I'm thinking about possibly getting a couple piranha. I really don't know too much about them, but I think that they would be fun to have. Does anyone have any piranha experiences or any big do's and/or don'ts? Also the only type I've ever heard about are red bellied piranha. Anyone know of any other type that is sold? I know the basics about them. They can't be kept with any other fish and they can only live together if they are introduced into the tank together, but other than that I really don't know much about them. I'd like to learn more before I decide whether or not to buy them. Thanx for any help.
Thinking about piranha...
- Thread starter ares
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
targaboy78
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hi ares,
I was doing a little research for you, maybe these links can help.
http://www.tetra-fish.co.uk/nonflash/tropical/largefsh.html
This site (bottom half of the page) covers topics such as Keeping Piranhas, Compatibility, Water Quality Requirements, Feeding, Maintenance, Handling and Breeding.
http://www.piranhaexotica.com/
It is a supplier's site but one page on their site that really caught my attention. http://www.piranhaexotica.com/legal states map.htm
Apparently, piranhas are illegal in about 20 or so states? It shows which states they are legal and which ones require a permit. Please check into the validity of this information before getting any because it looks like they are illegal in Florida.
I can't tell if it is a joke or legitimate... In Canada our water is too cold to worry about weirdos releasing piranhas in the wild.
There is tons of info available on the web. I did a google search with piranha aquarium
I hope this helps.
I was doing a little research for you, maybe these links can help.
http://www.tetra-fish.co.uk/nonflash/tropical/largefsh.html
This site (bottom half of the page) covers topics such as Keeping Piranhas, Compatibility, Water Quality Requirements, Feeding, Maintenance, Handling and Breeding.
http://www.piranhaexotica.com/
It is a supplier's site but one page on their site that really caught my attention. http://www.piranhaexotica.com/legal states map.htm
Apparently, piranhas are illegal in about 20 or so states? It shows which states they are legal and which ones require a permit. Please check into the validity of this information before getting any because it looks like they are illegal in Florida.
I can't tell if it is a joke or legitimate... In Canada our water is too cold to worry about weirdos releasing piranhas in the wild.
There is tons of info available on the web. I did a google search with piranha aquarium
I hope this helps.
CRaZeeeBiTcHisH
Aquarium Advice Freak
i would suggest you go visit someone who has them already before you buy, they are rather boring unless it's feeding time--a friend of mine had 6 of them or so a few years ago and they were not very captivating..lol
Grant R
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I'd honestly do as much research as you possibly can, for the obvious reasons. They are not you're every day sort of pet and my guess is they will need quite a big tank.
Feeding time, as mentioned, would be fun though .....
Feeding time, as mentioned, would be fun though .....
Thaiboxer
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I was at the biggest LFS around here last night, and they had ~5 different breeds of pirhanna. Cool to look at, but none of them did much? They just kind of sat there.
I have a friend who had one though, and feeding time was pretty interesting... bye bye goldfish... of course an Arawana does the same to tiny fishes...
I have a friend who had one though, and feeding time was pretty interesting... bye bye goldfish... of course an Arawana does the same to tiny fishes...
jollyone11
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
If you are in to things getting eatten and that kind of stuff I think cichlid is a better .More fun to watch and not quite as messy.
aimeovaldi
Aquarium Advice Activist
I had 2 large oscars that were the most aggressive fish I ever experienced. I introduced 2 red bellies into the tank, hoping that they would hold their own (the oscars had killed and eaten just about everything else I introduced) as they were about 3.5" when put with the larger oscars (about 7 - 8") within 3 days the red bellies were history. Piranhas are only aggressive in large numbers and at feeding time, require low light and are kinda boring. Most do not do anything until time to feed, if fed daily live food, they might not eat everything immediately, I have seen them allow goldfish to swim for days before feeding on them. African Cichlids and oscars are far mor entertaining in the FW market, IMO.
G
Guest
Guest
I'm positive they are illegal in Florida, and as others have said, they are actually rather boring, except for feeding time.
f250god
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I have done the red bellied pirahna thing. At first they are rather intriguing, at least when the are small and by that I mean about 1 inch in diameter. Its interesting to watch the pirahna eat a goldfish which is about twice their size. Then they start to grow, and before you know it they eat 2 dozen goldfish a week, which presents its own problems, like setting up a tank for the feeder fish. A caution to those who say you don't have to feed them live food as their staple diet, I tried the shrimp thing, and suplemented goldfish, as well as some veggies (which they ate readily), but about a week into it I had 2 pirahna instead of 4. That means they are canabalistic. If it were me I wouldnt do it again.
Go to www.drunkstunts.com video section. They got a video clip showing piranna feed with live rat!!!!
William
Aquarium Advice Addict
Piranha would be alright, if you had a biotope tank and set it up to look like their natural enviroment with other fish, plants ect ect from the same region.
sweetsuvvyb
Aquarium Advice Freak
They're illegal here in WA, my brother was interested...ended up with an Oscar tank instead, and I guess it was a good trade-off...but those things scared me (he had the occassional frog get into his house, and wouldn't you know it, one day a frog found itself in the Oscar tank...messy messy stuff...).
If you're looking for more info, a good forum is www.aquatiqterrors.com. Piranha are definitely illegal in florida (They're illegal in most Southern states, because they can survive and breed in the warm climate), but if you're dead-set on getting some, they may be able to gelp you out.
Good luck,
-J
Good luck,
-J
Visit http://www.piranha-fury.com for information, factsheets, tutorials, videos, pics, forums and even a scientist - ALL ON PIRANHAS 
e burna
Aquarium Advice Activist
I just bought a piranna... put an oscar in with it... w/in 2 hours said oscar was eaten in half
HUKIT
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just bought a piranna... put an oscar in with it... w/in 2 hours said oscar was eaten in half
What did you think you'll happen, that they would sit around the driftwood and sing songs together? Maybe it's time to look into another hobby!
Plus this thread is 7 years old.
Crepe
Aquarium Advice Addict
ares said:
I have 6 of them and they are great fish. Very docile though. You need to buy them in a group of at least 3 or more to take stress off the fish. They hunt in packs. I personally feed mine live feeder fish but there are many things they will eat like raw chicken, steak, shrimp......etc. Great fish to look at but also they can be very scared sometimes so you need lots of hiding places for them. When you put them in the tank they should no be all bundled in a corner. There should be enou places for all of them to hide. But then once you feed them that is when they become a pack.
