Pirahna question

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ADCISCO

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
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304
Location
West Virginia
I was wondering if anyone could tell me about what a 5 month old Pirahna is worth. He is about 5 inches. He has grown quite rapidly!lol My neice is wanting to get rid of hers but the pet stores says that they wont give but $10 in house credit and says that they only give 10 for ones that are 8 inches long.......???????? Anyone know anything about these meateaters? :twisted:
 
I think she might have trouble getting a pet store to take them because they are a difficult fish to sell, and in many states they are illegal. I am not really certain why they would give more money for a larger one, except that they can charge more for a larger one. The store has to be able to either breed the adult fish or sell it, because otherwise they have to feed it and they won't get their money back. I could be wrong but I have read that piranha are not easy to breed and are generally wild-caught. I have also read that they are actually kind of tricky to keep as they have specific requirements, and of course you can't keep them in a community tank! :lol:
 
Actually if you have been reading i have a horrible ick problem.......he'd be a good way to get rid of it!LOL Just kidding! :wink: I dont know my niece and sister in law have had no problems what so ever out of him and he will eat anything and believe me they have horrible water quality....they dont even own any test kits other than a ph kit and there water is horrible looking...cloudy...I mean so bad that sometimes I cant see the fish! How to you miss a 10 pd oscar and a 5 inc pirahna and about 20 gold fish and 2 8 in Plecos??? But I seriously thought that he would be worth much more than $10 dollars......She said that she would wait till I got my tank back to normal and take him over there and get the $10 house credit for him and buy me new fish to replace the ones I have lost.....but I think that he is worth more! He's a nice looking pirahna.......that is for a pirahna :wink: My sister in law said the reason she bought him was because he had such a sweet face!!!!!!!LOL I about died laughing!
 
I imagine the piranha would go for $30+ in a pet store, depending on the species. (Look up the species--you might be able to get more for him if you know). Obviously, they want to make a profit, and there is risk. So I'm not surprised at the price the LFS quoted you.

Shame, though! If you had a nice 1000 gallon tank, he'd be perfect for it! The piranhas in the NYC Aquarium are gigantic--prob about 18-20 inches!
 
what kind of piranha is it?
if its a red belly you wont get much, if its a black piranha sell it on e-bay for atleast $50
 
Its a red belly.....but it doesnt have a red belly anymore!lol Thats what they told them it was when they bought it. I'll have to get the digital camera and go up there and take a picture of him. Hes a nice fish....I just dont want him....like I said before.....he could take care of the ich problem for me!lol I could just get him and then I could buy all kinds of goldfish for him to eat and he could be the entertainment too! Sorry guys just kidding. I like to joke alot.....I couldnt hurt anything but a spider!!!!! :wink:
 
A 5" Red Bellied Piranha can run as cheap as $15 but that is rare. Baby Red Bellied Piranha's (<2") are usually sold for around $8. I'm curious to see your photo of the Red Belly. They should still have a red belly, especially at 5". Stores around the DC area sell a 5" Red Belly for about $25-$50.
 
The piranhas at the NYC aquarium are red-bellies and are huge. Their coloration is still brilliant. I wonder if your guy has been getting the right food--this can diminish his coloration. Perhaps more live food, and even some krill might brighten him up, in which case he might be more sellable!

I still think $10 or $15 for a piranha that large is ridiculous. Fish that size rarely sell for under $40 regardless of species! It's possible your LFS owner a) doesn't want it or b) is a realist about his chances of selling it at all.
 
Is "he" really a "he?" Females have a lighter coloration. Also, are you sure it's a RBP not another species?

However, I hate to disagree with e-cat, but the RBP color increases after the juvenile phase (almost completely silver: http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fw&1069251548) and should be present in full adult specimens. http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fw&1069222201 is an example of 5 inch *red-bellied* piranhas.

*Some* color morphs are known as "gold-dusted," though.

I've spend a fair amount of my life in zoos and aquariums, and can vouch solidly for the intense coloration of fully grown RBPs.

Just out of interest, internet info says that these piranhas will lose their coloration if diet and lighting aren't adequate...
 
right right when juvis they get there red colars after about an inch but from what iv seen in the vancouver aquarium, and here in winnipeg and my lfs and my own piranhas all lose there red
 
a 5" red belly will not get much money, they are worth about £15

I suggest if you want rid of it you post it for sale on PFury or simply offer it free to a good home :wink:
 
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