# Tell Me About Your Rhom, Past Or Present



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

I would like the previous or current Rhom owners to tell me about their fish. What tank was he in, what problems did you have, what was he like, how often did he eat. What was his growth like and his personallity. Everyone seems to really like these fish and I don't really know why. So some info on them would be cool.

Thanks P-Fury


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

13" diamond... when he was in a small tank he remained pretty much motionless unless i fed him. Then i put him in my 180 with a few powerhead's and insane flow and he went from sitting around all day to a shark who would slowly cruise the tank in a figure 8, most impressive thing to watch. He grew a bit in height and a stitch of length when i had him but a decent amount of girth and overall weight. I don't keep my piranhas on a feeding sheduul so i wouldn't know when or what i was feeding but probably 3 times a week sometimes more sometimes less... I just tossed some pellets or fish filets in there every now and then when i felt like he was hungry or i wanted to watch him eat... Never had a problem with the fish he was amazing never went of food never skittish, took a while for him to come out of his shell and swim around but i think it was the tank size since he swam from day 1 in the 180.


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## MPG (Mar 14, 2010)

Got my rhom from ksls @ 5" or so probably 6-8 mos ago. Measured him during the move(a month ago) at 6.5" give or take. I was told he was brought up on feeders by the original owner and ksls just finally had gotten him to take prepped foods. I tried for weeks to get him to eat initially..Shrimp/Tilapia/Mealworms/pellets/etc. Wouldn't take anything. After about two weeks he finally ate. He would take about 2-3 0.5"x0.5" cubes of tilapia every other day and would be very skittish doing so. He wasn't skittish at all once he settled in though. He wasn't a finger chaser by any means.

Fast forward to now. He DEVOURS any white fish I throw in. He eats 6-8 1"x1" pieces of tilapia every 2-3 days. (more then double he used to eat) Lately,everytime I walk by the tank I wiggle my fingers in front of him and he has been starting to chase them.

At night, he is fearless. Anytime I walk by or put my fingers up to the tank he goes into full chase mode. I guess he hates light (I don't even have lights over his tank, just room light above it). He has some nice coloration to him and he has eyes redder then most rhoms I see.

My plans are to make his tank (which is bare except gravel) into a heavily planted tank. Right now he resides in a 55g.

All in all, I would never give my rhom up.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks guys, people really seem to like these fish, seem to be one of the more popular fish. That's why I was wanting some stories on current owners. I don't really know what the fish is like since I have never owned one and only seen a live one twice an only for a little while. I'm sort of thinking about getting one. Not soon, I need to figure out how to get the tank thing down and make sure i'm good with that. I like the blue diamond ones or the black ones with the gold flake. I hear there is no way to know what coloration your fish will get though.  So i guess that's a shot in the dark lol. I hope I get some more stories on these guys. Thanks for your reply


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

RedBelly11 said:


> Thanks guys, people really seem to like these fish, seem to be one of the more popular fish. That's why I was wanting some stories on current owners. I don't really know what the fish is like since I have never owned one and only seen a live one twice an only for a little while. I'm sort of thinking about getting one. Not soon, I need to figure out how to get the tank thing down and make sure i'm good with that. I like the *blue diamond ones or the black ones with the gold flake*. I hear there is no way to know what coloration your fish will get though. So i guess that's a shot in the dark lol. I hope I get some more stories on these guys. Thanks for your reply


purple, blue, gold, green, turquoise, magenta, rainbow, invisible.... all b.s names to jack a fishes price up there are diamonds marbles and blacks the rest comes down to diet, lighting and its surroundings.

If you want a diamond buy a big one thats really the only way to guarantee the rhom is a diamond.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

What is the diff in the types? I hear a rhom is a rhom is a rhom, all the other stuff you can't promise. So what does a diamond mean, or a marbled? Also if color comes down to diet and lighting can you manipulate the lighting to get the colors you want or is there no way to tell how it will turn out? Also if you buy a 11"er that is gold, with the new tank, diet, an light will his color change or lose the gold? I don't know much at all about this type of fish would like to learn before I get around to buying one


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

this is the standard jet black rhom... can range from grey to black with no scales that reflect or look glittery














This is my diamond rhom you can tell by the obvious glittery scales they range in hue depending on the surroundings







This is a marlbe rhom you can tell by the pattern how it goes from light to dark and is splotchy 








what i meant by colour was how people say they have a blue diamond rhom... vs a normal diamond its the same fish just different lighting giving it a different hue also the surroundings of a rhom greatly affect the colour of the fish... you cannot make a jet black rhom a diamond nor a diamond a marble or anything like that...

all small rhoms its hard to tell if not impossible what they will turn into also its almost impossible to grow them to monstrous sizes... if you want a rhom go big or go home IMO


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## WorldBelow07 (Dec 16, 2004)

I had a nice 8-9" Rhom back in the day. Favorite piranha I ever owned hands down! He was never shy and he used to chase my finger all the time! I usually fed him market shrimp or fish filets. heres a quick pic.


