Fish with massive teeth taking over Houston bayous

Pacu fish turning up in large numbers

HOUSTON – An invasive species of fish is turning up and causing trouble in Houston bayous, according to wildlife experts.

While they may resemble a Piranha, they do not pose the same threat to people. However, Pacu fish are a major threat to Houston bayous.

"This is important to address because this is a commonly available fish. They grow to massive sizes none could house," said Mike ConCannon with the Houston Zoo.

The teeth of the Pacu fish may look imposing, but the real threat is to the existing ecosystem.

"They tend to gobble up pretty much everything in sight," said ConCannon.

According to ConCannon, the fish can destroy the current habitat of bayous, running other species out of the environment.

Local 2 has learned many people are releasing the fish into the bayou when they become too big to keep as pets.

"We need to better educate the fish hobbyist. This is not an animal OK to have unless you have a thousand-gallon tank." said ConCannon.