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Candiru
Vandellia cirrhosa
Conservation status
Secure
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Superfamily:	Loricarioidea
Family:	Trichomycteridae Bleeker, 1858

‎Candiru or candirú (also canero or toothpick fish) refers to parasitic freshwater catfish of a number of genera in the family Trichomycteridae. They are found in the Amazon River and have a reputation among the natives as the most feared fish in its waters, even over the piranha. They are eel-shaped and translucent, making them almost impossible to see in the water. Some species have been known to grow to a size of 6 inches (~15 cm) in length.

The definition of candiru differs between authors. The word has been used to refer to only Vandellia cirrhosa, the entire genus Vandellia, the subfamily Vandelliinae, or even the two subfamilies Vandelliinae and Stegophilinae.

Location and habitat

The most populated area by this fish is at the junction of the Amazon River and the Rio Negro ("Black River" so named for its apparent color) at Brazil's inland city of Manaus. Here they thrive as the low pH, brown, largely organic material based Amazon river churns with the conversely high pH (basic), oligotrophic (with very low nutrient content; ie organic material) tannin saturated flows of the Rio Negro. This mixing point provides a rich diversity of sustained fauna.

Parasitism

Candiru are parasites. Their ability to detect respiratory currents in the water allows them to swim into the gill openings of other aquatic species, where they feed on their prey's blood.

While the members of the subfamily Vandelliinae feed on blood, members of Stegophilinae may feed on scales, mucus, or carrion.

The fish almost "hunts" for its prey. The Candirú lies in wait at the river's murky bottom, searching for its next host by sampling/sniffing the water for expelled chemicals, such as urea and ammonia from the gills of other fish. Once having detected a fish in the vicinity, with a burst of speed the Candirú darts towards the gill cavity and lodges itself in place with its spines. Then, with usually fatal consequences for its victim, the Candirú begins to gnaw a hole towards a major blood vessel and gorges itself for no more than a few minutes. It will then dislodge itself and sink back to the river bed in order to digest its food and wait for its next meal.

Attacks on people

This fish is also known to attack humans and animals and swim into an orifice (the vagina, anus, or even the penis—and deep into the urethra). Because of spines protruding from the fish, it is almost impossible to remove except through surgery. Though there have been documented candiru attacks on humans, there is no evidence the fish can survive once inside a human. The danger for the person lies more in the infection and shock that results from having the organism lodged there for an extended period of time than from physical damage done by the actual fish itself.

The fish locates its human targets when people urinate near the fish. A well-circulated myth is that the candiru is capable of swimming up the stream of urine in mid-air to a victim standing on shore or a boat. This is physically impossible as the maximum swimming velocity of the fish is insufficient to oppose the downward velocity of the urine stream, and the further impossible act of the 5–14 mm wide fish maintaining position and thrust within a 2–7 mm wide column of fluid. Only a larger fish such as a Salmon or Trout could leap the required distance, however there will be an obvious size of fish versus size of penis issue here. There has been a case where the victim claimed that the fish jumped while he was urinating from the bank of a river. They are also probably not attracted to pure urine. It is believed that they are only able to enter a human urethra when it is expanded during urination.

A traditional cure involves the use of two plants, the Jagua plant (Genipa americana) and the Buitach apple which are inserted (or their extract in the case of tight spaces) into the affected area. It is thought that these two plants together will kill and then dissolve the fish.

Popular culture

• The candiru has been featured on the television shows Grey's Anatomy (where it was called the "penis fish"), The Venture Bros., Metalocalypse, House, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Dr. Oz discussed the candiru on The Oprah Winfrey Show on May 21, 2007. It was sought after in Nick Baker's Weird Creatures, a British TV series about the world's strangest animals, and featured in an episode of Weird Nature, which runs on The Science Channel. It has also been mentioned in a Ray Mears television series whilst discussing the perils of the South American rainforest.
• It has also been mentioned in the films Anaconda, The Rundown, Medicine Man, Sniper and the RiffTrax version of Predator
• It is also mentioned in the books All the Trouble in the World by P. J. O'Rourke, In Trouble Again by Redmond O'Hanlon, Amazonia by James Rollins, Paradise With Serpents by Robert Carver, The Codex by Douglas Preston, Born Survivor by Bear Grylls, “Whirlwind”, by David Klass,Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs, The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester,and is referred to in A History of the World in 10½ Chapters by Julian Barnes, The Burglar In The Rye by Lawrence Block, and The River of Doubt by Candice Millard (Doubleday 2005), about the 1913-14 Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition along the River of Doubt. It is mentioned in the afterword to Peeps by Scott Westerfeld, and is misrepresented in Ted Bell's novel Spy as swimming up the urine stream of someone standing knee-deep in water, then living inside the person.
• There is an entire chapter devoted to the candiru in the book “Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures” by Bill Schutt (Harmony, 2008). In addition to a detailed account of candiru biology, the chapter (entitled “Candiru — with a Capital C and that Rhymes with P”) contains a conversation between Schutt and candiru expert Stephen Spotte. They discuss the only verified instance of a candiru becoming lodged in a human penis, as well as various hypotheses as to why this might have happened.
• In episode 4 of the game Sam & Max Season One, Max offers a joke to the audience that involves Chester A. Arthur, the Pope, and their encounter with a candiru along the Amazon.
• Candiria, the Brooklyn, New York "urban fusion" band claims to have made up their name before knowing that "candiria" is the plural form of Candiru.

External links

• Article on removal of Candiru from a male patient with pictures.
• Youtube Video of Animal Planet documentary detailing infestation by and surgical removal of Candiru from penis.
• The Candiru, cat fish Brazil vampire myth or reality