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

A rhom is a rhom.... 
"diamond rhoms" are just a common name given to describe the body shape (which is rhomboïd in all rhoms, hence the name) or the glittery scales.

There are a lot of geographical populations and some appear a little different from others, however attaching names to it is just something usually done to raise price imo.

I used to have a rhom for a while. He looked a little similar to the dried specimens in my locker : never moving and pretty boring to look at








He was about 6" in a 200 litres tank, fed on feeders, tilapia, shrimps, squid and mussles.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

bob351 said:


> what i meant by colour was how people say they have a blue diamond rhom... vs a normal diamond its the same fish just different lighting giving it a different hue also the surroundings of a rhom greatly affect the colour of the fish... you cannot make a jet black rhom a diamond nor a diamond a marble or anything like that...
> 
> all small rhoms its hard to tell if not impossible what they will turn into also its almost impossible to grow them to monstrous sizes... if you want a rhom go big or go home IMO


I'm not big on all the "(insert color here) diamond" names that people use but some rhoms definitely show some crazy colors regardless of the decor or lighting in the tank. I don't call my rhom a "blue diamond rhom" but it has blue and purple scales all over it's body and it's always had them regardless of lighting and tank decor -- the tank has had play sand, natural gravel, Turface, black Eco Complete, and white pool filter sand, it's also had 6,500k T8 fluorescent, 10,000k T5, 4,000k incandescent, and some other types of lighting -- the only thing that has ever changed is his background color has gotten a bit lighter or darker depending on substrate.

Have the names used to describe these fish gotten kind of ridiculous? Yes... but that doesn't mean that they all look the same.


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

The way I see it, some have a glittering effect and some don't. My "Guyana" rhom has always had tendency to have a blueish purple hue to him though its difficult to photograph. However, I've seen pictures here of many Guyana's that don't share this trait at all...could be the difficulty to get it on camera, but I tend to think that it more so has to do with how varied this species is. 
If I were even to contemplate selling him, would I do it listing him as a "blue diamond Guyana" rhom? Nope.

To the OP
Serrasalmus rhombeus has always been my overall favorite species...Might have to do with how long it took me to get my first one. But if I could only have one piranha, it would be a rhombeus.


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## Red Sox Fanatic (Jun 13, 2011)

You can bet when i decide to get rid of my pygo's i am getting a rhom !!!!


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> what i meant by colour was how people say they have a blue diamond rhom... vs a normal diamond its the same fish just different lighting giving it a different hue also the surroundings of a rhom greatly affect the colour of the fish... you cannot make a jet black rhom a diamond nor a diamond a marble or anything like that...
> 
> all small rhoms its hard to tell if not impossible what they will turn into also its almost impossible to grow them to monstrous sizes... if you want a rhom go big or go home IMO


I'm not big on all the "(insert color here) diamond" names that people use but some rhoms definitely show some crazy colors regardless of the decor or lighting in the tank. I don't call my rhom a "blue diamond rhom" but it has blue and purple scales all over it's body and it's always had them regardless of lighting and tank decor -- the tank has had play sand, natural gravel, Turface, black Eco Complete, and white pool filter sand, it's also had 6,500k T8 fluorescent, 10,000k T5, 4,000k incandescent, and some other types of lighting -- the only thing that has ever changed is his background color has gotten a bit lighter or darker depending on substrate.

Have the names used to describe these fish gotten kind of ridiculous? Yes... but that doesn't mean that they all look the same.
[/quote]
yes i agree just like the non diamond rhoms can vary from jet black to light grey... the names just piss me off to no end esp when people have a 4" rhom they are calling a purple diamond rhom


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## Nzac (Oct 13, 2010)

peaceful killers.

Been hooked on them peaceful killers for 20 years myself, not as amusing to watch as a shoal of pygos. Just a single fish patrolling whats his until something comes into his place.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Well thanks for all the info. I'm thinking a little more serious on getting one. I'm trying to decide If I should get two terns, or go ahead an get a Rhom. I hear they're always around though so maybe I should do the terns while they are available. An worry about a rhom later down the road


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## s4awd (Mar 28, 2011)

I have a 3 inch and an 8 inch. I love them both but they can be quite boring. I have live plants in both tanks to keep things interesting to look at but mostly I put in a pellet or two for the little guy in the morning and a chunk of tilapia for the big guy in teh evening.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

That's a nice fish world. So if i got one I would probably buy one that was already around or above the 10" mark, only because they take so long to grow out. If I get one at this stage in it's life will the colors be pretty much set in or can they still change. I mean obviously if it's going to have the diamond look or not will be set in, but the hugh of the fish like the blue or gold colors, will that be set or is it still subject to change?


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

the hue can change some show more blue or gold than others but i have had my rhom go from a gold belly and silver flecks as seen in those pics to dark grey with goldish flecks in a dark tank with black sand and background


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

I'm really wanting one now. I like the 120g because it's 24" wide. But only 48" long probably wouldn't be good for them. So do I need to look into a 180g?


