The murky waters of the Amazon River hide much scarier creatures than the giant snake in the movie Anaconda or the piranhas with their razor teeth and voracious appetite. A small fish has long caused dread among locals and amazement among tourists. Swimming naked in the Amazon basin can be a unique but very dangerous experience.
The Candiru measures between 2.5 and 12 centimetres, and when it is still small, it can enter (uninvited) into the orifices of the human body, including the penis. This is why men in the region fear it and avoid not only swimming without clothes but also peeing in the region's freshwater rivers, after rumours that the smell of urine attracts this vampire fish, as it is also known.
But it's not just men who can be attacked by the micro fish; women are also vulnerable, especially during their menstrual period, when they are attracted to blood. Candiru can also enter through the ear, nose, mouth, eye, and anus. Once it has entered the body, it opens a kind of 'thorny umbrella' behind your head, attaching itself there, and that's when a nightmare begins. Once lodged, wherever it is, it can only be removed by surgery. Anyone, including other fishes, are exposed to its attack, considered by experts to be a parasite.
Candiru, its legends and mysteries
The fish that terrifies the inhabitants of the north of the country looks harmless, but with a generally translucent, cylindrical, and narrow body, it resembles a tiny eel. Once attached to the human host, it can cause pain, fever, and swelling in the genitals, and you should seek medical attention quickly. Many legends and mysteries surround Candiru, from its multiple forms of attack to the consequences. For Brazilian urologist Roni C. Fernandes from the Santa Casa de Misericórdia hospital in São Paulo, it is a myth that the Candiru is attracted to urine; “this has been disproved by studies showing that it is guided by sight and not by the smell of urine,” he said.
According to Roni, the possibility of partial amputation of the penis is part of one of the legends about the Candiru: “This is extremely unlikely and not supported by solid scientific evidence,” said the urologist. The Candiru has around 100 species, but the most common are those that feed on meat (from other fish or dead animals) and blood. The meat-hungry species are called Candiru-açu and are generally larger.
While the 'body invaders', which essentially feed on blood, can enter the penis or vagina, the nickname vampire fish covers all species. The river beast can also be found in some South American countries bordering Brazil, although it is more common on Brazilian soil. Although little known, even in Brazil, the Candiru has already been the subject of an episode of the American series Grey's Anatomy in the third season.
The river cleaner and no deaths
Edinbergh C. de Oliveira, a Brazilian biologist at UFAM with a PhD in aquatic ecology, explains that the vampire fish is very important for the environmental balance: “The Candiru is fundamental in the population control of other species, and in the functioning of the ecosystem as a recycler of the nutrient cycle, maintaining the health of river waters in the Amazon.”
Fortunately, Candiru has never caused the death of any human being. According to Edinbergh, also author of the book 'Amazon fish that can cause accidents', very few cases have been recorded: “We only have two records in 30 years here in Manaus, Amazonas, so Candirus are mostly found in corpses rescued from Amazon rivers.” Both cases have already been reported in Brazilian newspapers. Fourteen years ago, a woman was rescued after a Candiru lodged in her uterus.
“The young girl had to have her uterus removed because she had come from a village by boat, and it took a long time for her to be attended to and the infection grew,” Edinbergh explained. Another case occurred earlier, in October 1997, when a 23-year-old guy noticed when something entered his urethra after urinating while swimming naked. His diagnosis only came three days later, when it was extracted by a urologist.
The biologist also doesn't completely rule out the possibility of partial amputation of the penis in extreme situations: “This will depend on how long it takes to get medical attention. Sometimes the delay can cause sequelae,” he warns. Tour guides and even the locals warn visitors about the risk of swimming or with recent injuries that could bleed; there have even been cases of larger Candirus trying to attach themselves to bathers' backs:
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It's almost unbelievable that in the immense forests of the Amazon, home to ferocious jaguars, huge snakes, and poisonous spiders; a small, almost invisible fish can be one of the most terrifying animals for men, precisely because it is linked to their anatomy and masculinity. In any case, the warning is clear for tourists overwhelmed by the local wildlife: don't swim naked in the rivers of the Amazon to avoid bringing home a hidden enemy.
Interviewees:
Edinbergh Caldas de Oliveira: Lecturer at UFAM (federal university of Amazonas), Biologist with a PhD in Aquatic Ecology (INPA, 2003).
Roni de Carvalho Fernandes - Head of Uro-Oncology at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in São Paulo and director of the Urology School of the Brazilian Society of Urology. The academic Francisco Cruz Guttemberg Filho, from the Federal University of Amazonas - UFAM, collaborated with Roni.