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Ok. I Am Getting A Fully Grown Piranha I Am Not Sure What kind And When I Am Getting It But I Know It Is Soon. I Am Also Going To Buy A Tank And I Want To Know How Big Tank It Has To Be In And What Should U Feed It.

Thanks
Ashneil

Anybody?

plz

it is hard to tell, if u aren't sure what type of pirhana it is. if it a red belly, then a 75G will be enough for now, and as for food, live foods, like red rosy minnows, but i have heard that flakes, or pellets can be used. but for a pacu etc. plants,pellets etc.

Its mostly likely a red belly. A 75g would be good for one or if you want to add more you could go up to 3. The best food you can feed them if white flesh colored fish fillet.

u must cycle the tank first b4 adding the piranha they r hardy fish but dont deserve the temporary poor water conditions due to cycling

I have to say that yes a 75 gallon tank would do for a temporary home for a red bellied pacu, but eventually he/she/it will need something larger...only reason I know is because I saw one of these big boys at an lfs, and he took up his share out of the 125 he was in alone

heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Heidi, this thread is about piranhas, not pacus.

Red bellied piranhas are schooling fish, like most other Characins. As such, you should either buy a group, or none at all. A red belly kept by itself will often be shy, stressed, and not willing to eat. I don't know why nobody else has mentioned this...

Also, they are illegal to sell in many areas. You should ensure that they are indeed legal to acquire before looking for them, to save yourself a possible headache later.

You said that you're getting a fully-grown piranha? In the case of the red belly, that means twelve inches of fish, and lots of money involved. You'll need at least 125 gallons for a school, though I'd personally go for more. You have to take care of your fish the right way.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

when u say "fully grown" im assuming u mean 10in. or more. and ill assume its a red belly. a 55-75g. will be sufficient. if ur hard up for money the 55g. if u got the loot to spare then a 75g. as far as feeding u should ask the person ur getting it from what theyve been feeding it so u can get it eating asap. but try moving it to foods such as shrimp(whole, raw, store-bought shrimp), scallops, any white meat fish fillets are also good. DO NOT feed it chicken or beef or anything of that nature. and try to keep feeder fish to a minimum. maybe once every two weeks to a month. and if u dont want to feed it live fish at all then thats fine. piranha dont need them and are probably better off without them. sir books mentioned that piranha are skittish when kept by themselves. thats true. but piranha are always nervous and skittish around people. unless kept in a school of say 8 or more. so unless u have the money and tankspace for a crapload of piranha then dont bother. itll be skittish but it WILL eat. thats one thing they are very good at(eating on the run). good luck

dim lighting and a well planted tank will illiminate your piranhas skittish behaviour. i have 5 Reds in a tank with lots of floating plants, lots of hiding places, bogwood etc and i could jump out infront of them naked shouting i'm a golden god and thy wouldn't even turn and look.

Sorry i just re read the post and saw one of your first questions.

For one Red Bellied Piranha - a 20g-30g will be ok

A 75g would be good for one or if you want to add more you could go up to 3

do NOT put anymore reds in the tank he is in. He's fully grown and anything either smaller than him or even the same size WILL be killed very quickly.

Last edited by ~Mista Psycho~ at 11-May-2005 06:26

"For one Red Bellied Piranha - a 20g-30g will be ok"

A foot-long fish cannot fit in a twenty or thirty gallon tank. They are barely wide enough for a fully grown piranha to turn around in, and they don't provide enough swimming space for a fish that size.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Well is this fish was rasied alone he might not take well to being put in with other rbp, he might see them as food esp if he eats live foods now.

i wouldnt even worry with more piranha, if ashneil is taking this fish as a favor to someone what are the chances he wants to put the money into a huge tank and more piranha? on the otherhand if he is taking the fish because he wants to start raising piranha then by all means go for the big-arse tank n add some caribe while your at it.

Last edited by TIGER9 at 11-May-2005 23:29