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

depends on how big the rhom is the bigger the better

a 24" wide 120 can work but obviously the 180 is better

giving them space to swim is worth it imo or they tend to stick in one spot when they are bigger... like i said in a 90g my rhom would not move when he got his upgrade to the 180 he was all over the place from day 1 and always cruised around like a shark


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

I'm looking around the 10" mark give or take 1"


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I prefer growing them out. I bought my rhom @ the 4" mark. He never hid ever, unless I was doing a water change.

But that was only sometimes.. The other times, he was looking at my hand sideways. He was in a planted tank, with medium/high lighting.

I never saw my fish hide from the light, in fact, it was the opposite. He got more active in the light, and would cruise the tank more with it on.

Now that I'm about to pull the trigger on a 180g, I wish I would have never sold him.. I miss him.

The pic doesn't do him justice, he was almost black, with a bluish purple sheen. Very killer looking. He tore up nightcrawlers and silversides. They were his favorite.

I have kept many pygos over the years, but once I bought my first serra, I don't know, I just prefer them now. Won't buy any pygos anymore. Serras are just way better looking in my opinion, and I love their personalities.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Yeah but doesn't it take years to grow them out? Like 1" a year so if you get them at 4" then 7 years to grow to the 10-11" mark. All my fish are smaller I would like a bigger fish. I have a Gibbus I got at 4.5" he will grow very slow also. He hides sometime when you turn on the light after I do any changes in the tank. It takes him a week or two to come around


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## Nzac (Oct 13, 2010)

I have heard the 1-2"/year thing over and over. from my own experience this is not always true. I had a rhom that I picked up in may last year at 5" when he passed from paint coming off the new gravel on march 1st, he was 8 1/2". I picked up a 3" rhom last november now he is 6 1/2". I picked up a 3/4" rhom in march, he is currently 3". This is just my experience and I will not comment on others experieces.

There is a reason I do not post much here, read daily but do not post much. Since I know it is coming, been here long enough to know, feel free to flame on.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

So you get better growth out of your fish, how often do you feed them and what? My Gibbus has grown about 1/2" an i have only had him a few months so I can see this. He does not eat that often though and any time I switch the tank around or do much he gets scared for a few days


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## Nzac (Oct 13, 2010)

daily to every other day, and as far as what I feed them crawlers, leeches, home bred convicts(well the last batch of cons are with my little guy), platies, guppies, crayfish, as well as frozen silversides, and walleye pieces occasionally, and a treat of beef heart once every month or two. the few of them that will actually eat them get pellets as well. I do feed my home raised foods a diet of mostly veggie flakes. And I try to not switch their homes around very often at all.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Most rhoms will get to 6" in the first year, so if you buy a 3-4" fish, having it reach 7" within a year isn't outside the realm of possibility. Some grow faster than others, but you can expect a pretty quick drop off in growth rate after that first year. I've had mine for 3 years, got him around 3-4" and he's now around 8" -- I feed mine once or twice a week and have ever since he settled in after I got him.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Yeah my Gibbus, which I hear is just like a rhom, only eats once every week and a half. I offer food more often he don't take it though. I try not to switch his tank around to much but have been having ammonia issues which most people know about on here and can't seem to figure out what is causing the ammonia in the tank. So stuff has been removed,moved, and put in the tank. Still freakin high!!!!


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

If you set up a constant water changing system you can get good growth rates... if you read the rhom page on opefe it talks about how a zoo got amazing growth and size out of a captive raised rhom


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

How does the constant water change system work? I have read about that before and wanted to give it a try. Just don't know anything about them


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

basically it's a system that constantly adds fresh water into your tank at certain gallon/hr rate and on the tank (or on the sump) there's an overflow system that drains extra water out of your tank.
depends on your water you may need to have a system to treat water prior adding them into your tank. do a search on DIY water change system and you should find tons of info on it, MFK has some good info on this kind of system as well.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

NIce, What do you think a DIY system like this would cost? And is it adding tap water to the tank? If so I have chlorine in my water


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

depends on what equipment you end up using for pre-treating your water before adding to the tank. I haven't built one myself so I don't know how much it'll cost but do some search online and will give you an idea what you'll need and some threads may even have cost listed.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Well I tried the search thing on this page and it didn't do much for me, I'll have to search it out myself and see what I can find. I'll check online too.


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## Sanjo Eel (Aug 21, 2008)

Sarah the serra is pretty boring and used to hide in her rock cave all the time, but since I put a big powerhead in there she is becoming less shy. Now she hangs out more in the open, it's obvious she likes the current but she still isn't real active. Has a 75g all to herself. She will eat in front of you and occasionally swim around quickly to check you out but then it's back to her spot. 
Had her since last Nov. and she has put on almost an inch since then and is still losing her spots. She's around 6" or so. She eats pretty much whatever I put in the tank though. She will eat pellets also(at least she did when I got her, I haven't fed many recently)
I love this fish because when I got her from the lfs she was sick with fin fungus and whatnot, but she looks pretty awesome now. Boring fish overall but we'll see what happens in the next year or two, she's still showing some light spotting so she's still a youngin. I bet she will become more bold with time.


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