Need Help With My New Friend

[Tommy Gunnz]

Hey all,

I recently made a big snap decision as to a new friend. It is a piranha that is very small right now (about 1/2 in length at the most). Anwyays, I bought it basically to save it from certain death and it is currently the only resident in my 10 gallon hospital tank while i am setting up and cycling a 40 gallon bowfront.

So, my questions are basically what should I know about this fish and if anyone knows a good resource for researching these creatures, I would appreciate any help. Also, i am not even sure if i am posting within the right thread, so if I need to go somewhere else, please let me know.

From what I was told is that this fish needs no different water parameters than my other fish (bala sharks, tinfoil barbs, etc) and is currently just fed regular flake food and the occassional blood worm (which is good since I have a large supply for my other tanks). However, I realize that I got this information from a LFS who I know do not always say anything that would turn away a sale. I have had great success with the other fish i bought from them, but I am thinking that this one is a little bit different.

Thanks for any help!

Oh, and do I need to get some buddies for this piranha or can he be alone? I bought only him becuase he was the last one the store had and they were just about to throw him in a trash can to make room for a new shipment.

 

[spAcE mOnkEy]

Are you sure this is a piranha and not a red bellied pacu? There are many different species of piranha. Some live by themselves, others live in schools. If it is a red belly prianha, it would be best to get some other fish for it to school with. Also if it was in a school, the fish would need a bigger tank than 40 gallons. You should start feeding it other foods. Frozen foods would work, like shrimp or some other fish you could buy in a store(dead ones for people to eat).

 

[MasterP]

if you want a school plan on getting atleast a 100 gallon tank for the group. If kept single it will become a very skitish fish. Try to get a school of 5 or 6.

 

[spAcE mOnkEy]

if you want a school plan on getting atleast a 100 gallon tank for the group. If kept single it will become a very skitish fish. Try to get a school of 5 or 6.

Careful, be sure that your species of piranha is a schooling species. If your piranha is a rhom, it will not tolerate other piranhas in its tank.

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=141705

Maybe this will help you ID your new friend.

 

[AMS]

Hey all,

I recently made a big snap decision as to a new friend. It is a piranha that is very small right now (about 1/2 in length at the most). Anwyays, I bought it basically to save it from certain death and it is currently the only resident in my 10 gallon hospital tank while i am setting up and cycling a 40 gallon bowfront.

So, my questions are basically what should I know about this fish and if anyone knows a good resource for researching these creatures, I would appreciate any help. Also, i am not even sure if i am posting within the right thread, so if I need to go somewhere else, please let me know.

From what I was told is that this fish needs no different water parameters than my other fish (bala sharks, tinfoil barbs, etc) and is currently just fed regular flake food and the occassional blood worm (which is good since I have a large supply for my other tanks). However, I realize that I got this information from a LFS who I know do not always say anything that would turn away a sale. I have had great success with the other fish i bought from them, but I am thinking that this one is a little bit different.

Thanks for any help!

Oh, and do I need to get some buddies for this piranha or can he be alone? I bought only him becuase he was the last one the store had and they were just about to throw him in a trash can to make room for a new shipment.

Do you know what species of piranha it is? I assume it is the Red Belly Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) as it is by far the most common piranha. Here is the PROFILE I wrote on them.

if you want a school plan on getting atleast a 100 gallon tank for the group. If kept single it will become a very skitish fish. Try to get a school of 5 or 6.
biggrin.gif

Not true for Red Bellies, a school of 4 and a 75 gallon tank is minimum. I dont know why everyone says at least 6 and a 100 gallon tank.



Also, I wrote a couple atricles on piranhas, Piranha Central.

 

[Tommy Gunnz]

AMS,

First let me say that I have gained a tremendous respect for you and have so far read as much as your information on this web site as I could find. I have been trying very hard to identify the spacific type of paranha and believe it or not, the LFS has no idea either. Since it is very small, I dont know if I can actually ID it yet, but I know that it looks much more like the fish in your posting than anything else. It does not have any redness on its belly and to be honest, I dont know if it even would have that at this age.

My plan is to keep this fish in the 10 gallon tank until I move on July 15th. Then I will have an entire room in order to devote to my tanks (3 so far and 1 more I am planning on buying when I know what size and type of tank I need for this fish). Do you think that this is ok as long as it is a short term basis? The fish seems to be very active all day, but it does seem to have one particular spot to retreat to when I open the lid to feed it.

