Baby Piranha Rescue? Bad Idea?

[squidsagirl420]

they found a huge pacu in a local lake. scary. looked like it had people teeth LOL. but i agree. its mouth shape is more pacu. does it have double row teeth?

 

[snowflake311]

OH GOD! I hope I don't have a Pacu. I will have to contact a Zoo to take it. It's mouth is too small to tell. I don't think so. 
 
Well I know of some people that have large cichlid pounds in Sac I could find a home for it. 

 

[Ichthys]

100% Pacu, sorry.

 

[snowflake311]

Well Pacu are so cute. Well goes to show you how much I know about these type of fish. Well I am learning. I have been keeping South American cichlids forever. Time for a change and learn something new. Well I am ready to make sure this guy has a good life for as long as I can keep him. Than I will be looking for a new home for him. UNLESS I can find a bigger tank in the mean time. 
 
Thanks guys. 

 

[Ichthys]

It really needs to be in a shoal asap. They're very "highly strung" in small numbers.

Give it a good meal or two and get it a bit more rounded and it will look just like a Red Piranha apart from the head. Young of this size actually hide within shoals of similar sized Piranhas for protection. So do the young of fin-eating Serrasalmus piranhas. That would be one tricky shoal to keep happy, lol.

 

[snowflake311]

Sorry I am not going to even think of getting a shoal of these giants! These are social fish yes. In an aquarium they can live just fine alone because it's not the Amazon. Smart fish adapt really well I have learned that from experience. I have one Uaru he had a friend but she died. It's been a year since he lost his friend and he is just fine maybe even better. People say they need to be a shoal. my Uaru is the only South American cichlid in the tank and just fine he runs the tank.

My little guy is warming up to me it's not as shy I got some ok photos of him. He will be living with silver dollars In a month or so. My silver dollars are 5"-8" .

If I got more than one I would have a harder time finding homes for all of them. When they outgrow my tank.

These fish are eaten in the Amazon. in fact they are raised in farms much like we raise salmon. Life as a pet might be better than life as food!

He is a rescue there was a 90% chance he would have been bought and put in a 20 gal tank till he died from poor water quality. At least I have a 100gal tank and years of experience . I am ready to make the 100gsl all his. Maybe even get a larger tank.

I am on a rant sorry . I got a little crazy.

 

[Ichthys]

I agree that it probably won't miss its species as much as most. Ive actually raised some of these before (in a shop). They live to eat, and they're too busy thinking about food to care much. Plus I believe they're more solitary as adults anyway.

I get what you say about saving it from being sold to an even smaller tank. I've used that reasoning before when rescuing fish. Sometimes the ideal outcome just ain't gonna happen.

One word of warning... Don't underestimate its growth rate. Their appetite is insatiable. It may be best to start looking now for a possible home.

 

[snowflake311]

Yeah I am looking for rehoming options now. Keeping my eyes open. I am also keeping my eyes open for a larger tank its not totally out the the question. Thanks.