and other countries, they were labeled pacu. When the large fish of the genus Colossoma entered the aquarium trade in the U.S. A species popular among fish farmers is Piaractus mesopotamicus, also known as Paraná River pacu or small-scaled pacu. For example, the fish often found in pet stores known as the black pacu and red-bellied pacu typically belong to the species Colossoma macropomum and Piaractus brachypomus, respectively. Piaractus – red-bellied pacu, small-scaled pacuĮach of these groups contains one or more separate species.Colossoma – black pacu, black-finned pacu, giant pacu.Among these, several genera contain species where commonly used English names include the word pacu, as listed. The common name pacu is generally applied to fish classified under the below listed genera. Additionally, the pacu can reach much larger sizes than piranha, at up to 1.08 m (3 ft 6 + 1⁄ 2 in) in total length and 40 kg (88 lb) in weight. Pacu, unlike piranha, mainly feed on plant material and not flesh or scales. Pacu and piranha do not have similar teeth, the main difference being jaw alignment piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth in a pronounced underbite, whereas pacu have squarer, straighter teeth and a less severe underbite, or a slight overbite.
Pacu ( Portuguese pronunciation: ) is a common name used to refer to several species of omnivorous South American freshwater serrasalmid fish that are related to the piranha.