Piranha Keeping 101
Before we get things started, I would like to offer some advice to anyone interested in keeping piranhas. Piranhas are living creatures, not flesh eating beasts eating feeder goldfish to show off to friends. Treat them the same as you would any other fish (or pet for that matter). If you plan to provide then best possible environment for them suggested by TFF or any other place than go right ahead and buy one after throughly researching, if not, then fish, espically piranhas are not for you.
What is a Piranha?
A piranha is a fish native to South America belonging to the Characidae family. Piranhas are close relatives to many common fish in the aqaurium trade such as silver dollars and pacus. Piranhas are highly predatory fish by nature, and are armed with razor sharp teeth. Piranhas are known as "aquatic wolves" as they eat just about any thing that would make an easy snack, wheter it be a fish, reptile, bird, cattle, or worse, human. In the wild piranha attacks on humans are rare, but many have been proved deadly. I hope now you understand the seriousness of of owning a piranha and the possible risks involved.
Can I keep a Piranha?
First this depends on where you live. They are illegal in most states, so check your fish and game laws of your state or country. Second, this depends on your aquarium. Aside from the wimple piranha (not actually a piranha due to the teeth alignment), ALL of the smallest species of adults will require a MINIMUM aquarium size of 75 US gallons. So if you cant provide a minimum of a 75 US gallon tank, sorry no piranhas for you. Piranhas vary greatly in size, so research greatly on the particular species and their tank size needs. Third, this depends on who taking care of the piranhas and who may come in contact with the piranha tank. If you feel as though you are responsible enough for a piranha, be my guest. If not try an alternative (see Piranhas Alternatives below). Be sure you do not have anyone that will come in contact with the tank that may fool around. Kids are not really a good choice, or immature teens that will shove their hands in there with a tough guy attitude. Like I've said before, piranhas have razor sharp teeth, and if one were to get a good bite on someone the results would be devastating. I cant even imagine what would happen to a young child. I have never been bitten by a piranha and I hope to keep it that way. So please, consider all possibilites before buying a piranha.
How do I take care of my Piranha?
All piranhas do not come from the same environment as others (though similar), so slightly different measures are taken when caring for your particular species. Piranhas are a quite hardy species of fish. Heres a rough guide of what the tank chemistry preferred by Piranhas: Piranhas prefer warmer waters around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, fast flowing waters, dim lighting, planted aquaria, high oxygen levels, slightly acdic pH, and I can safely say ALL piranhas need great filtration as they have huge messy appetites! Frequent small water changes are also needed. As I said before, not all Piranhas require the suggested tank chemistry as I listed, so READ, READ, and READ some more about what needs your particular species requires.
What can I keep with Piranhas?
This is a touchy subject....In my opinion, (and most other's) I can say that there shouldnt be any tankmates with any piranha species with the exception of a shoaling species like the red bellies. It's true that some species for example Serrasalmus Geryi that could be possibly housed with other Serrasalmus Geryi provided there is ample amount of territory space and hiding places. Be aware that if one is showing signs of injury of disease, it may be picked on, bitten, or worse, eaten. Its also true that some very large piranhas will live with small fish such as neon tetras and guppies with no deaths, but for the most part this is just temporarily. When the piranha gets hungry, it will find the small fish an easy snack. And finally its also true that things like plecos can live with piranhas, but will live a fin-nipped scared life.
So bottom line, its really not the best idea to house piranhas with tankmates, including plecos because even IF they survive they will be constantly nipped and bitten. The only exception for having tankmates is with a shoaling species like red bellies. If you ask me, its abuse to house piranhas with tankmates of different species of piranha or fish in general, and in most instances it will end in death.
