Piranha at the Newport, Ky aquarium Photo: Wikipedia

“Those are some killer fish,” one can imagine the friends of a 20-year-old Bat Yam, Israel resident telling him. Problem is, they were killer fish—piranhas to be specific. A recent search of the Bat Yam resident’s home by police turned up eight of the nippy little creatures. Luckily no deaths were reported at the hands (or teeth) of the piranhas, but during their removal from the home one of the inspectors was bitten.

It is illegal to possess piranhas in Israel. Their sharp teeth and their enthusiasm for meat of any kind can be a major threat to other fish populations.

The report on Israel’s Channel 2 website quoted Hagai Neuberger, Director of the Fisheries Control Department at the Ministry of Agriculture as saying, “Apart from the danger posed by individual fish growth, the introduction of species that do not exist in Israel will harm the ecological balance of flora and fauna in Israel.”

“I urge the public to report any suspected offense in fishing.”