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Woman Catches Piranha-Like Invasive Fish In Delta

STOCKTON (CBS13) – A woman fishing in the Delta last week was surprised when she reeled in what she thought was a piranha.

Turns out what she actually caught, wildlife officials say, is a pacu – a relative of the piranha.

"It's not going to eviscerate a cow in 45 seconds or anything like that," said Andrew Hughan with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The fish is native to South America and is usually found in warm waters, Hughan said. In California, however, it's an invasive species and was probably thrown out of someone's aquarium.

Officials say the fish is not harmful to humans, but its bite would probably hurt.

"What we're asking people if they do catch them is not to release them back into the wild," Hughan said. "Destroy them so no part of that fish gets back into the delta."

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