One of the most feared fish in Brazil is also very small and non-threatening in appearance. The candiru is between three and 12 centimeters, lives in fresh water and has a small head.
It also feeds on blood and decaying flesh, can enter through the orifices of the human body, and has a “touch” of cannibalism.
Candirus fish
Candirus is a type of catfish and is part of the genus Vandellia. Within these, there are a few different species – as explained by Lúcia Py-Daniel, professor and doctor in ichthyology, to g1. She presented two: candiru and candiru-açu.
Candiru is hematophagous. The “vampire fish” feeds on blood and can enter the bodies of other animals.
The candiru-açu is a scavenger. The “zombie fish” feeds mainly on decaying meat in the water. Anything goes, from other fish to humans. Some species eat only smaller fish.
The professor explained that candiru-açu fish were found inside bodies taken from rivers in the Amazon during the analysis.
Fish enters the victim’s body
The candiru is feared in the north of the country because it enters the body of people and other animals to feed. For the fish, the entrance is through the gills. As for people…
“The candiru is spread throughout the Amazon. They are hematophagous fish, that is, they feed on blood. They look for other species with an open gill, and there they stay, and they can also enter a human being, either through the urethra, or even through the nose, through the eye”, explained the doctor.
There are also some recorded cases of fish entering through male and female private parts, as well as anus.
Fish takes advantage of urine
The candiru is a fish that walks in schools and is relatively easy to find in the region. There are several reports of people who have had unpleasant encounters with them.
Fish can enter, for example, the man’s urethra through his own urine. The process can be painful and complicated to reverse.
The head of the candiru is made precisely to stick to the flesh and suck blood. It has small spines that pierce and, when removed, tear more of the skin.
It is worth mentioning that the doctor explained that there is no scientific proof that urine attracts fish, but there are histories that she adds
