Use of water hyacinths as shelter, foraging place, and transport by young piranhas, Serrasalmus spilopleura

Abstract

The water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, plays an important role in the early life of the piranha, Serrasalmus spilopleura in southeastern Brazil. Larvae and early juveniles are found by both day and night among the roots of this free floating waterweed, thus gaining shelter, a rich foraging place, and potential rafting dispersal. Piranha larvae up to 19 mm SL feed mainly on small aquatic arthropods, slowly searched for inside the root tangle; larger juveniles tend to leave the plants and patrol more open areas. At 24 mm SL young piranhas begin to clip out pieces from fins of other fishes and seek shelter in water hyacinths only at night. About 30% of the rafting clumps of water hyacinths may harbour one to three piranha larvae, providing dispersal during floods.