Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Pacu

We caught a pacu in our lake in 1995 and another one last week. I am guessing that these guys are breaking. Don't know how they got in our lake. We caught the pacu last week on cut shad. Should we be concerned about them?

al
www.lakevilbig.org

oops...spawning...not breaking..

al

You might consider selling some. I'd be interested in taking them off your hands.

From what I have read about them, researched, and learned from Rad and Don on this forum, they are potentially a good addition, but much more needs to be learned about their "lifestyles".

I question that they have survived in your pond and spawned. I suspect someone has provided them to you as a "gift". Pacu are notorious for outgrowing their aquariums and forcing their owners to find other homes.

Their temperature intolerance is much worse than Tilapia, i.e. they do not survive below 60 degrees water temps, and unless you have a warm water source in your pond/lake, I doubt very seriously that you are seeing any survivors or spawners.

p.s what size was this Pacu? They grow very rapidly and one that had been in your pond/lake for more than one growing season would weigh several pounds.

I assume that the pacu is from South America and is not native to any of the waters in the U.S. Meadowlark why do you want to put them in your pond?

I have already planned to plant a few "gifts" to surprise my wife. She is always thrilled to catch a surprise or unusual fish. The look on her face when she hooks a platter-sized fish with human-looking teeth will be priceless!

James, you disappoint me...I'm the "mad scientist" remember...Tilpia, Rio Grandes, etc.

Actually, my interest is as a better grass carp. Pacu eat vegetation, grow very large, very quickly, are somewhat easily caught especially compared to grass carp, and are reported to be excellent eating. They also offer the same die off characteristics of Tilapia(actually even more temp sensitive) hence, there is no danger of pond take-over.

As BOBAD says, imagine the surprise when looking down at those teeth.

I haven't been able to purchase or otherwise secure any Pacu yet, but I'm still trying. They would make a great addition to my experimental Kids pond....with the Rio's and Tilapia and etc.

10 years between catches would almost eliminate spawning as anything but a remote possibility, plus if there were more than one in 1995 they would be huge by now. They are fast growing and difficult to breed in a pond situation. I would guess that the second one came from the same type of source as the first. Hobbist with a fish that got too big for their tank.
As an aside, I stocked some pacu on 3/24 at 1 3/4" caught 1 two days ago 15 3/8" 2lbs 3 oz. great fighter.

Wooo hooo! That's what I'm talking about! I should be able to grow a few 3 pounders between March and late October here!

Are they a good eating fish?

LV-AK, How big were the Pacu? Like Rad states in his reply should be huge if they are overwintering, anything less than 3# was more than likely released this year. What did you do with the fish after you caught them? They usually run in schools and stay close to the surface, did you see anymore when you caught these?

Bobard,a good eating fish, though they sometimes can get a little fatty deepending on food availability. They also have a hairline bone.

It was 1-lb 5-ozs. The next day another one was hooked but got off. Picture http://www.lakevilbig.org/images4/pacu.jpg

http://www.lakevilbig.org/lake.htm

Al
www.lakevilbig.org

Al,

Those are really neat pictures of all the lake record fish. The one with your 2 lb 14 oz. white bass caught my eye...those sure don't look like white bass to me, but it is kind of dark.

Anyhow, thanks for the link and the interesting pictures....I still think your Pacu is a "gift", that outgrew a local aquarium.

Your website is awesome...great records ! Did Lusk do all 3 shocking surveys ?

Bob did the 1995 and 2005

al

Couldn't make it out to the farm this morning, so after the girls left for school, I decided to walk down to one of the neighborhood ponds to get a line wet. We live in Plano, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The neighborhood has four interconnected ponds, with waterfalls in between, and a nice jogging path around the entire area. Just as I was getting ready to head back home (one last cast, of course), I hooked what I assume was a pacu that had outgrown it's aquarium . It was about 2 lbs. and fought like crazy. I caught it on a Rebel grasshopper lure. The weirdest thing was the color of the fish's breast -- a VERY flourescent orange, like something you would see on a fishing lure. It had human-like teeth, as well. I wish I had taken a picture. Next time I take the girls down there I'll bring a camera in hopes that we catch it again. Fun way to start the weekend...

Pacu Information from my employment as an Aquarist at Sea World of Florida:

Indian Name: "Timbakee"

Genus: Colossoma

Paul Zajick - Fl Dept. of Seafood & Aquaculture:

1. Eats Anything, but mainly fruit & nut eater

2. Excellent meat
3. Grows very fast

4. Array of intramuscular bones (Difficult to remove from smaller fish.

5. Very hardy (low to near zero D.O.) in morning and will still eat that afternoon.

6. Large 10-12 lb Pacu easier to clean...cut out bones.

7. Nice "Demonstration Fish"- Colorful and the size of large Footballs.

8. Can go off feeding for weeks with no detrimental effects.

9. One of the Aquarist from Sea World sold them for up to $1.00/lbs (in 1996).

10. Back then, no permit required in FL. (1996)

11. Was not a restricted species by FL DEP (1996)

Caught this guy today, about 18 months old 5 lb 5 oz, 20 1/4". Record for my pond, I have now humbled the girls. As fat as it was I could see how they could survive without eating for a while. Bait was a corner of a slice of bread.

Is that swimming around on your kitchen floor?

I won't tell the housekeeper that you asked. I have two small ponds one will be for water plants and a holding tank for freshly caught fish and the other for ornamental fish. Thais have a difficult time with live animals so they start off saying they want one them change their minds when it comes time to take it. So to protect the fish I put them in the small pond.