Need help with what to do

[sweetykemi]

Hi, this is my first time visiting this site so please someone help me out. I recently started a fish tank about two months ago. I went to a pet store and purchased all tropical community fish. I went back to purchased a larger fish to go with rest something to finish it off. The sales person sold me a "red pacu"! At the time I did not know what type of fish that was. Yesterday when I went to another store to purchase some more fish, I was told that that type of fish will eat or kill all the other fish that I have. I want to know why would a sales person sell me an "aggressive" fish when I have all non- aggressive fish. Now my question is: Should I get rid of the fish or keep him in? I really don't know what to do.

Thanks.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I got rid of the Pacu. Gave him to my co-worker who has that type of fish in her tank. Now I'll just work with all community fish.

 

[recDNA]

The worst of it is soon it will be 3 feet long! Try to return it or trade it right away. You need a 200 gallon tank for that fish.

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

"something to finish it off" IMO a Red Pacu would finish off a tropical community tank, you may get away with sharing a red pacu with a red bellied piranha or a Jack Dempsey.

What city is this lfs in btw? Some not so moral shops only have profit in mind without any though to the consequencies.

 

[semper fi]

well you did not say what you had in the tank. given you have learned your first lesson that lfs employees are somewhat unknowledgeable about fish. second unless you are purchasing from someone who has proven to be knowledgeable about fish, never buy on a whim. go back home and research the fish or take along a good reference book with you.

next problem, the pacu. the pacu is not really all that aggressive. the biggest problem with the pacu is that they can get to lengths of 3' when fullyy grown. got one who is a year and a half and he is about 18" from nose to tail. they do have enormous appetites. the pacu is related to the pirannha and has an equally voracious appetite for veggies and plants as the pirannha does for protein. so if you have plans for plants either get rid of it or chuck the plant idea. to him it will just be a salad bar. they are usally peaceful fish but do get skittish from time to time and then turn into the legendary bull in a china shop they will eat sick, dying or dead fish if no other food source is available. get some rather nasty looking teeth and are always hungry

i would suggest if you can return him. when they are larger they are very hard to get rid of. mine is going to a zoo this spring as a donation. would love to keep him, just do not have the room.

hth

maggie

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

I will bow to Maggies far greater knowledge I really thought that Red Pacu were carnivores.

) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

 

[semper fi]

stand up you are embarrassing me! i only got my pacu cause the dumb girl at the lfs put it in the bag with some other fish. got home and though i got a deal. free fish! yeah! boy was i wrong! sorry folks but he has been nothing but a pain in the arse since i got him. they can be carnivorous. not a total vegetarian. just require large amounts of food. very fast growing also! would not reccommend them to anyone especially a beginner. not that aggressive. my pleco could take him on! and has! when they are threatened they swim and thrash around in the tank. have to be very careful of the decor so they do not hurt themselves. i named mine after my stepmonster cause she will eat everything in sight also!

not to get off subject, but the pirannha is not all that aggressive. if they are fed on a regular schedule they will not attack anything that comes into their tank. another myth about them.

maggie

 

[Jesse]

I know this is probably not much to you guys, but my brother had a foot long red belly piranah. This thing was freakin huge! My mom was cleaning out the tank while I was holding the net keeping him to one side. he got away from me and bit the end of my moms pinky finger! Ouch!

 

[semper fi]

first of all jesse, everyone's opinions and experiences mean something here. yours are just as valuable as the next guy.

pirannha's will attack when they feel threatened. my pacu has even bit me before. they are still an animal. they are defending their territory. just feel sorry for the pirannha getting a bad reputation as being an ever hungry eating machine.

maggie