jaribas
6th March 2010, 11:28
Staff at an aquarium in Cornwall are using a chain mail glove to feed their latest residents.
The shoal of red-bellied piranha fish are settling in at Newquay's Blue Reef Aquarium after being made homeless from another aquarium.
As well as the metal gauntlet, staff are using long-handled pincers to feed the fish.
The aquarium said the glove and pincers made staff feel "feel that little bit more secure" during feeding time.
Found throughout the Amazon, the piranha, or cannibal fish, is among the most famous and most feared inhabitant of the mighty river.
They are reputed to be able to strip the flesh from a cow within minutes.
Blue Reef's Jenni Collins said: "Their reputation as vicious man-eaters has definitely been exaggerated but they certainly keep you on your toes.
"Those teeth and powerful jaws are easily strong enough to sever human fingers.
"They're magnificent looking fish and very impressive when you see them together in a shoal."
The shoal of red-bellied piranha fish are settling in at Newquay's Blue Reef Aquarium after being made homeless from another aquarium.
As well as the metal gauntlet, staff are using long-handled pincers to feed the fish.
The aquarium said the glove and pincers made staff feel "feel that little bit more secure" during feeding time.
Found throughout the Amazon, the piranha, or cannibal fish, is among the most famous and most feared inhabitant of the mighty river.
They are reputed to be able to strip the flesh from a cow within minutes.
Blue Reef's Jenni Collins said: "Their reputation as vicious man-eaters has definitely been exaggerated but they certainly keep you on your toes.
"Those teeth and powerful jaws are easily strong enough to sever human fingers.
"They're magnificent looking fish and very impressive when you see them together in a shoal."