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I've made my S. rhombeus (black piranha) go for about a month and a half without eating to try and wean him from eating live foods. Even then, I was the one who gave in and not him. 5 days is nothing for a fish to go without foods. I make mine go 5-7 days without foods a couple times a year...

It's best to not use lighting with Piranhas. Their eyes (pupils) can't contract to diminish the amount of light as they live in murky waters in their natural habitat and never needed to. If you MUST use lighting try only on half of the tank or wrapping electrical tape around it in a way to...

I believe it could happen for a while if the rbp's are large and well fed. The 2 main reasons rbp's kill are for food and territory. A fish that is too small for them isn't worth the effort to chase very long if they are well fed and the mollies will learn where the territories of the piranha...

I agree with the 2 heaters. I never use just one incase it gets stuck on or off. I would use 2 that are each rated for half the volume of water in your tank.

It all depends on the time permitting, size of tank, what's fed and how stocked mine is. On my 75g I do 2-4 75% wc's a week. On the weeks I do 2 75% wc's I will also do 2 40-50% wc's. On my 55g I do 2-4 30-50% wc's. Sometimes I don't feed my fish for 6-7 days and I will only do 1 50-75% wc.

Glad to see you aren't planning on adding them together but just wanted to mention another problem as I didn't see it posted here. Goldfish can do ok with the warmer temps, although I'm sure it decreases their life span so not sure exactly how "ok" they do, but they will need a lot more...

Ahhh ok, thank you very much for the info. In that case, I would have to say no you shouldn't get rbp's. There are a few other piranhas you could get a couple that could live in that sized tank for life (like an S. irritans) and one that would be ok in there for about 4-5 years before you...

I don't know what a Jewel Rio is but a standard 75g minimum (4ft long-18" deep-21" high) for 1 rbp. How large is a Jewel Rio? You can put 3 in a 75g, but I would buy 5 to start out with if you're buying dime-sized because they will thin themselves out and the weak ones will be killed off...

It depends on the Piranha. If it's a Serrasalmus species the Oscar will die but with most Pygocentrus species they are more shy and like to be in groups. I wouldn't be surprised if the oscar bullied the piranha for a little while if it's a solo like a red belly but first time that piranha gets...

I would have dumped 100% of the water as it doesn't contain much beneficial bacteria anyways and with it being black like that... JMO and maybe for future use if you run into somthing like this again. I think your best bet may be to go to the lfs and see if you can borrow some of their filter...

You've already receives your answer but wanted to say that in many cases a 90g is the same size as a 75g tank except it's 4" taller, which doesn't do anything for most cichlids.

Glad you didn't think I was piling on. You certainly have your hands full and are trying to get the best solution. I respect that. In most cases in a 75g tank and 2 flowerhorns they will fight until one is dead. They are a solo fish or at least like larger territories than most of us as...

The 75g tank you have is just big enough for 1 flowerhorn cichlid. The flowerhorns will start killing off all the other fish soon as they get settled in and start to mature. In a couple months the convicts will most likely be the first ones to be killed because they will be the more aggressive...

Although I think CFC said it best in his last post, I'll try one more time. I respect that you're doing research before getting the piranhas but I have to disagree with what it is you read if they say a pair of rbp's is ok or that a 55g tank is large enough. like I mentioned above, piranhas...

No, you cannot fit 6 rbp's in a 75g tank and expect them to be healthy. You can't just go by their size alone on whether it's a good fit or not. They have teritories and that's not enough space for them. What will end up happening is either diseased and unhealthy fish from the stress of the...

As you've found out, breeding agressive cichlids isn't easy sometimes. Just be careful because what you are seing seems to be the beginning of the male trying to breed (obviously) and the female not wanting to. He will kill her if she won't breed with him...because she won't leave his...

I just use my hand real quick when it needs it. I have a sponge for times when it needs more than my hand. I usually don't have to worry about it because I rarely turn the aquarium lights on and when I do it's for only a couple hours or so.

It mostly depends on how much time I have, some weeks i have more than others. The MINIMUM I do is 2 water changes a week. With one being at least 50% the other being 25% or so. If I have time, which would be perhaps 20 weeks of the 52 in a year (guessing) I would do 3 50% water changes...

