Don't go swimming in pennsylvania...

Wow

Ridley park lake is in a very residential area of Delaware County outside Philly.

Most likely a red bellied pacu, popular aquarium fish that grows very large. Most people are not expecting them to get that big, and once they eat all the other pet fish in the tank they dump them in pond instead of killing them. My brother had 2 of them and they got to well over a pound each in a 55 gallon tank. He ended up getting the local pet shop to buy them. And they only took them because they had a local bar that wanted some for their aquarium.

Piaractus brachypomus, commonly known as the red-bellied pacu or pirapitinga, is a large freshwater fish native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America. Known for their flat, human-like molar teeth, they grow up to 88 cm (2.9 ft) and 25 kg (55 lb).

The same happened here 20 years ago, two kids caught two red-bellied piranhas with a fine gill net in the river Berd'.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berd_(river)

It was in the news. I also found an old post about it, in Ruglish:
https://zxpress.ru/en/zxnet/zx.fishing/crap

Was one caught in a pond in Waldorf, MD probably 35 years ago.
On a strip of bacon...

Would not figure they could survive the cold

Pacu was caught around here many years ago

I used to have a few of them. Easy fish to take care of. The first one, pet store gave me careful directions on care and a water heater. Turns out they’re way tougher than they think.
Those things can survive in a toilet bowl, pretty tough.
Mostly very timid and scared of big things in the water……like a hand. There was only one fish that I didn’t trust. Just like every other animal, they all got their own personalities. The more aggressive black piranha was just a timid.
I’m sure it wasn’t a pacu. As you can see in the pics, any kid can easily tell the difference once you look at the teeth…..lol

How do thay handle the cold? Might be what to stock in the pond if I ever get around to fixing or having the dam fixed. The heck with having the dead pit just toss it in the lake.

From what I’ve read any extended time in water temperature below 50° will kill them.

One was caught in lake cumberland 40 years ago. I saw it as the guy brought it to the local tackle shop wondering what it was.
There is a cave spring behind a marina here. Guy caught it on a minnow. Biologist tried to say it wasn't a pirannha but couldn't explain the teeth. Later he back tracked said he didn't want to stop the buckeyes from come here.

Every now and again we hear of one getting caught in a small pond in Ill.

Youd think they'd drain the lake

Our winter temps will kill it.