People have long been afraid of vampires. And this is natural. No one wants strong and sharp fangs to dig into his neck. However, it is still unknown whether vampires really exist or whether this is a myth. With confidence we can say only one thing, that there is a fish on earth, which they call it that. Should a man be afraid of some kind of small fish and does the vampire fish, the description of which you will find in this article, feed on blood?
Where does he live
To begin with, reassure those who decided to avoid any water bodies, so as not to meet with a dangerous predator. Vampire fish do not live in the rivers and lakes of our country. Their main habitat is freshwater bodies of South America. In stagnant water, vampire fish are almost never found. In addition to South America, this species can be found in the waters of Ecuador, Guyana, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. It was here that in 1996 a giant vampire fish, or payara, was caught, weighing 17.8 kilograms.
Natural enemies
Many have heard of piranhas and considered them the most terrible creatures on the planet. But it turns out that they have a natural enemy, whom they fear as much as other animals themselves. This is a vampire fish. The Amazon is the river in which they both live. Payara preys on any aquatic creature that is smaller than its size. Therefore, it is not surprising that the piranha nightmare is vampire fish. Their nutrition is quite diverse. Although payara cannot chew on its food, it does have the ability to swallow the whole victim. Moreover, vampire fish are able to swallow a creature only half smaller than themselves. Pre-Payara immobilizes its victims.
Not so simple
Now we have come to discover the most important secret of this fish. A vampire, or payara, does not drink blood. It is so named for possessing huge fangs up to 15 centimeters long. With their help, payara hunts. Sneaking up on her victim, she plunges her fangs from the bottom up. Why doesn't a vampire fish hurt itself? The fact is that on its upper jaw there are special recesses for the lower fangs. A lightning-pierced victim is on the fangs of his tormentor until he dies or loses the ability to move, resist. After that, it is swallowed whole.
Big and Toothy
Scientifically, this predator is called a "mackerel-like hydrolytic." Refers to the species of ray-feathers and the family of cynodont. It was first described in 1816. In length, vampire fish can reach 117 centimeters and weigh up to 18 kilograms. When their mouth is closed, huge fangs are not visible. The fish looks quite harmless. This allows her to come close to the victim. But the payar itself is very difficult to catch. Fleeing from danger, she rushes at high speed, often changing direction and periodically jumping out of the water.
Dangerous pleasure
But her meat is tasty. Therefore, people are happy to catch it. Inveterate fishermen feel that a vampire fish is a worthy rival. In addition to the locals, tourists like to hunt for the payara. They do not miss the opportunity to take a spectacular photo with a large, beautiful, toothy predator. In addition, the danger of being bitten by huge fangs makes the hearts of fishermen beat faster and adds adrenaline to their blood. You need to be very careful when you catch the payara and hold it in your hands while it is still alive.
Preparation is important
Vampire fish is very strong. Therefore, in preparation for fishing, you need to stock up on strong fishing rods and strong fishing lines. Patience is also needed. Payara pecks very rarely. Experienced anglers recommend fishing on the fly using specific fishing tactics. Vampire fish are aggressive, so they will certainly attack the bait. It should be remembered that at the beginning of fishing, the payars will be attracted by something new, therefore they will be interested in approaching the bait in small groups of 5-10 individuals. But then they will lose interest and go to the bottom. Therefore, when fishing payar, it is recommended to change the casting depth.
Fight to the end
When fishing, it is better not to give out your presence and not to go into the water once again. In addition, you should have a special fishing jaw grab with you, which will come in handy at the moment when you will be fishing this toothy fish. Do not forget that payara will not give up so easily. Even on the hook, she will resist with all her considerable strength. Therefore, the fisherman should initially stand in a place where he will not stumble and fall, pulling the solder out of the water, and will also be able to make every effort and, if necessary, find a support.
By the way, the fight between fish and humans will scare away other individuals. So you need to tune in to the fact that in this place, luck on this day will no longer smile at you. Of course, once in an exotic place and went fishing in an unfamiliar place, you will need to take a guide from the local population. It is interesting that, for example, in Venezuela, the Indians catch the payara with their hands. They are not afraid of quick rapids and sharp teeth. Therefore, the fanged fish is quickly grabbed by the tail.
Living toy
It is interesting that in our time, paira is caught not only to make a delicious dish out of it, and not out of purely sports interest. Man has learned to keep these predatory and dangerous fish in aquariums. Of course, it’s better not to do this, especially if there are children in the house. But if you still dare to do this, know that the payara does not touch the fish larger than itself. Therefore, it may well be kept together with other freshwater inhabitants, which will be larger than it. For soldering need a large aquarium. In an ordinary apartment, he is unlikely to fit. Its length should be 3 meters, width and height of about 1.5 meters.
Required Requirements
The decor of the aquarium should resemble a river bottom. Large driftwood, coarse gravel, and stones are suitable for the soil. Water should be very clean, because payars live in unpolluted reservoirs. A filter must be installed in the aquarium. The composition of the water should be maintained on a regular basis. From 30 to 50 percent of the water should be replaced every week. Its temperature should be 24-28 degrees Celsius. The acidity level is 6.0-8.0 Ph. It is recommended to feed with special large types of feed. Giving live food in the form of fish or pieces of meat is not recommended. In captivity, payars do not breed. Yes, and observing it in vivo, scientists still can not say where, how and when payara lays eggs. Therefore, you should do everything necessary so that your pet lives as long as possible, delivering aesthetic pleasure to the owners and guests. Although there are no known cases when payers lived in captivity for more than two years. However, they do not grow more than 30 centimeters.
Are there any relatives?
This fish, "hellish vampire" is called by some people, in fact, it has several relatives, or rather, closely related species. This is a red-tailed hydrolysis (60 centimeters in length), a tatahuaia hydrolysis and a walekey hydrolysis (about 50 centimeters in length). In general, from Latin a hydrolytic (Hydro - water, and lycus - wolf) means "water wolf". In another way it is called "saber-toothed tetra."
However, there is a special type of mollusk, which is also called the infernal vampire. He is not a relative of payara. And he has no fangs. But, "fleeing" from the enemy, the mollusk releases a sheaf of sparks that blind its pursuer. This is not fire, but a fluorescent liquid. But it looks very impressive. Moreover, the hellish vampire lives deep at the bottom, where there is no light and very little oxygen.
