Jeremy Wade with a 1-pound black piranha, the largest of the roughly 40-known piranha species.
Image Credit: DCL
Getting a black piranha to take the bait is relatively simple — just whisk the water with the tip of the rod to mimic something thrashing at the surface and one will respond — but actually hooking this lightening-fast fish can be a bit more challenging. Most will clean the hook before the fisherman can react.
Image Credit: DCL
Jeremy Wade reveals the red-bellied piranha's legendary, razor-sharp teeth. The piranha's triangular teeth interlock to cut through flesh like scissors. In spite of its small size, the red-bellied piranha is the world's deadliest freshwater fish.
Image Credit: DCL
A close relative of the piranha, the payara is often called the "vampire fish" because of its long fangs, which can grow to 6 inches in length. This little-known but frightening-looking fish is found in the Orinoco River in Venezuela.
Image Credit: DCL
Jeremy Wade with a payara, caught in Uraima Falls in Venezuela. A difficult catch, the payara will swim with the current of the falls when hooked.
Image Credit: DCL
A Cuiu-Cuiu, a prehistoric-looking catfish found in the Orinoco and surrounding rivers of the Amazon. The Cuiu-Cuiu can grow to 3 feet in length and weigh over 40 pounds. It has scutes along the back half of its body that give support to the tail fin; these give the Cuiu-Cuiu an armored appearance, common in ancient fish.
Image Credit: DCL
Jeremy Wade feeds red-bellied piranhas to an Amazon river dolphin. Also known as the boto or pink river dolphin, the Amazon river dolphin is the largest freshwater dolphin in the world.
Image Credit: DCL
The Amazon river dolphin regularly preys on piranhas, as well as crustaceans, crabs, small turtles, catfish and other fish.
More Killer Fish Photos | About the Piranha | Piranhas Devour a Duck (video) | A Really Big Piranha (video) | Vampire Piranha? (video) | Swimming in a Piranha Pool (video) | Piranha Killers (video)
Image Credit: DCL
