Are piranhas actually a vicious fish?

I think the answer is no but there is some behavior that lends to the development of these myths. These fish live in the Amazon basin which is known to flood annually. read more

Red bellied piranhas are primarily carnivorous meaning they eat meat; fish and maybe sometimes other animals but the research shows their primary diet is insects, worms and fish. They are great predators but the piranha devouring a cow or person is probably only a myth and probably stems from fairly rare strandings in isolated post-flood pools where a serious “attack” was likely not life ending. read more

Piranhas, as a matter of fact, are more commonly scavengers than hunters. They tend to attack dead meat, rather than live animals. Humans aren’t even a part of the piranha’s normal diet. Piranhas have become a fascination in popular culture like no other fish in history. read more