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	Red Belly piranha or black fined pacu.?
stew Hobbyist Posts: 87 Kudos: 15 Votes: 2 Registered: 05-May-2003	I have one of these fish, I have checked both profiles of these species and i am unsure which I have. The pictures look exactly the same when thay are juveniles. It is only small and has a red belly. It is very aggressive and it killed and ate its Twin brother. Which makes me think it is a red belly.. It eats meat veg and flakes, its eats everything I put in the tank. Could A Black fined pacu do this? or is it a definate red belly piranha?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
Shinigami Ichthyophile Catfish/Oddball Fan Posts: 9962 Kudos: 2915 Registered: 22-Feb-2001	Pacu tend to be a lot thicker in build than piranhas. Also, piranhas have much more distinct sharp teeth than pacu do. Last edited by Shinigami at 05-Oct-2004 15:19 -------------------------------------------- The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
TIGER9 Enthusiast Posts: 237 Kudos: 174 Votes: 1 Registered: 06-Feb-2003	the jaw of a piranha is much more defined than a pacu and the eyes are set a bit more to the front of the head for good binocular vision. pacu tend to look as tho they are "smiling" and piranha have more of a "frowning" look to them.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
puffer_archer Enthusiast Posts: 288 Kudos: 250 Votes: 4 Registered: 20-Jul-2004	Is there anyway you could post a picture? That would help us help you. I've never really heard of either species attacking conspecifics as both are schooling fish.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
stew Hobbyist Posts: 87 Kudos: 15 Votes: 2 Registered: 05-May-2003	Im working on a picture. Im borrowing a digital camara soon. But honestly what ever it is, it attacked and eat its own species, At the local fish store where I purchased them, it just said Piranha on the tank, but i am a bit optimistic. Thanks for all your help.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
puffer_archer Enthusiast Posts: 288 Kudos: 250 Votes: 4 Registered: 20-Jul-2004	hmm, I believe there is one species of pirahna that is solitary, I can't remember which one. Can someone else help me out?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
stew Hobbyist Posts: 87 Kudos: 15 Votes: 2 Registered: 05-May-2003	they was i tank full of them and it deffinately has a red belly?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
TIGER9 Enthusiast Posts: 237 Kudos: 174 Votes: 1 Registered: 06-Feb-2003	puffer-archer- there are a few species that must be kept solitary, and some that are better off solitary. but i would guess ur thinking of the black piranha(serrasalmus rhombeus), others are manueli, elongatus, n brandtii. the species that are better off solitary would be medinai, spilopleura, n marginatus. for the most part anything in the pygocentrus genus is ok to shoal(red belly, caribe, piraya, n ternetzi) tho the latter of those four can be very aggresive to tankmates if not givin a huge amount of space.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37
puffer_archer Enthusiast Posts: 288 Kudos: 250 Votes: 4 Registered: 20-Jul-2004	Right, that's what I was thinking, thanx for the clarification!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:37


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