Piranha bites boy at Hong Kong fountain

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A 14-year old boy has had three stitches in his finger after being bitten by a piranha while playing in a public fountain in Hong Kong.


The piranha -- which has its origins in warm South American rivers and can devour whole cows when hunting in packs -- is a popular fish in Hong Kong home aquariums and can be bought in Mongkok pet shops for less than HK$100 a pair (7 pounds).


The bleeding teenager was taken to a local hospital on Monday night and was said to be in a stable condition, Hong Kong newspapers reported.


Estate management staff drained the fountain on Tuesday morning and found three freshwater fish, which died. Two were identified as a rare breed of piranha.


Additional signs have been added to the fountain advising the public not to release fish into the water.


"Pet owners should be considerate and should not abandon pets without due care," The Standard newspaper quoted a spokesman for Hong Kong's Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department as saying.


Piranhas are not an endangered species and possession is not restricted in Hong Kong, although they are banned in mainland China.