Fish profile · Serrasalmidae

Pirapitinga

Piaractus brachypomus

Food · SportFreshwater Introduced to MalaysiaLeast Concern (IUCN)

Also called Red-bellied pacu and Cachama blanca

The pirapitinga is a South American fish introduced to Malaysian waters and culture systems. It is often mistaken for a piranha, but its crushing teeth and largely fruit-based diet tell a different story.

Last reviewed 26 October 2026 · 5 sources

Photo of Pirapitinga — (c) Schrodiskitten, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Max length: 85 cm; without the tail
Max weight: 20 kg
IUCN: LC; Least Concern
In Malaysia: Introduced
Family: Serrasalmidae; order Characiformes

Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.

How big?

Linear scale · person 170 cm

Up to 85 cm without the tail, and 20 kg.

The person is 170 cm tall.

Where in Malaysia

2 open-licence records · GBIF

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Recorded (open records)

Recorded in Johor and Selangor. Based on 2 open-licence records on GBIF. Few records can mean few surveys, not few fish.

How to identify

Deep body
Two rows of crushing, molar-like teeth rather than the piranha’s cutting teeth
Small adipose fin without supporting rays

Habitat

Lowland rivers Lakes Reservoirs

River floodplains, lagoons and flooded forests; Kenyir records relate to introduced cage culture.

Diet: Mostly plant food, including fruits and nuts from flooded forest trees.
Native range: The Amazon basin of South America.

Eating

A valued food fish in South America.

More photos

Pirapitinga, photo 2 — (c) Jay Pruett, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Pirapitinga, photo 3 — (c) Paul Hoekman, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Sources

Last reviewed 26 October 2026