Red Belly Pirhanas AGAIN!!!!!

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juanveldez

helping big fish eat little fish everyday
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until recintly I have been content to think that many LFS wouldn't engage in a practice that to me is very disterbing. because many amazon fish look like juvinille pirhanas they will sell them as pirhanas to make a few bucks. there are many good books out there on the subject but one that I found is published by TFH publications and there the author not only has many good pictures to show you what is and what isn't but also includes the fact that pirhanas are very hard to breed in captivity. put what isn't well known is that Pacu is the indian word for pirhana. but with noticable differences to the mouth you can easily tell them apart. infact one store that I have gone to in the past sells fish that look exactly like pirhanas but aren't and is selling them ase red belly Pacus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just thought that I would give all of the pirhana lovers out there a little heads up and those that are hoping to get a pirhana just make sure that you learn everything there is to learn first. don't be taken in if there are any questions feel free to as I will always help as much as I can.
 
I am sorry, but I don't quite understand your point!!

Are you saying that the fish being sold as a red bellie pacu (Piaractus brachypomum) is not a red bellie pacu?

Please explain.

CM
 
Red Belly pacu;

Family: Serrasalimidae

Scientific name: Piaractus brachypomum



Any questions?

pacu4.jpg


CM
 
no my point is that there are fish such as the red belly pacu that are being sold as pirhanas. but I simply made the point that pacu being the local indian word for pirhana as a bit of back ground and usless knowlege as that is what I am known for I have more usless knowlege than any of my friends. just venting...... I just can't belive that there are people out there that would do that to a person that doesn't know what they are looking for.
 
I understand now!!!

I do agree!! There are unscrupulous retailers that will label fish with any name they think will get it to sell.

I just didn't understand in your post what you were trying to say.

As for your knowledge of "pacu being the indian word for pirahna" it is far from "useless"

Don't ever hesitate to post what you think here. We all like to vent at times and sometimes it leads to some very good conversations and debates.

That's what this board is all about!!

Keep on being passionate about the fish you like best!! That's what keeps the hobby going!!

CM
 
I can't blame the LFS's though entirely. In some places the importation o fthe Pirhana is restriced and so in order to get around that fact they mislable the fish or use indian names or scientific names or any combination of the both. see the comircial breeding of pirhanas is a problem because of the fact the difference between a male and female is not much. and the only way to know is when they spawn, and in captivity that really doesn't happen. I just wanted to give some people a heads up because I love my pirhanas and want others that want a new experince to get that chance.

but thanks for the encouragement it is something that I really appriciate!!!
 
Hate to be the spoiler but this statement is wrong...
"what isn't well known is that Pacu is the indian word for pirhana."

Piranha comes from Tupi-Guarani mix. The name means Pira= fish ranha = tooth.

Pacu is a localized name for a Brazilian fish and pertains to the fishes body shape. Suggest you look up OPEFE in your search engine (GOOGLE) that will tell you everything you want to know about piranhas and their current scientific names and what the native names mean etc. As for selling red-bellied pacus as piranhas, that is almost as old as the hobby itself LOL :)
 
"Family: Serrasalimidae" is outdated and not recognized by scientists anymore. The oldest and correct name is subfamily Serrasalminae. Gery screwed up the classifications of piranhas and pacus by placing Serrasalmidae is a family. Which included Gerry saying there was only 12 species of piranha in all of South America.

BTW, nice pic of a pacu!
 
Fishman2
Thank you for the useful and interesting information.
Satek
 

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