwater fishes. So, they won’t be able to sustain on another kind of water. It becomes a sheer duty to let them live under favorable condition and make their lifestyle normal and casual. There are many ways the water can be toxic, like pollution, plastics, waste, etc. You know what to avoid, then.
So far, the South American governments have taken enough measures to conserve the Piranhas, especially during their mating season. The governments restricted all kinds of fishing activities there during the tenure and made strict consequences of doing harsh towards the fish.
Even non-govt. Organizations are also coming forwards with the same goal and intent. It looks like things are getting better as of now with the approaches. Let’s see how long and where it accumulates.
Conclusion
The behavioral Facts of Piranha are fascinating if you see their way of living in certain stages and places. Whether in the wild or captive, their tendency to stay in a group never changes.
You’ll mostly find them hunting all the time. If not for hunting, they always protect themselves and their territory with the same approach. And they pass the approach to their offspring and so on.
With all their activity, they are more or less contributing to their local ecosystem. Their being omnivorous adds value to the water world and vice versa. And their ecological impact, with the addition of the other species of fish, enhances the sustainability of the animal kingdom in water bodies.
Further studies and research are required to understand the piranhas and their exclusive behaviors facts. They will help in their developing and sustainable ecosystem.