A transparent catfish: The Candiru easily sneaks up on its “hosts” due to its small size and light, transparent appearance. Then penis fish lodges itself somewhere in the urinary tract with its spines and it uses its mouth for feeding by sucking the blood. I don’t think they get imported often due to the fact that they aren’t all that interesting looking or colorful, they obviously aren’t community fish… This parasitic Amazonian catfish is said to swim up into the urethra’s of unsuspecting bathers and devour their genitals from the inside out. It’s a terrifying tale. A few years later, in 1855, a French naturalist named Francis de Castelnau was told by an Araguay fisherman not to urinate in the river, as it encourages the fish to swim up your urethra. The story is that the fish swims up a stream of urine into a man's penis, then eats it from the inside. They can reach lengths of 1-2.5 in (2.5-6 cm) with a width of 3.5 mm. The candiru may swim up the stream of urine and enter the urethra of a bather urinating into the river. You’ll Want to Read These Facts About Candiru, the Vampire Fish. The candiru is parasitic in nature. Candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), also known as cañero, toothpick fish, or vampire fish, is a species of parasitic freshwater catfish in the family Trichomycteridae native to the Amazon Basin where it is found in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It is almost impossible for fish to survive inside of the human body. The Truth About the Candiru. The Notorious Myth. Would the candiru fish really eat your genitals? But science has shown that this story is just that a story and one that is too awful to be true. After attaching themselves to the gill flap, they act like parasites and draw blood from the host fish. Looking more like a cave creature, the clever Candiru … The candiru, also called the carnero fish, is a tiny parasitic catfish that inhabits the waters of South America. This, of course, not part of the fish's normal feeding behaviour - the fish has made a fatal mistake. The candiru, also called the carnero fish, is a tiny parasitic catfish that inhabits the waters of South America. Over the years, the legend of the candiru’s attacks has not changed at all, save for a few variations regarding what it does once inside the penis. It’s a terrifying tale. Candiru swim up the gills of larger fish, feasting on their host’s blood for a minute or so, before swimming off happily to digest their meal. The candiru fish is a legendary monster. Though the fish most frequently blamed for human attacks is the catfish species Vandellia cirrhosa, the term candiru (alternatively pencil catfish, vampire catfish, or carnero) actually refers to a group of parasitic catfishes that have not been well studied. The candiru, also called the carnero fish, is a tiny parasitic catfish that inhabits the waters of South America. The … Candiru, (Vandellia cirrhosa), scaleless, parasitic catfish of the family Trichomycteridae found in the Amazon River region. They are a part of the Neotropical fish fauna, and are the most-feared fish among the natives because of their reputation of finding a fish and attaching themselves to its gills. The candiru, also called the carnero fish, is a tiny parasitic catfish that inhabits the waters of South America. Removal of the fish is extremely hard due to the spines and if problem is … They can reach lengths of 1-2.5 in (2.5-6 cm) with a width of 3.5 mm. I’ve seen them once at a large auction/show a long time back, think they were just their for curiosity sake, not even for sale. The candiru fish is a legendary monster. But science has shown that this story is just that a story and one that is too awful to be true. This parasitic Amazonian catfish is said to swim up into the urethra’s of unsuspecting bathers and devour their genitals from the inside out. A translucent, eellike fish about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long, the candiru feeds on blood and is commonly found in the gill cavities of other fishes. They appear to be common and to feed off the blood of other fish species. It sometimes also attacks Candiru Fish Fun Facts. Candiru, or vampire fish that it is known as locally, is pretty famous thanks to the myth that … Fish called Candiru or Carnero is attracted by urine smell (urea and ammonia) and it can insert it self into the penis or vagina while urinating. Best food for Candiru fish: Candiru fish for sale. They can reach lengths of 1-2.5 in (2.5-6 cm) with a width of 3.5 mm. They can reach lengths of 1-2.5 in (2.5-6 cm) with a width of 3.5 mm.