Red-bellied Piranha...

[Matty P]

What is the minimum tank size for 5 Red-bellied piranhas (minimum shoal size)???

Cheers

Matt

 

[OscarWilde]

What is the minimum tank size for 5 Red-bellied piranhas (minimum shoal size)???

Cheers

Matt

I have gone with this from [URL="http/www.piranha-info.com/"]http/www.piranha-info.com/[/URL]

- Juveniles (< 3"): 8-10 gallons per fish
- Sub-adults (3-6"): 10-20 gallons per fish
- Adults (6" and above): 20+ gallons per fish

Someone on here tried to tell me that you have to keep the in sixes and need a minimum 6ft tank. My research leads me to belive that that is defineitly not true. I would seek multiple sources of advice before you decide.

I have seen single fish, 2's 3,'s 4's, 5's and 6's (adult fish).

I have 2 RBP's and will be moving them from a 30G to a 55G when they are bigger and am Happy that I am doing right by the fish.

 

[backtotropical]

I had 4 sub-adults in a 260 litre tank. I wouldn't recommend anything smaller.

 

[tahneen]

I think you could have 5-6 rb in a 75 gallon
from my experience a rbp will rarley pass 8 inched usually 6
and when i had my 2 rbp in my 30g I had a couple of neons and guppies that they didnt even bother with ( to much effort for such a small meal)
hope that helps

 

[OscarWilde]

I think you could have 5-6 rb in a 75 gallon
from my experience a rbp will rarley pass 8 inched usually 6
and when i had my 2 rbp in my 30g I had a couple of neons and guppies that they didnt even bother with ( to much effort for such a small meal)
hope that helps

It helps me with omne of my questions. Thanks!

http/www.fishforums.net/content/Cyprinid...anha-juvenile-/

 

[Gatorbait]

I think you could have 5-6 rb in a 75 gallon
from my experience a rbp will rarley pass 8 inched usually 6
and when i had my 2 rbp in my 30g I had a couple of neons and guppies that they didnt even bother with ( to much effort for such a small meal)
hope that helps

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 tight confines or 3 of them getting eaten to make room for the largest 3.

Piranhas don't like each other and won't share space.

 

[cane76]

red bellies should be kept in groups of 5+ and in nothing less than a 5x2x2 imo
these fish(if cared for properly)grow close to the size of a dinner plate
just because some people keep them in pairs or trios in small tanks dont make it ok
another fish that gets a total bum deal in this hobby

 

[CFC]

The trouble is people only seem to want to take the advice that says what they want to hear.

 

[cane76]

yep
and there is always some idiot somewhere giving out crap advice about how to keep fish alive but not happy

 

[OscarWilde]

red bellies should be kept in groups of 5+ and in nothing less than a 5x2x2 imo
these fish(if cared for properly)grow close to the size of a dinner plate
just because some people keep them in pairs or trios in small tanks dont make it ok
another fish that gets a total bum deal in this hobby

Please show me any advice from a reputable Piranha source that:

1.) States that Piranhas will be unhealthy, stunted or more prone to desise if kept in pairs.

2.) That 55 USG is too small for 2 Red Bellied Piranha.

I happily admit I am wrong but truely believe I have done my research and am doing the right thing by my fish.

 

[poopsydrew]

red bellies should be kept in groups of 5+ and in nothing less than a 5x2x2 imo
these fish(if cared for properly)grow close to the size of a dinner plate
just because some people keep them in pairs or trios in small tanks dont make it ok
another fish that gets a total bum deal in this hobby

Please show me any advice from a reputable Piranha source that:

1.) States that Piranhas will be unhealthy, stunted or more prone to desise if kept in pairs.

2.) That 55 USG is too small for 2 Red Bellied Piranha.

I happily admit I am wrong but truely believe I have done my research and am doing the right thing by my fish.

Then you would know they are a shoaling fish that forms a hierarchy within the group, two is not a group. You want a reference that they are a shoaling fish? Trust FishBase?

Eventually, one of your red bellies will dominate the other, your not keeping them in groups/shoal like they need to be kept and occur in the wild. But I am sure you will continue to read what you want to read and interpret it so it fits what your doing

Drew

Edit- and by dominate your other fish, I mean taking constant bites out of it until it is cowering in a corner, probably will kill it sooner or later.

 

[Gatorbait]

red bellies should be kept in groups of 5+ and in nothing less than a 5x2x2 imo
these fish(if cared for properly)grow close to the size of a dinner plate
just because some people keep them in pairs or trios in small tanks dont make it ok
another fish that gets a total bum deal in this hobby

Please show me any advice from a reputable Piranha source that:

1.) States that Piranhas will be unhealthy, stunted or more prone to desise if kept in pairs.

2.) That 55 USG is too small for 2 Red Bellied Piranha.

I happily admit I am wrong but truely believe I have done my research and am doing the right thing by my fish.

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 hate each other. Red Belly's aka from the Pygocentrus species, are extremely timid and shy fish. They are afraid of their own shadows, generally. They shoal together in groups for the "comfort in numbers" safety. Almost all Pygo's are like this. They do not like each other but "tolerate" each others presence for that reason.

They still have a dominance heirarchy. IME, it has never worked out with just 2 and I've very rarely heard of it ever happening. In almost all cases the larger will kill of the weaker for dominance. You need that shoal to not only give them the comfort of safety but also to spread out the agression.

A 55 gallon tank will "hold" 2 piranhas but they need more. The standard depth (front to back) of a 55g tank is 12". Under normal circumstances a rbp can grow 8-10" in an aquarium. That means he will have 1" in front of his face and 1" behind him to turn around. They can live 20+ years, does that sound like taking good care of them to you?

I'm sure you mean well and doing research is excellent before you buy, however, sometimes a buyers common sense has to dictate proper care on his/her own.

If you want solo fish you should be looking into the Serrasalmus.

 

[CFC]

 

[Colin_T]

minimum is a 6x2x2ft tank but you may find that a pair develop when mature and kill the others.

 

[OscarWilde]

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.

Thank you.

A 55 gallon tank will "hold" 2 piranhas but they need more. The standard depth (front to back) of a 55g tank is 12". Under normal circumstances a rbp can grow 8-10" in an aquarium. That means he will have 1" in front of his face and 1" behind him to turn around. They can live 20+ years, does that sound like taking good care of them to you?

See below but the 55 I have is 18" front to back, 12 High and 48 long.

I'm sure you mean well and doing research is excellent before you buy, however, sometimes a buyers common sense has to dictate proper care on his/her own.

I appreciate you saying that. I believed that with my larger than normal footprint 55G I had used some

OK. Im going to take your comments on board as I do apprciate them (some more than others).

My LFS will not accept returned fish so I will wait until they have developed to around the 16 week stage as in the photo below (so I can care for them for a little longer while they are small) and then try to donate them to someone with a shoal of similar sized RBP's. This should be a month to 6 weeks.