Glade Run Lake Conservancy put out a statement in January 2021 warning the public that a foot long carcass of a piranha was found in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The piranha was found on the bank of a lake in Jefferson Township and it’s not native to the lake or anywhere in Pennsylvania for that matter. It’s native to South America where it commonly goes by the name pacu.
A resident of the community found this specific fish while they were walking around the lake and reported it to the authorities. The fish could not have survived the cold environment during the winter seasons. Pennsylvania authorities believe it must have been someone’s pet they released into the lake when it got too big.
Glade Run Lake is owned by the state but managed by the Fish and Boat Commission on a 52-acre impoundment. Officials said because the person put the piranha in the lake it may have upset the healthy balance of the ecosystem. Finding the carcass was a “cause for concern” which is why they released the statement.
“Fish not from Glade Run Lake should never be placed in the lake. This important advice is valuable to remember in order to have a great fishery and a healthy and functioning aquatic ecosystem,” Glade Run Lake Conservancy wrote on their website.