Editor's note: This is part of a series of videos offering an up-close perspective on the animal kingdom. A special 360-degree video camera system was set up in zoos and other facilities to show how the animals view their world as they interact.

Also visit our special 360-DEGREE LIVES page (http://t.asahi.com/360lives), where you can watch all the previous videos.

* * *

OKEGAWA, Saitama Prefecture--If the word piranha conjures up images of a swimming human being devoured in a river in a matter of seconds, then you've probably been watching too many low-grade horror flicks.

The fish, despite their razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaws, are actually quite timid, if you believe Kazuo Oguma, who teaches at Okegawa Nishi Senior High School.

The school, in a rather rare sideline for such facilities, breeds piranhas. It does this by managing Heartful Okenishi Aquarium, where piranhas have been successfully bred for five generations.

Bare hands in the piranha tank?

“It’s too dangerous, and I can’t let my students do it,” says Oguma when discussing how to plant a camera in the gravel bed at the bottom of the fish tank.

“But it’ll be OK, I think. Would you like to do it yourself?” he asks.

With bare hands? Err, we think we will give that one a pass. Our filming, after all, requires sole focus on the camera in hand.

So, with his students watching, Oguma performs the perilous task and dips his hand in, placing the camera at the bottom of the tank.

The piranhas don't gnaw his fingers to the bone and, seemingly assuming the lens is their food, they approach the camera with mouths agape but leave with empty stomachs. Later, as soon as thawed “wakasagi” lake smelts are tossed in, the piranha pounce like a flash.

It is strongly recommended that if you want to be surrounded by piranhas ... stay on the safe side and settle for video footage.