Pirhana Info Please

[afireinside]

I'm thinking about getting a Pirahana, so here's my questions:
How big of a tank do they need? (My science teacher keeps his in a 20 gallon)
How big can they get?
What type of food do they need? (My scince teacher fed them goldfish)
What temp of water do they need.

Thnx

PS, Red Bellied Pirahna, forgot to mention that.

 

[Fish_Mike]

Well, Piranhas of that sort like to live in schools, 6 or more, so i'd say 90 gallons is good because they get to 1 foot.

Do NOT feed them goldfish. Because of the poor conditions most goldfish are kept in, eating the goldifhs could poison or at least sicken the fish. This doesn't always happen, but the fish are low on nutrients, and with the option of bloodworms and beefheart, at a slightly more expensive cost, there's no point of making living things suffer

They like a temp of 24-27*C (74-81*F)

HTH

 

[afireinside]

I thought Beef Heart had alot of fat and should only be used sparingly.

 

[Fish_Mike]

Hmm, i dunno with piranhas though as they do enjoy very meaty foods. Maybe feed them the beefheart and wait a day or two before feeding them again.

 

[afireinside]

Are you sure I can't just get one and put it in a 20 gallon? That's what my science teacher did, and it's still alive.

 

[Fella]

Are you sure I can't just get one and put it in a 20 gallon? That's what my science teacher did, and it's still alive.

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Just because something is alive doesn't mean it's thriving. You could live in a closet all your life if someone cleaned it out and dropped food in every day.

 

[Fish_Mike]

Well, i think one could be ok by itself, but not in a 20 gallon. A fish that reaches one foot in a tank that is 2 feet long won't be very happy, sorry.

 

[afireinside]

Ok then, what's the minimum tank size for one Pirahna?

 

[Fish_Mike]

I would probably say 55 gallons to give it room to swim. A 40 gallon long may also be alright. They are messy fish as you can imagine so basically relate piranhas to oscars in terms of size for tanks. Now that i think about it, 90 gall. may be to small for even 6.

 

[afireinside]

Good thing, at walmart, 55 gallons, only $100

 

[Dangerousdan]

For shoal of 6 you really want in region of 150Gallons to see the fish behave naturaly and florish in full colour.
Lots of people keep RBP as a single specimen, i have to say i personally think its not good practice. Most books or sources of information will tell you minimum shoal size should be 4 RBP. 2 keeped together normally ends in one bullying other, 3 keeped together ends with the 2 more dominants bullying the 3rd.
If you want just 1 piranha, then get a Serrasalmas Rhombeus (black piranha) or Serrasalmas Brandtii (white piranha). Though these and many other species of piranhas are becoming more readally avalible, i would do you home work first because they are relatively expensive but also get very big, Rhom's has been known to be avalible to buy at 18"!!!! also most Serrasalmas must be keeped alone in big tanks and will not tolerate any tank mates at all, and will probebly make a nice shape out of your arm or anything else you might be silly enough to put in there .

 

[afireinside]

Ya, but after i get my 90 or 100 gallon, I won't have much room left.

 

[ricardo]

i would do what your science teacher does

 

[Dangerousdan]

i would do what your science teacher does

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So if his science teacher keeped his kids locked in a cupboard would that be ok? Well they are alive and feed and watered, whats the difference?
Just because someone practices bad fish keeping... as the old saying goes "2 WRONGS DONT MAKE A RIGHT" !!!!