What is needed for piranhas

[LilBangarang]

I am interested in getting a single piranha in a 20 gallon tank... Possibly more if there are mini species. How big do you think they will grow in this size of a tank?

 

[librarygirl]

Um....I don't think that would work, although I have no experience with piranhas. Here are some sites with info (some species seem to like groups which is problem #1 for your tank size -- and even singly, they grow very large-- and they are very messy eaters which is problem #2; they are also illegal in many states).

Aquarium Fish Deals - Characins - Piranha Species
The Piranha Aquarium | Piranha Crunch
Keeping Piranha - Seriously Fish

 

[George9]

Piranhas need a lit bigger tank than 20 gallons, and it's better to be kept with other piranhas in a school IMO because that's what they do in the wild. A 40 and up gallon aquarium would work best for one. If you can't a school, you will need a bigger tank depending on species. Some can get HUGE! It is also illegal in some states, check into that!

These are VERY dangerous pets and can KILL you. Make sure to have the tank covered and NEVER EVER stick your hand in, even for a second. They will eat your hand off

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Piranhas need a lit bigger tank than 20 gallons, and they should be kept with other piranhas in a school. A 100+ gallon aquarium would work best. It is also illegal in some states, check into that!

These are VERY dangerous pets and can KILL you. Make sure to have the tank covered and NEVER EVER stick your hand in, even for a second. They will eat your hand off

Lol
They are cool, never stop moving and looking and you will not be bitten!!

They cannot kill you but stay aware when they have access to any part of you!!

 

[George9]

They could kill you, not necessarily in the tank; but piranhas in general can. Like if you stood in the middle of the Amazon river, lol

 

[gerridee]

Piranhas need a lit bigger tank than 20 gallons, and it's better to be kept with other piranhas in a school IMO because that's what they do in the wild. A 40 and up gallon aquarium would work best for one. If you can't a school, you will need a bigger tank depending on species. Some can get HUGE! It is also illegal in some states, check into that!

These are VERY dangerous pets and can KILL you. Make sure to have the tank covered and NEVER EVER stick your hand in, even for a second. They will eat your hand off

My Brother had 2 red belly piranhas in a 55 gal tank 13 inches long for yrs. an he had is hand in the tank often to clean tank he never had a problem...

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Oh!!
Principal question!

20 gal is to small for even one piranha!

At least 55 gal for one or 100+ gal. for a school of 6-7.

In 200+ gal. and well feed they can have lots of tankmate!!

For a 20 gal go for a Purple stripe goby, leopard bushfiah or one spot bushfish, leaffish, puffers, dwarw "red fin" snake head (4-5 inch adult size). Thats all carnivorus type to and they fit in you tank.

But remember that canivorus fish are very messy, need lots of maintanance in the aquarium and filter. So better 2 filters, or a big one that goes for a total of 4-6 time the volume of the aquarium when dealing those fish!

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Oh choose 2-3 fish only in those i told!

 

[Sergie]

I used to have a piranha...in a 10 gallon. It belonged to a friend of ours and like most people no research was done before he bought one. It was a red belly. He had it for years and didn't want it anymore. So we took him in when I was 16. We had him for a few years but after we all moved out we got rid of him. They are really cool fish. No they won't kill you unless there is a massive school of them. He never attacked when we cleaned the tank. I beleive if it's one, it's more afraid of you than you are of it...he was actaully really shy and never ate if we watched him. So we set up a night vision camera. It was neat seeing his belly turn red when he got angry, hence his name: Pete the pissed off piranha. One word of advice, do not net the fish. We went through alot of nets and he ended up on the floor a couple times. They chew through that in an instant.

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

And 55 gal for 2 piranhas can be ok but lot of maintenance and they cannot stay active so they become boring!! On my opinion though!

 

[murad]

dont get pirhanas they need school and much bigger tank just get intresting fish such as guppies theyr hardy small very colerful unshy and gives birth to lots of babies a month

 

[Sergie]

dont get pirhanas they need school and much bigger tank just get intresting fish such as guppies theyr hardy small very colerful unshy and gives birth to lots of babies a month

He doesn't want guppies...he wants a piranha.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

He doesn't want guppies...he wants a piranha.

As mentioned above, he can't have a piranha in a 20 gallon tank. Were talking about a 13 inch fish in a 24 inch tank, it wouldn't work

 

[murad]

tetras are harmless little pirhanas

 

[Sergie]

All I'm saying is if they really want one, don't try and convince them to get your fish of choice, guide them to a bigger tank, which is what most people did. Let people follow their dreams, not yours. Not trying to start fights.

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Again, For a 20 gal go for a Purple stripe goby, leopard bushfish or one spot bushfish, leaffish, puffers(any kind of freshwater or a brackwater but with puffers its a one specie tank), dwarf "red fin" snake head (4-5 inch adult size). Thats all carnivorus type to and they fit in you tank.

 

[kylekody]

haha off topic but this whole convo made me laugh

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Again, only 2-3 fish is enough for the tank!

 

[Fishkeeper26]

All I'm saying is if they really want one, don't try and convince them to get your fish of choice, guide them to a bigger tank, which is what most people did. Let people follow their dreams, not yours. Not trying to start fights.

I didn't suggest any other fish, if he wants a piranha the tank sizes have been listed above. However it is harmless to recommend other fish that work in a 20 gallon tank.

tetras are in the same family(I think) as piranhas haha

 

[murad]

awight sorry um i seen 3 red belly pirhanas in a 10g for a display tank in petstore they had them for almost a year in thier so i guess you can get small red bellies till they grow big u can upgrade