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I found this on an amateur web site (no copywrite message) but it looks pretty well researched:
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Trichomycteridae
Genus & Species: Vandellia cirrhosa
APPEARANCE
The candiru, also called the carnero fish, is a tiny parasitic catfish that inhabits the waters of South America. They can reach lengths of 1-2.5 in (2.5-6 cm) with a width of 3.5 mm. Their diminutive size and nearly transparent body makes them very hard to locate (not that you would want to). The candiru has sharp bones with a series of spines located around the head used while feeding.
HABITAT
The candiru is found only in the Amazon and Oranoco Rivers of South America. They do not like the sun and tend to burry themselves in the mud and sand of the river bottom underneath logs and rocks.
FOOD
The candiru has a voracious appetite for blood and will parasitize fish, mammals, and humans. One scientist, while holding a candiru, accidently let it enter a small cut on his hand. It could be seen writhing under the skin towards the vein.
To find a fish, the candiru first tastes the water, trying to locate a water stream that is coming from the gills of a fish. Once such a stream is detected, the candiru follows the stream to its new host and inserts itself inside the gill flap. Spines around its head then pierce the scales of the fish and draws blood while anchoring the candiru in place. The candiru then feeds on the blood by using its mouth as a slurping apparatus and while rasping the long teeth on its top jaw.
When candirus parasitize humans, it is usually only when they are skinny-dipping while urinating in the water. The candiru tastes the urine stream and follows it back to the human. It then swims up the anus and lodges itself somewhere in the urinary tract with its spines. Blood is drawn, and the candiru gorges itself on both the blood and body tissue, its body sometimes expanding due to the amount of blood. This is all said to be very painful for the poor person who has this happen to him or her. Unfortunately, they are almost impossible to remove due to the spines. Amputation of the private areas is the cheapest, and most life-changing, way to remove the fish. Actual surgery is extremely expensive and involves inserting the Xagua plant and the Buitach apple up the urethra. These two plants kill and even dissolve the parasitic fish. If surgery is not done in time, the blockage of the urinary tract will prove fatal. The candiru is the only known vertebrate to parasitize humans.
ENEMIES
The candiru has few, if any, enemies at all, as they are feared throughout their geographic range and are given a worse reputation than the pirhana.
BREEDING
Little is known about their breeding habits, at least as far as I can tell.
RELATIVES
Candirus are a species of catfish and have six other species in their genus. A smaller Amazonian fish, dubbed the vampire fish, was recently discovered in the Araguaia River of the Amazon Basin. It too parasitized animals and is transparent and may be a close relative of the candiru.
RESOURCES CITED
1. gator1.brazosport.cc.ty.us/~fshaffer/candiru.htm
2. think.ucdavic.edu/~yamara/ucdlife/traditions/critters/vandellia.html
3.
www.bio.umass.udu/biology/conn.river/catfish.html
4. 168.216.238.53/amazon/animal.htm
5.
www.cshirit.edu/~diablo/gdt/archives/volume5/8/fact.shtml
6.
www.knowledge.co.uk/frontiers/sf098/sf098b08.htm
7. 205.232.225.5/Whacked/IntranetCurr/SocialStudies/ AmazonAdventure/candiru.htm
8.
www.urbanelgends.com/animals/candiru_urethra.html
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Posted: 2006-01-26 14:57:25
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Nasty critter, eh? How would it like it if i swam up its tinkle? Not a lot, i'd bet
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Posted: 2006-01-26 15:06:09
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These little barsteads should be put in public swimming pools and notices placed in the changing rooms informing would be swimmers that there in there. Then I bet no one would be weeing in the pool!
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Posted: 2006-01-26 15:14:21
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Or swimming pools, i dont think the liquid medium necessarily has to be piddle. I'm sure it could swim up wee blind bobby in ordinary water too!
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Posted: 2006-01-26 15:17:19
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i saw it on TV once, it apparently is supposed to hook on or feed or something with a fish, but it misplaces your 'one eyed monster' for the fish...
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Posted: 2006-01-26 17:15:05
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Wonder how many tiny fish would make a meal,lol
This message was posted from a WAP device
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Posted: 2006-01-26 18:18:16
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has anyone else noticed that that guys finger is really weird looking :S
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Posted: 2006-01-27 11:33:38
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i aint never swimming in the amazon thats for sure!
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Posted: 2006-01-29 03:37:28
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it seems there is now some question now over this claim of smallest fish according to the latest BBC article
Smallest fish compete for honours
two other fish reported in the past couple of years claim to be smaller still.
In 2004, the Records of the Australian Museum described a male stout infantfish (Schindleria brevipinguis) measuring a diminutive 7mm. It was found living around Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
And then there was the male anglerfish (Photocorynus spiniceps) discovered in the Philippines. Snout to tail it was just 6.2mm.
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Posted: 2006-02-01 13:14:41
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That Candiru fish is for real. When the British Army did its Jungle Warfare training in Belize all personnel entering the jungle were expected to wear condoms if moving through any type of water just to prevent this little ba****d from really f***ing up your day. I shit you not!!!
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Posted: 2006-02-01 16:56:07
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