Also, if this fish is not something a beginner should be dealing with, I have one option at another store that would most likely take it. I hate to say that I am a beginner since I have had two tanks running for about 6 or 8 months, but the residents in those tanks are all basic fish that are very hardy and must be hard to kill since I havent had any fatalities as of yet (knock on wood).

Thanks for all your help!

 

[sylvia]

I don't know much about piranhas in particular but it should be alright short-term to keep it in a smaller tank as logn as you know you'll be getting a larger tank.

The reason i realy posted was to suggest that you take a pic of the fish and show us. Then someone might be able to identify exactly what it is.

 

[Tommy Gunnz]

That is a great idea about the picture, I wish I could get one of it but it simply wont stop moving around long enough! Not to mention my only camera right now is my cell phone, which arent the best pictures ever.

I can describe it a little though. Like I said, it is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches long and basically a rounder body rather than elongated. It is all different shades of silver/gray but it has a red fin on the back fin that is on the bottom (anal fin?).

I promise to work on a picture though. I am more wondering if there is a certain maturity that it would need to be before easy ID can be made or if smaller things can tell me right now.

Thanks for the advice. I am definatly going to get my other tank and actually have one on 'lay away' at my local LFS right now. It is 75 gallons (taller rather than wider though) like AMS suggested. The only time it would have to spend in the 10 gallon tank once I move is when I am busy cloning tanks to get the new one up and running as soon as I can. (Cloning has been a great tool for me since I have moved once before with these tanks and have been able to move one tank at a time. I am not sure I will have the luxury of being able to move over a period of days this time though.)

Thanks again

 

[AMS]

AMS,

First let me say that I have gained a tremendous respect for you and have so far read as much as your information on this web site as I could find. I have been trying very hard to identify the spacific type of paranha and believe it or not, the LFS has no idea either. Since it is very small, I dont know if I can actually ID it yet, but I know that it looks much more like the fish in your posting than anything else. It does not have any redness on its belly and to be honest, I dont know if it even would have that at this age.

My plan is to keep this fish in the 10 gallon tank until I move on July 15th. Then I will have an entire room in order to devote to my tanks (3 so far and 1 more I am planning on buying when I know what size and type of tank I need for this fish). Do you think that this is ok as long as it is a short term basis? The fish seems to be very active all day, but it does seem to have one particular spot to retreat to when I open the lid to feed it.

Also, if this fish is not something a beginner should be dealing with, I have one option at another store that would most likely take it. I hate to say that I am a beginner since I have had two tanks running for about 6 or 8 months, but the residents in those tanks are all basic fish that are very hardy and must be hard to kill since I havent had any fatalities as of yet (knock on wood).

Thanks for all your help!

Thanks for the kind words Tommy. Piranhas are actually good "beginner fish" as they are quite hardy and tolerable of many different conditions.

I can describe it a little though. Like I said, it is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches long and basically a rounder body rather than elongated. It is all different shades of silver/gray but it has a red fin on the back fin that is on the bottom (anal fin?).

I promise to work on a picture though. I am more wondering if there is a certain maturity that it would need to be before easy ID can be made or if smaller things can tell me right now.

Thanks for the advice. I am definatly going to get my other tank and actually have one on 'lay away' at my local LFS right now. It is 75 gallons (taller rather than wider though) like AMS suggested. The only time it would have to spend in the 10 gallon tank once I move is when I am busy cloning tanks to get the new one up and running as soon as I can. (Cloning has been a great tool for me since I have moved once before with these tanks and have been able to move one tank at a time. I am not sure I will have the luxury of being able to move over a period of days this time though.)

Thanks again

Despite you vivid description, it is almost impossible to identify juvenile piranhas without a clear picture. Juvenile piranhas are one of the most difficult fish to identify as they all appear quite similar, even ones that are not in the same genus. By your description, I would guess it is one of the Pygocentrus piranhas, rather than Serrasalmus.

You are very responsible fish keeper to purchase a larger tank for you new fish friend, but I would suggest a wider tank than a taller one if possible. IMHO Red Bellies need a tank of at least 18" which is the width of a standard 75 gallon tank.