# what r these?



## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

i just saw two of these at my LFS that were being sold as brandtii. from the pics, you can easily tell they are not, esp. the shape of the head, quite round.

from process of elimination, the only thing i can think of is a denticulata variant, BUT, i have 6 denticulatas and these look different in many ways from my denticulatas, again the head is a little more round, smaller fins, among other things.

what does everyone think? something else? i almost thought macullipinis for a sec, but that would be a hell of a mistake to find there way herre.

pictures are not the greatest as the LFS's tank needed some windex.


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## TheCableGuy (Feb 22, 2005)

Another one for Frank


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

P. denticulata.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

i figured they must be, but i will say again, they look kinda diff from my 6. is this species found in more than 1 locality?

i'll prolly pick em up anyway, from process of elimination this is all i could think they could be as well. i'll take pics of em next to my 6 and you will be able to see subtle differences.

lol, i don't think the owner of my LFS is gonna be too happy he got dents when he bought em as brandtii...that's his fault for being unaware.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> primetime3wise Posted Today, 02:03 PM
> i figured they must be, but i will say again, they look kinda diff from my 6. *is this species found in more than 1 locality?*
> 
> i'll prolly pick em up anyway, from process of elimination this is all i could think they could be as well. i'll take pics of em next to my 6 and you will be able to see subtle differences.
> ...


Venezuela, Peru and Brazil, probably Bolivia too.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

ah cool i see they can be from diff localities which prolly acounts for the differences from mine.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Jaw shape may just be an abnormality. I've seen it before but won't help narrow down locality.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

they also seem to be much thicker, in the head, than mine.

lol. the distributor of these isn't far from me, buffalo, ny. if he was truly selling 4-5" brandtii, who are hard to find to begin with, for $25, well, um yeaahhh.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

here's some sort of comparison, not the best pictures though for contrasting the two. i did just pick up the two @ my LFS.

the differences are, the new (2) ones have rounder and thicker heads, larger eyes, darker in color, and body is less round than my 6 original.

anyway, great pick up for me. i find dents to be the best schoaling piranha, period, even schooling to a degree. Very active compared to pygos and much less skittish, as well.

i have em in a 55g still, 8 of em now (6 original ones plus 2 today), with a bunch of silver dollars, no losses and only mild fin nips.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I have always like dentics....never had the chance to keep them though. Hopefully one of these days. Personally I cant see the differences you are talking about...but I am sure you can see it easier in person. It is probably a local variant thing...kind of like nattereri.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

yeah i should have added that the diff's are much more observable in person. i don't mind, like you said it's a locality thing. what's funny is that some distributors, not naming anyone in particular, still think they may be brandtii, when the huge difference is so noticeable. i know some earlier books or studies misnamed them brandtiis, but i think a distributor should at least know they are not, esp. with how rare brandtiis are...$$$ difference.

they are cool though, with all the fish in the tank, w/ the silver dollars, no skittishness at all and VERY active. also they are by far the easiest to care for as they eat just about anything, fruit, seeds, of course carnivorous foods, and their main staple is flake food and cichlid pellets which i'm sure are more than enough to take care of their dietary needs.

one thing is i gonna get serious about their, harmless, encrusted parasites. ALL of them have it, but none of the silver dollars do, i guess it is quite common to the species. i got some prazipro, hopefully that will work

oh, and lastly, very importantly, you DON'T need a large tank at all! they are barely territorial, probably not at all from what i observe, and they stay small...6"!! i guess though their mild mannered behavior is somewhat of a turnoff compared to (all) other piranhas who are much more aggressive and territorial.

pt


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