Red-Bellied Piranha

Pygocentrus nattereri

Red-Bellied Piranha

Pygocentrus nattereri

Other Common Names
Piranha-vermelha, red piranha

Amazon Basin

Other Common Names

Piranha-vermelha, red piranha

At the Aquarium

Amazon Basin

Appearance

12-14 inches long; up to 4 pounds. Piranhas are often thought of as dangerous carnivores, but in reality the majority of piranha species are vegetarians. The red-bellied piranha is one of the few carnivorous species. And even so, they are primarily scavengers – eating food left behind by other predators.
Beneath their prominent foreheads, piranhas have strong jaw muscles connected to a short, robust lower jaw lined with sharp, triangular teeth that interlock precisely with those on the upper jaw. This structure enables them to deliver powerful bites, capable of slicing through bone! However, even with these vise-like jaws, red-bellied piranhas are not typically considered dangerous to people.

Habitat

Inland freshwater rivers, wetlands, floodplains, and flooded forests.

Diet

Insects, worms, crustaceans, fish, aquatic plants, fruits, nuts, seeds

Life History

Piranha eggs will hatch within only a couple of days of being fertilized, and will hide in the river plants until they are large enough to defend themselves against predators.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

They are often utilized as food in local regions, and are found often in the pet trade and in Aquariums.

Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

This animal is not found on the Oregon Coast. It can be found at the Oregon Coast Aquarium as part of our temporary exhibit Amazon Basin: Adventure for the Senses.

Red-bellied piranhas travel in shoals to defend against predators, like dolphins, caimans, and various birds.

Citations & Other Resources

“Red-bellied piranha” . Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
Queiroz, H.; Magurran, A. E. (22 June 2005). “Safety in numbers? Shoaling behaviour of the Amazonian red-bellied piranha”. Biology Letters. 1 (2): 155–157. Bibcode:2005BiLet…1..155Q. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2004.0267. PMC 1626212. PMID 17148153.
IUCN RedList

Red-Bellied Piranha

Red-Bellied Piranha

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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