Feeding
First off, Piranhas can not live a full healthy life on a diet of goldfish! Feeder fish can be used occassionally, and only when properly quarantined and disease free. Meat foods/mammalian meat such as beef heart, raw chicken (free of fat, boneless and skinless) pinkeys (baby mice) and raw fish used for human consumption (use only white meat fish such as talipia, pink or red fleshed fish are not good at all) should be fed only once in a great while. Mammalian meats due naturally make up a very small portion of piranhas diets, but they dont even need to be incorporated into the captive specimen's diet at all. The only things listed as "once in a great while" foods that I feed my own piranhas are beefheart. I refuse to incorporate fish used for human consumption as I can easily find frozen fish such as silversides or lancefish specifically for carnivorus fish readily and at a good price, they also wont make a mess of the tank like human consumption fish will. Piranhas should be fed a varied diet of meaty foods. The majority of all Piranhas diet should be fish. Different species of piranhas have different eating habits, so this list shouldnt be used as a rule of thumb but rather suggestion as what to feed (aside from other fish): Carnivore sticks/pellets, earthworms, shrimp, squid, bloodworm, krill, mysis shrimp, cichlid pellets, tubifex worms, crickets, along with other similar foods. Note that the aforementioned list of food can be fed in live form as long as they are free of disease and parasites. Also realize that if any fish is fed livefoods too often they may become only accustomed to eating livefoods only (espically piranhas) and refuse to eat frozen/freeze dried foods. Many piranhas are fed feeder goldfish in LFS's so be aware that you may have to convert them to frozen/freeze dried foods when purchased.
Piranha Alternatives
For whatever reasons you cant properly house piranhas, dont worry! There are many similar alternatives to Piranhas! Heres a list:
Silver Dollars
Red Hook Silver Dollars
Black Bar Silver Dollars
(Any Silver Dollar species actually)
Exodons (aka buck toothed tetra)
Pacus
Wimple Piranha (not an actual piranha)
Barracudas
Pike Top Minnow (aka Pike Livebearer)
Silver Needlefish
Mod. Comment: I hope this thread will help to educate those that are considering keeping piranha and I encourage AMS to keep up the good work. I don't want to put this line in, but, if there are any posts that arise here that are abusive, gory, frightening or inhumane, these will be deleted immediately. SH
Before we get things started, I would like to offer some advice to anyone interested in keeping piranhas. Piranhas are living creatures, not flesh eating beasts eating feeder goldfish to show off to friends. Treat them the same as you would any other fish (or pet for that matter). If you plan to provide then best possible environment for them suggested by TFF or any other place than go right ahead and buy one after throughly researching, if not, then fish, espically piranhas are not for you.
What is a Piranha?
A piranha is a fish native to South America belonging to the Characidae family. Piranhas are close relatives to many common fish in the aqaurium trade such as silver dollars and pacus. Piranhas are highly predatory fish by nature, and are armed with razor sharp teeth. Piranhas are known as "aquatic wolves" as they eat just about any thing that would make an easy snack, wheter it be a fish, reptile, bird, cattle, or worse, human. In the wild piranha attacks on humans are rare, but many have been proved deadly. I hope now you understand the seriousness of of owning a piranha and the possible risks involved.
Can I keep a Piranha?
First this depends on where you live. They are illegal in most states, so check your fish and game laws of your state or country. Second, this depends on your aquarium. Aside from the wimple piranha (not actually a piranha due to the teeth alignment), ALL of the smallest species of adults will require a MINIMUM aquarium size of 75 US gallons. So if you cant provide a minimum of a 75 US gallon tank, sorry no piranhas for you. Piranhas vary greatly in size, so research greatly on the particular species and their tank size needs. Third, this depends on who taking care of the piranhas and who may come in contact with the piranha tank. If you feel as though you are responsible enough for a piranha, be my guest. If not try an alternative (see Piranhas Alternatives below). Be sure you do not have anyone that will come in contact with the tank that may fool around. Kids are not really a good choice, or immature teens that will shove their hands in there with a tough guy attitude. Like I've said before, piranhas have razor sharp teeth, and if one were to get a good bite on someone the results would be devastating. I cant even imagine what would happen to a young child. I have never been bitten by a piranha and I hope to keep it that way. So please, consider all possibilites before buying a piranha.
How do I take care of my Piranha?