I've had the same with sanchezi. When I had them in a 29g tank they would sometimes tend to be shy more often than in a larger tank. You just never know what temperament you'll get with piranhas even in a given species. In general, Pygo's are more shy and Serra's more aggressive and outgoing...

The compressus and sanchezi would both be ok but they would have to be kept alone. Compressus are very rare and sometimes hard to get. Be careful because most of the times a compressus is sold it's actually a S. altuvei. Which is another good fish but just letting you know. The wimple...

No, pacu's cannot defend themselves very well against piranhas. In fact, they can't defend themselves at all. They don't have the teeth for it. When smaller they look like red belly piranhas to fool the piranhas into believing they CAN defend themselves so they better leave them alone but once...

IME, unless very hungry, most Pygo's are too skittish to feed any other way than to drop the food in. If you use tongs, just try to make sure that it's not metal or anything they can harm their teeth on.

They'd most likely eat them but depending on what species of snails they might breed fast enough that there would always be some.

I'm not one to thikn all piranhas will tear your face off if given the chance. Most piranhas from the pygo species and especially nattereri's are extremely skittish and shy fish afraid of their own shadow and that's why you have to keep them in shoals to give them the feeling of protection...

In time you'll learn by the way they move if it's safe to put your hand in there or not but even then it's never 100%. Like mentioned above, just get a loong scraper. Feeding live foods is a personal preferance by the owner and most species of piranhas don't need live food and some need it...

75g minimum for 3 rbp's and need to be in a group of at least 3 in almost all cases or they will kill each other off. Exo's won't work with piranhas as they will soon become an expensive snack. Nothing that swims around will be good for piranhas. In some cases plecos work but it's hit and...

Normal. Red devils will do that until 6-7". Sometimes quite a few times.

"Weaker fish" is true but like I said in his other thread yesterday, they will kill each other to make more room for territory, which is what is going to happen in his case here. Why do you start a thread on a forum and you're advised, you finally relent and agree...only to start another...

That's great! I know it will be hard waiting because I'm the same way but once you do get your larger setup you'll be much happier in the end. I wouldn't worry about real plants. Red belly's will just tear them up, unless you don't mind buying more every once in a while that is. They even tear...

I agree with the posts after this but wanted to also add.... Like mentioned, we all have the best of hearts with "wanting" to get that bigger tank and buy this fish in the hopes of it. Many times it just doesn't work out that way and then you are stuck with a predicament of too big of fish for...

Like mentioned, this is not good practice. The tank is too small. 75g minimum for 1-3 red belly piranhas. 2 is a bad number to have. One reason, because red belly's (not piranhas in general but the Pygo species) are timid fish. P. nattereri's are usually afraid of their own shadow and like...

I would tend to agree with vancouver. In a tank so tiny you'd have to do 2-3 100% wc's a day to not have bad water. The water quality might be irrittating him.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Aquascape but that is not the norm. I've bought almost completely from George from Shark Aquarium and from Pedro for as many years as I can remember and have never had anytihng but good things to say about him as have hundreds of others online. If I was...

It's hard finding good specific info on piranhas online or even in stores. I can't tell you how many articles I've read online from "expert" people that are too general or completely out and out wrong. Someone looking for information and trying to learn about them beforehand will be misled 9...

Yes, piranhas are illegal in NY.

There are many types of different species of piranhas for sale. The most common is red bellies (P. nattereri). How many to get is dependant upon which species you're talking about. Stay away from shoals if you're going to buy ANY Serrasalmus species. Sometimes a geryi shoal can work out but...

Or die from it being ogded in its throat. Just because 2 oscars are fighting doesnt mean it's over territory or breeding rights. The female will "fight" with the male to make sure he's big/strong enough to mate with. There's not really any way to 100% sex them other than venting or watching...

It depends as far as when they get their red coloring started. Usually around 2 1/2". It helps if you feed raw shrimp etc. You should be able to. Once they reach 6" or 7" most tend to slow down. The others will catch up in a couple months. It doesn't always work no matter how hard you try to...

That is not very good info and completely wrong, imo. Red Belly piranhas should be kept in a shoal of at least 3, as should almost all pygocentrus species, and in a minimum of 75g tank for 3 of them. If you just want to keep one, a 75g tank is still the minimum size, (or at least 16" width)

Planaria can also be caused by overfeeding, also.