Petaluma Paku

Interesting teeth.

http://www.petaluma360.com/news/5678583-181/ferocious-looking-fish-caught-in-petaluma?artslide=2

On this weeks episode of river monsters, Jeremy Wade ventures into the dangerous pond in Petaluma, CA in search of man eating fish 

Crappy, sensationalized "journalism."  Pacu's are legal to keep as pets in CA, but illegal to release into the wild. They're omnivorous and grow to be fairly large. My friend's Uncle said they're tasty.   

Crappy, sensationalized "journalism."  Pacu's are legal to keep as pets in CA, but illegal to release into the wild. They're omnivorous and grow to be fairly large. My friend's Uncle said they're tasty.   

Pacu is in the characidae family, so according to dfg, they are illegal to own in california.

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=28427&inline=true

§2118.  Unlawful  To  Import,  Etc.  Specified  Animals;  Exceptions It  is  unlawful  to  import,  transport,  possess,  or  release  alive  into  this  state,  except  under  a  revocable,  nontransferable permit  as  provided  in  this  chapter  and  the  regulations  pertaining  thereto,  any  wild  animal  of  the  following  species:
(e)    Class  Osteichthyes (bony  fishes):
Family  Characidae  (characins):  Banded  tetra,  Astyanax  fasciatus,  All  species  of  piranhas

Not sure how they taste.

Crappy, sensationalized "journalism."  Pacu's are legal to keep as pets in CA, but illegal to release into the wild. They're omnivorous and grow to be fairly large. My friend's Uncle said they're tasty.   

Pacu is in the characidae family, so according to dfg, they are illegal to own in california.

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=28427&inline=true

§2118.  Unlawful  To  Import,  Etc.  Specified  Animals;  Exceptions It  is  unlawful  to  import,  transport,  possess,  or  release  alive  into  this  state,  except  under  a  revocable,  nontransferable permit  as  provided  in  this  chapter  and  the  regulations  pertaining  thereto,  any  wild  animal  of  the  following  species:
(e)    Class  Osteichthyes (bony  fishes):
Family  Characidae  (characins):  Banded  tetra,  Astyanax  fasciatus,  All  species  of  piranhas

Not sure how they taste.

Really?you should inform dfg about all the pet shops in California,as far as I've been keeping fish (12yrs old) every shop I've been in carrys pacus

§2118.  Unlawful  To  Import,  Etc.  Specified  Animals;  Exceptions It  is  unlawful  to  import,  transport,  possess,  or  release  alive  into  this  state,  except  under  a  revocable,  nontransferable permit  as  provided  in  this  chapter  and  the  regulations  pertaining  thereto,  any  wild  animal  of  the  following  species:
(e)    Class  Osteichthyes (bony  fishes):
Family  Characidae  (characins):  Banded  tetra,  Astyanax  fasciatus,  All  species  of  piranhas

I read it only pertaining to the listed species and not the entire Family.

I thought pacu were legal.  They are totally common in aquarium shops.  I agree with eelkram's reading of that statute.  Pacu aren't listed and aren't in a prohibited family that is labled "All species".

(e) Class Osteichthyes (bony fishes):
Family Serranidae (bass): White perch, Morone or Roccus Americana
Family Clupeidae (herring): Gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum
Family Sciaenidae (croakers): Freshwater sheepshead, Aplodinotus grunniens
Family Characidae (characins): Banded tetra, Astyanax fasciatus, All species of piranhas
Family Lepisosteidae (gars): All species.
Family Amiidae (bowfins): All species.

Releasing them is definitely illegal tho.

What's with the whole bit in the news piece about how it broke the line,ect. The picture I saw fish had a big ass hook with a swivel attached directly to it, almost like someone was trying to catch pacu. To call the story dubious is giving it to much credit so I'll go with weird. FWIW I'm not swimming there anymore I hear pacu will chew the hair right outta your "bubblegum"   

§2118.  Unlawful  To  Import,  Etc.  Specified  Animals;  Exceptions It  is  unlawful  to  import,  transport,  possess,  or  release  alive  into  this  state,  except  under  a  revocable,  nontransferable permit  as  provided  in  this  chapter  and  the  regulations  pertaining  thereto,  any  wild  animal  of  the  following  species:
(e)    Class  Osteichthyes (bony  fishes):
Family  Characidae  (characins):  Banded  tetra,  Astyanax  fasciatus,  All  species  of  piranhas

I read it only pertaining to the listed species and not the entire Family.

Oops, you are correct.