Fisherman Finds Piranha In N.C. River

[Pale Rider]

Fisherman Finds Piranha In N.C. River

Tue Jul 3, 11:36 PM ET

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. - A fisherman looking to catch a catfish for dinner instead reeled in a fish that flashed its teeth and bit his knife.

Jerry Melton, 46, was fishing in the Catawba River last week when he caught what state wildlife officials later identified as a piranha, a South American carnivorous fish that lives in freshwater.

"When I got it on the bank I didn't really know what it was; I hadn't seen anything like it before," Melton said.

When Melton opened the fish's mouth with a pocket knife, he said the fish bit down and left an impression on the blade.

Wildlife officials told Melton on Saturday that he caught a 1 pound, 4 ounce piranha that was probably dumped in the river. Officials said the fish was likely put there by someone who kept it as a pet and later dumped it into local waters.

"Releasing nonnative fish in our native waters is highly irresponsible because it could have a very adverse affect on the fish in that ecosystem," said Paul Barrington, an ichthyologist with the Fort Fisher Aquarium.

Melton, who is keeping the piranha in his freezer until he can have it mounted, said the experience will keep him out of the river's water.

"I've been fishing there my whole life," he said. "Catching something like that is definitely going to make me think twice about what's in that water."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_piran...BAWjMMLwztiBIF

[krisy]

This goes on a LOT. I managed at a pet/fish sote for ten years and heard about people doing this a lot. A lot of times we would take the Piranha for them,but if we didn't have room,I think this is what a lot of people did. Not realising the effect it has.

[Pale Rider]

This goes on a LOT. I managed at a pet/fish sote for ten years and heard about people doing this a lot. A lot of times we would take the Piranha for them,but if we didn't have room,I think this is what a lot of people did. Not realising the effect it has.

Wow... what a mistake. And I saw a program on TV about the growing Parakeet population in California, on the loose.

[krisy]

Wow... what a mistake. And I saw a program on TV about the growing Parakeet population in California, on the loose.

Sad how people will so irresponsibly turn their animals loose with no consideration for the animal or the nature outside.

When I worked at the pet store,I used to so agrravated with people because they would buy dogs and cats KNOWING their apartments wouldn't allow them. Two days later,they were back returning the animals. Some people would bring pups back saying it made too much noise at night,crying. HELLO,did you do any research before you bought this pet? People would threaten that if we didn't take giant lizrds and snakes that they would turn them loose. They knew when they bought the animal how big it would eventually get.

After awile,I learned to pick em out and discourage the ones from buying that I know would be back.