All piranhas do not come from the same environment as others (though similar), so slightly different measures are taken when caring for your particular species. Piranhas are a quite hardy species of fish. Heres a rough guide of what the tank chemistry preferred by Piranhas: Piranhas prefer warmer waters around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, fast flowing waters, dim lighting, planted aquaria, high oxygen levels, slightly acdic pH, and I can safely say ALL piranhas need great filtration as they have huge messy appetites! Frequent small water changes are also needed. As I said before, not all Piranhas require the suggested tank chemistry as I listed, so READ, READ, and READ some more about what needs your particular species requires.
What can I keep with Piranhas?
This is a touchy subject....In my opinion, (and most other's) I can say that there shouldnt be any tankmates with any piranha species with the exception of a shoaling species like the red bellies. It's true that some species for example Serrasalmus Geryi that could be possibly housed with other Serrasalmus Geryi provided there is ample amount of territory space and hiding places. Be aware that if one is showing signs of injury of disease, it may be picked on, bitten, or worse, eaten. Its also true that some very large piranhas will live with small fish such as neon tetras and guppies with no deaths, but for the most part this is just temporarily. When the piranha gets hungry, it will find the small fish an easy snack. And finally its also true that things like plecos can live with piranhas, but will live a fin-nipped scared life.
So bottom line, its really not the best idea to house piranhas with tankmates, including plecos because even IF they survive they will be constantly nipped and bitten. The only exception for having tankmates is with a shoaling species like red bellies. If you ask me, its abuse to house piranhas with tankmates of different species of piranha or fish in general, and in most instances it will end in death.
Feeding
First off, Piranhas can not live a full healthy life on a diet of goldfish! Feeder fish can be used occassionally, and only when properly quarantined and disease free. Meat foods/mammalian meat such as beef heart, raw chicken (free of fat, boneless and skinless) pinkeys (baby mice) and raw fish used for human consumption (use only white meat fish such as talipia, pink or red fleshed fish are not good at all) should be fed only once in a great while. Mammalian meats due naturally make up a very small portion of piranhas diets, but they dont even need to be incorporated into the captive specimen's diet at all. The only things listed as "once in a great while" foods that I feed my own piranhas are beefheart. I refuse to incorporate fish used for human consumption as I can easily find frozen fish such as silversides or lancefish specifically for carnivorus fish readily and at a good price, they also wont make a mess of the tank like human consumption fish will. Piranhas should be fed a varied diet of meaty foods. The majority of all Piranhas diet should be fish. Different species of piranhas have different eating habits, so this list shouldnt be used as a rule of thumb but rather suggestion as what to feed (aside from other fish): Carnivore sticks/pellets, earthworms, shrimp, squid, bloodworm, krill, mysis shrimp, cichlid pellets, tubifex worms, crickets, along with other similar foods. Note that the aforementioned list of food can be fed in live form as long as they are free of disease and parasites. Also realize that if any fish is fed livefoods too often they may become only accustomed to eating livefoods only (espically piranhas) and refuse to eat frozen/freeze dried foods. Many piranhas are fed feeder goldfish in LFS's so be aware that you may have to convert them to frozen/freeze dried foods when purchased.
Piranha Alternatives
For whatever reasons you cant properly house piranhas, dont worry! There are many similar alternatives to Piranhas! Heres a list:
Silver Dollars
Red Hook Silver Dollars
Black Bar Silver Dollars
(Any Silver Dollar species actually)
Exodons (aka buck toothed tetra)
Pacus
Wimple Piranha (not an actual piranha)
Barracudas
Pike Top Minnow (aka Pike Livebearer)
Silver Needlefish
Mod. Comment: I hope this thread will help to educate those that are considering keeping piranha and I encourage AMS to keep up the good work. I don't want to put this line in, but, if there are any posts that arise here that are abusive, gory, frightening or inhumane, these will be deleted immediately. SH
, and many other gruesome things. As SH as said, these are very misunderstood and too many abusive owners. Though like he has said, there are many good ones.
