Red-bellied piranha found in North Park Lake

NORTH PARK — There’s a piranha in North Park Lake, and county officials want to know how it got there.

In a release Wednesday, the Allegheny County Health Department said a red-bellied piranha was found by a woman and her son fishing in North Park Lake.

When the fish was taken off the hook, it flipped back into the water.

The fish most likely came from someone’s aquarium and either outgrew the tank or was no longer wanted, according to the release.

“It’s unfortunate that someone released this fish into the lake,” said Andrew Baechle, Allegheny County Parks director. “It’s also an opportunity to remind members of the public that animals and pets should never be brought to the parks and let go. It’s not good for the park, animals or our residents.”

Officials said this was the first report of a piranha in North Park Lake.

Despite what you may have seen in movies or on television, the Health Department said piranhas are omnivores and typically eat insects, worms, fish and plants.

The greatest chance of a person being hurt by a piranha is being bitten while trying to remove a hook from its jaw.

CLICK HERE for information from the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on red-bellied piranhas.

Cox Media Group