# Piranha's bite force lb/sq. inch?



## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

I was just wondering if there was any updates to this question. For example, certain dogs have 250-290lb/sq. inch of I forgot term, Pressure is it? So how bout for a Pygo? How bout for a Serra?


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

i am not sure its been tested yet,,WHOS CRAZY ENUF TO TINKER AROUND A PISSED BITING PIRANHA? i know i am not man enuf,,


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## swack (May 29, 2007)

I was very curious of this as well.


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

cueball said:


> i am not sure its been tested yet,,WHOS CRAZY ENUF TO TINKER AROUND A PISSED BITING PIRANHA? i know i am not man enuf,,


If they can test a great white sharks bite Im sure they can handle a piranha. Would be interesting to know the difference between P species biting force.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

I think Frank (Hastatus) answered this question a while ago. You need to do a search on his posts regarding this question.


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## irishfan 689 (Aug 11, 2004)

Piranha Dan informed me in a different thread that it's not so much their bite force that makes them formidable; it's really all about the sharpness/structure of their teeth...so even tho they have stronger jaws than most similarly sized fish (I'm guessing), the actual statistics of the bite probably aren't too impressive.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

hastatus said:


> > The bite power
> >
> > Dr. G. S. Myers, in The Piranha Book (TFH, M-539) gave the following Carl H. Eigenmann description:
> >
> > "The best mechanical imitation of piranha teeth and jaws, and a very good imitation indeed, is a bear-trap, but one with teeth so sharpened on the edges, and the spring so strong, that they would clip off the bear's foot instead of merely holding it." No measurement of the biting power of a piranha has ever been made. It is my opinion the bite power is probably in the approximate range of 120-300 lbs sq. inch depending on size of fish. These estimates should not be considered as fact. Myers (1949) reported that "the power of the jaw muscles is such that there is scarcely living substance save the hardest ironwood that will not be clipped off."


Found it... ^^
|


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## cobrafox46 (Jun 2, 2008)

Here is a pretty cool vid. I am sure a lot have seen but some may not have


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

cobrafox46 said:


> Here is a pretty cool vid. I am sure a lot have seen but some may not have


In the longer version of that video they say that a piranha can bite through steel.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

irishfan 689 said:


> Piranha Dan informed me in a different thread that it's not so much their bite force that makes them formidable; it's really all about the sharpness/structure of their teeth...so even tho they have stronger jaws than most similarly sized fish (I'm guessing), the actual statistics of the bite probably aren't too impressive.


I would think it was the very quick thrash as they bite that adds to this!

Through steel...nope


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

notaverage said:


> Piranha Dan informed me in a different thread that it's not so much their bite force that makes them formidable; it's really all about the sharpness/structure of their teeth...so even tho they have stronger jaws than most similarly sized fish (I'm guessing), the actual statistics of the bite probably aren't too impressive.


I would think it was the very quick thrash as they bite that adds to this!

*Through steel*...nope
[/quote]

I thought the same thing as you im not saying I agree with him but it was a interesting statement non the less. Hell a rat can chew through steel...


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## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

notaverage said:


> Actually, they don't have very strong jaws. What they have is *very* sharp teeth. Piranha teeth are double serrated, which means if you look at them under a light microscope, you'll see that they have serrations (like a steak knife). If you look at them under an electron microscope, you'll see that there are actually serrations on the serrations.
> See all the nifty things you can learn by watching the Discovery Channel?


Just figured I'd throw this up so everyone wouldn't have to search for the post.
This actually wasn't a show on Piranhas, It was a "Modern Marvels" episode call something like "The Worlds Sharpest" or something like that.


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## NegativeSpin (Aug 1, 2007)

I guess someone with enough motivation and some skill can get a piezo-electric sensor that is small enough to fit into a piranhas mouth. Maybe one that is the same dimensions as a half dollar piece and somehow try to coax the piranha into biting down on it. They could probably calibrate the meter with a set of weights.


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

120-300lbs of pressure..damn

i also heard that a grown rhom can snap a wrist from an arm in one or two bites...thats beastly these guys have the jaw power and the thrashing around that they do probably adds to that.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I guess, this is a very old topic. But finally we have the answer: A foot long S. rhombeus has the bite force of approximately 72 PSI. According to the just released NG special of Mega Piranha.


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)




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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Ok 70 but a much larger specimen would be a bit greater.


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## sick of chiclids (May 25, 2010)

hastatus said:


> I guess, this is a very old topic. But finally we have the answer: A foot long S. rhombeus has the bite force of approximately 72 PSI. According to the just released NG special of Mega Piranha.


was about to say the same thing


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## frantzml1982 (Jan 12, 2005)

very cool


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Frank do you think a foot long cariba, natt or piraya would have similar results?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Don't know. Only saw the S rhombeus, not Pygocentrus. But I did email Steve (Huskey) perhaps there is more not shown.


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

that back piranha was nice
anyone cringe when he put his thumb to the lip to expose the teeth. kept expecting the piranha to trash and bite.


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

You would think pygos would have a harder bite based on head shape? Is the muscle tissue much different from pygos to rhoms?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Shorter.


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