Scientists Capture Rare VIPER Shark with Extendable Jaws like 'The Alien' Monster

a reply to: gortex

Well you have to prove "intent" before you can indict the Taiwanese. I'm not part of "us" or the Tiawanese.

But you go ahead and virtue signal.


www.foxnews.com...

Of the latest specimens - which were caught at a depth of 350m - four were dead and the living shark was immersed in cool seawater, but died a day later.

Cause of death of the 4 still undetermined. LOL

snowflake eel is even scarier

a reply to: evenkeel
they sell those in aquarium shops around here. They live well with lionfish or triggerfish. And if you live by a Bay like I do, you can free them for free everytime you go to the beach or a park on the water by just collecting dozens of crabs and dropping them off in the tank. The crabs will survive eating detritus and isopods which occur naturally in the tank after a few months, and in turn stay alive as a regular food source for the eel.

They are more fun to watch than snakes, because stuff is always happening in a saltwater fish tank. If you going to put coral though, make it hardy soft corals like shrooms, zooanthids, and tree coral. Anemone good too. Stony coral require very clean water so constantly dead and decaying matter make it more difficult unless you have a massive protein skimmer.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie

originally posted by: Skywatcher2011
a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Already did. Now look at viperdog fish

Ok let's call it a draw, that thing looks like a demonic Jean's zipper.

Bwahaha!!! I know right????

a reply to: neo96

Many of the most voracious Piranha species on Earth are quite small as well.

With most species coming in at between five and a half and ten inches long, they do not seem threatening if you only think about their size. But their bites are strong, and they move in great numbers, especially when there is a great deal of meat in the water, for instance, a cow, horse, or even a person. Estimates vary, but some species of that fish have been known to strip a small cow in approximately five minutes flat. Sure, it takes a great number of Piranha to do this, but each individual is simply ravenous.

While I doubt that the fish in the article from the OP, are numerous enough to be quite that devastating, that projecting mandible looks like its bite strength would be quite potent, despite the size of the animal itself. So it might not be a straight up man killer, like some of its larger cousins, but given the right (wrong) circumstances, I am certain it could badly injure someone, especially if it attacked near the femoral arteries, the jugular, or the genitals, for example.

a reply to: TrueBrit


Interestingly, that bit about Piranhas stripping cattle etc in minutes is not strictly true. Apparently it originated from a 1913 thing involving a young Theodore Roosevelt who while on his travels up the Amazon witnessed a scene laid on by local fishermen. They blocked off part of the river containing thousand of Piranhas, starved them for days and then pushed an injured cow in.

There are a lot of myths about Piranhas, lots inspired by Hollywood.

I agree that it would not be a pleasant experience to have one of those things munching on your todger, though.

a reply to: oldcarpy

Ah, I see!

I suppose then, that many of the stories you hear from villagers in remote parts of South America, of family members being lost amongst a churning moshpit of Piranhas are overblown? Either that, or the fish themselves were just especially hungry, owing to time of year and period within their yearly biocycle?

originally posted by: neo96
What's terrifying bout it ?

Holding it with 2 fingers

100 years ago? Not so terrifying. Today with genetic engineering and the possibility of chimeras? Terrifying. Did you see that TV series Surface?

a reply to: TrueBrit


Have you yourself heard these stories from villagers in remote parts of South America? Yes, these stories are overblown. Very few fatalities of humans have been reported, many involving drunk or injured people.

There's lots of scientific research info out there.

And Piranha:3D was not a documentary.

a reply to: oldcarpy

Indeed, Piranha 3D was not a documentary.

It was not even a very good film.

a reply to: TrueBrit


I must admit I have not seen it. I have seen a couple of the Sharknado films but I doubt if they count. They were rubbish too.

Jeremy Wade has a good TV series about killer fish - "River Monsters".

If you want to see a real, mean toothy critter that you would not want to swim anywhere near look up Goliath Tiger Fish.

a reply to: oldcarpy

Yeah, I have seen a few episodes of River Monsters.

He certainly pulls some noteworthy critters out of the water on occasion.

a reply to: TrueBrit


Yes he does.

A few years back on a summer French carping trip we were sat on the dam end of an old estate lake dangling our toes in the water when this excitable French chap came running up pointing at our feet shouting "Non! Non! - le (something I couldn't quite catch - like the carp incidentally)". We looked at him blankly and he put his hands and fingers together and made a gnashing motion making fierce munching noises. He was clearly trying to warn us that something very toothy and bitey was in there.

I think he said "Le Barbon" or something but I can't find any such French word for a fish. It wasn't "Brochette" - Pike.

Catfish? Never found out. But we lifted our feet out of the water pronto.

a reply to: TrueBrit
they can still pull it off with haste, but probably just not quite five minutes. For sure under an hour.