The Candirú ( Vandellia cirrhosa) is known to be an endoparasitic fish, belonging to the Actinopterygii class, the Siluriformes order and the Trichomycteridae family . It is found in the upper Amazon River and in the Orinoco river basins, in northern South America, living in acidic, shallow and slow-moving waterways, with muddy or sandy bottoms. These demersal fish can be found buried in the riverbed most of the time, emerging only to feed or mate. story.......
V. cirrhosa is known as small, thin catfish. They do not have scales and their bodies are translucent, becoming colorful only after eating. These fish have barbels near their mouths, which are lined with tiny needle-shaped teeth. This species can reach a maximum length of 17 centimeters. The body is narrow and cylindrical, with the head slightly flattened. They have short spines on their gills, which are facing the rear of the body. These spines prevent the animal from being moved during feeding. When trying to move it, it projects its gills and the spines prevent it from being removed from its prey without causing damage. damage. The Candiru has large black eyes (in relation to its body size), which are positioned on the top of its head. Available information about the development of Candiru is rare. They have oviparity as a type of reproduction, catfish eggs are externally fertilized. As soon as the egg is fertilized, cell cleavage begins and the embryo begins to develop. Egg incubation time is unknown for this species. The young hatch with a visible yolk sac, which acts as a food source during early development and is gradually absorbed, with post-yolk sac individuals resembling small adults. As for the mating behavior of the candiru, they have not been observed in the wild. There is only one recorded case of these fish spawning in captivity. In this recording, a male fish swam around a female, taking her down toward the substrate. Sperm were released when the fish were in direct lateral contact with each other. The only indication of the breeding season is the record of the capture of a candiru at the end of December with mature ovarie
V. cirrhosa probably uses chemical and visual signals to locate its prey. It is hypothesized that the candiru tracks the scent of ammonia and other excretions of its potential prey. Their well-developed eyes may indicate high visual acuity; however, this may not be the main mode of host detection as Candiru is normally found in turbid waters, where vision is limited. And like most fish, it has a lateral line system that helps alert them to movements in the water around them. They are hematophagous fish, and when they locate a host they go to the gills, where they force themselves on the operculum or wait for it to open naturally. After passing through the operculum, it attaches to the ventral or dorsal aorta arteries. The spines help the candiru remain attached to the gills of its hosts and help release blood. The blood is pumped straight into the Candiru's mouth. The duration of a candiru meal lasts an average of 30 to 145 seconds. And after feeding, Candiru sinks and buries itself at the bottom of the river. Among Candiru hosts, it was observed that Colossoma macropomum has a defense mechanism against Candiru attacks where the operculum contracts and uses fins to sweep away the parasites.
The candiru is a parasite of many species of fish. And it rarely kills its hosts, who usually heal quickly after an attack. It is possible for candiru to parasitize in humans, although it is very rare. There are reports that candiru travels up the urethra of men and women who urinate in water. These attacks can be accidental, as the Candiru dies inside the urethra. It is difficult to assess the validity of published stories about the Candiru's attack on humans, as they are found in a region where there are not always scientific researchers studying the species.
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