8-Year-Old Catches Piranha at Delaware County Lake

An unexpected fishing catch at Ridley Park Lake has raised concerns about people releasing exotic pets into Pennsylvania waterways.

Eight-year-old Seamus Coffey of Folsom went fishing with his father, Michael Coffey, Saturday morning when he hooked a fish he initially thought was a bass. As he reeled it closer, the father-and-son duo realized they had caught something unusual.

Seamus quickly identified the fish as a piranha. His knowledge came from watching YouTube videos, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission later confirmed that the fish belonged to the piranha family.

The discovery surprised the Coffeys because piranhas typically live in tropical freshwater environments in South America. Pennsylvania does not provide the conditions these fish need to thrive.

Mike Parker, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, said the discovery highlights a larger problem involving exotic pets. Some owners purchase unusual animals when they are small but later struggle with the cost, care and specialized habitats those animals require.

Parker warned residents never to release exotic pets into Pennsylvania’s lakes, rivers or streams. State law prohibits people from introducing exotic species into the state’s waterways, even when the law allows them to own those animals as pets. Violators can face fines or prosecution.

Parker also explained that releasing an exotic pet can harm the animal and disrupt the local ecosystem. He said the piranha likely would not have survived long in Pennsylvania’s climate or adapted to life in the wild.

Despite the unusual catch, Seamus said the experience did not scare him away from fishing.

“Fishing is my favorite thing,” he told 6abc.

Parker said officials consider it unlikely that more piranhas live in Ridley Park Lake. Still, he urged anyone who spots or catches another exotic fish to contact the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.