Piranhas

[Crab Paste]

Whilst I was at one the LFS on Sunday, I overheard one of the staff telling a customer that they had Piranhas for sale which he said are illegal, but they import them as Pacu. He said that the people who check them when they're imported can't really tell what they are because they are so small so they just let them go assuming they are Pacu. I went over and had a look and indeed the sign said Piranhas £6 each. You'd be forgiven for thinking they were regular tetras, maybe red eye (without the red eyes )

Is this a regular occurence amongst LFS's that I've missed or just this one shop cashing in on 'banned' fish? If something is banned then people will want it all the more, of course.

 

[CFC]

Pirahna are not illegal in the UK, the LFS guy was either winding someone up or lying about the fish to make it seem rarer and therefore worth more.

The only fish that are illegal to own here are those which come from countries with similar climates and could survive in our native waters, such as North American catfishes, Bass etc.

 

[Opcn]

It is however illegal to feed them live fish in the UK.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Surely you need some kind of license to own them though- what if a 6yr old kid gets hold of them?
There's a big difference in keeping fish that eat fish flakes, and ones that can eat you alive...

 

[CFC]

Nope, no license is needed to keep tropical species unless they are on the endangered species red list, though you must be 16 to purchase live pets in England.

There are no documented cases of pirahnas ever eating a live person, the worst injury you are likely to recieve from keeping pirahna is a nasty nip that might require a couple of stiches.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well maybe not eat you alive but they are capable of it...
I did once get ID'd for fish once(despite been now 20yrs old lol) but before then i had never even heard of it but then again, how many of you parents here has little children keeping fish or are under 16?; i realy do think there should be some kind of license for piranhas though as they can cause injury to the owner more than his/her wallet...

 

[CFC]

You are more likely to need medical treatment from being spiked by the pectoral fins of a large pleco which are covered with a bacterial slime that can cause immense pain than you are to be bitten by a captive pirahna. Pirahna are actually very shy nervous fish that hide in a corner just from being looked at and not the evil monsters they are made up to be in films and urban legends. I would certainly rather have my hands in a tank of pirahna than i would some of the more aggressive Central American Cichlids!!

 

[sunflower]

I've heard before that Pirahna arent that impressive to keep.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

You are more likely to need medical treatment from being spiked by the pectoral fins of a large pleco which are covered with a bacterial slime that can cause immense pain than you are to be bitten by a captive pirahna. Pirahna are actually very shy nervous fish that hide in a corner just from being looked at and not the evil monsters they are made up to be in films and urban legends. I would certainly rather have my hands in a tank of pirahna than i would some of the more aggressive Central American Cichlids!!

Thanks for the info never knew plecs could be so dangerous(turns around to see common plec in tank suspiciously sucking its way across the tank "Jaws" music turns on")...
I suppose then keeping piranhas could be quite disapointing for anyone expecting to see a gore fest everytime they try to feed them a feeder fish...

 

[CFC]

Most people who keep pirahna are very disapointed with their supposedly mega aggressive fish that huddle together in a group at the back of the tank and dart about in blind panic everytime someone looks into the tank They will eat feeder fish but its nothing like the ravenous explosive action you see on animal documentries.

On the other hand if you want to see pure aggressive feeding chuck a handfull of food into a tank of scats, these supposedly gentle herbivors gulp down frozen feeders faster than any other predatory fish ive owned!!

 

[Ben]

Ps are waaaaaay overated....dont like them IMO.

just another boring fish related to a neon

DD

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

(can you see the pic i drew ?)

 

[Ben]

DD

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Glad you like the inspired pic i drew

 

[Dubby]

Tokis, you're quite an artist m8...