# My New Rhom



## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

This first picture was taken of my rhom about a year ago. The second picture I will post was taken last week, the day after I got him. Notice the topline in the second picture, which is almost perfectly horizontal. This indicates that the rhom has lost a considerable amount of weight in the last year, but he is quickly putting it back on now.

I will post a picture of his "new look" in two or three months.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Wooey! fine, fine specimen indeed. What's this one about 15 inches or so? Nice John.


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

Here is the same fish now. He is still obviously a beautiful rhom, but I am working on putting some bulk back on him. Since he is the most aggressive eater I have ever owned with the exception of maybe Bubba, it really shouldn't take too long.

Uh oh...I just tried to post the new pic and the file is too big. Unfortunately, I am now beyond the scope of my computer nerd skills...or lack thereof. :veryangry:


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

Serrapygo said:


> Wooey! fine, fine specimen indeed. What's this one about 15 inches or so? Nice John.


Thanks Nick.

Yeah...about 15" give or take.


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## MPower (Jan 29, 2003)

Nice rhom Knifeman!!


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

I may have figured it out...I'll try again.

Btw MPower...thanks!


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## Black Piranha (Feb 1, 2003)

wow cant wait till mines like that, haha in about 20 years. hes only 5.5"


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## JEARBEAR (Jan 30, 2003)

Im jealious, One nice fish.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Wow he is skinny. I have the utmost faith you will fatten him up John.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

This is one of the most active piranhas I have ever seen, it is more active than my Elongatus and Medinai, which I thought were very active, until I saw this monster


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

wowser beautiful rhom! knife.does it have a name?


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

thePACK said:


> wowser


:laughlong: :laughlong: :laughlong: 
That's childhood memory!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Wow, that is an amazing difference.


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## fishman2 (Nov 27, 2002)

Didn't know this was also being posted here







.

Ok got this from a friend of mine: Fats nominally should be less than 3%. Although carnivores can consume fats up to 6%, a concentration of fats above 3% can be be harmful to the liver and reproductive organs of herbivores."

I understand the guy that sold you the fish said he kept his fish on low fat high protein. If that is true, then how does he still account for the loss of fat from the dorsal area?


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

The RHOM looks just sickly in the second picture.....I cant see how the diet it was on did any good.


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## AZ (Jan 3, 2003)

Dude it looks liek a gibbus i nthat second photo. That sh*t is tight.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

az tha kid said:


> Dude it looks liek a gibbus i nthat second photo. That sh*t is tight.


Drinking and posting don't mix!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Serrapygo said:


> az tha kid said:
> 
> 
> > Dude it looks liek a gibbus i nthat second photo. That sh*t is tight.
> ...


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## Piranha King (Nov 28, 2002)

the person he got the fish from takes long trips for work. also this fish is very active and burns a lot of calories. the fish eats like a hog there for it is not sick. i've seen it in person. it slammed 10 chunks of catfish fillets right in front of me. as all experienced piranha keepers know if a piranha eats, then the fish is fine. a sick piranha will not eat. i bought the other rhom of of the same person and mine is not as skinny. john's fish is just extremely active. these are the 2 nicest rhoms i've ever seen. they come up to the front of the tank to say hello, and they swim constantly. john's swims more than mine though. i don't know how jason got these 2 huge rhoms to act like such young fish. he did something right.
wes

edit i believe his name is slim grim.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

yeah, Wes and I were at Johns house and he fed it for us, I think it ate nearly 2 whole catfish fillets while we watched in less than 2 mins flat, that fish never stops swimming and eats like a hog, now you guys made me get the itch for one of these things, only if I had a job


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## fishman2 (Nov 27, 2002)

I got this from Frank when we talked about the fish through email last week, pasting it here (added a couple words I missed while pasting it, sorry):

"The fish appears atrophic, partly due to bad diet or worse starvation, in my opinion without actually seeing the fish in person. The coined term dorsum fat is often misused and probably can be attributed to my usage of it years ago when I attempted to describe the area above the cranial. It is muscle mass than actual fat since ichthyphagous fishes only consume a small percentage (6% less) which some of it is absorbed by the liver. Another reason why I suggest goldfish not be fed as a sole food source. Parasites are sometimes responsible for attacking this region from lack of proper vitamins, diet which also can create the same appearance."


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

thePACK said:


> wowser beautiful rhom! knife.does it have a name?


Sorry Pack, I forgot to answer your question.

We used to have another large rhom which my sons called Grim, which was short for the "Grim Reaper". Since this one looks like he was on the Slim Fast diet, my sons decided to call him Grim also, but this time short for "Slim Grim". :laugh:








Btw...for all of you skeptics out there, I am already beginning to notice a slight weight gain. It is not so much in the dorsum area, but it is obvious nonetheless.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

John, this guy is gonna give you one heck of food bill :laugh:


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## DrewBoOty (Nov 23, 2002)

nice, but thats more then 2 or 3 months of "not" being fed...try fatty foods as a substance of diet.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I think John knows how to nurse it back to health, he already had a weight gainer plan for it :nod:


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

You should post some update pics in a month or two and publicize your weight gainer diet so we can see if it worked.


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

fishman2 said:


> I got this from Frank when we talked about the fish through email last week, pasting it here (added a couple words I missed while pasting it, sorry):
> 
> "The fish appears atrophic, partly due to bad diet or worse starvation, in my opinion without actually seeing the fish in person. The coined term dorsum fat is often misused and probably can be attributed to my usage of it years ago when I attempted to describe the area above the cranial. It is muscle mass than actual fat since ichthyphagous fishes only consume a small percentage (6% less) which some of it is absorbed by the liver. Another reason why I suggest goldfish not be fed as a sole food source. Parasites are sometimes responsible for attacking this region from lack of proper vitamins, diet which also can create the same appearance."


As Frank stated, he has not actually seen the fish in person. I think if he (or others who have viewed that 2nd photo and are alarmed) had actually seen the fish himself, I believe the health of the fish would not be in question. I think maybe the lighting is causing the fish to appear much leaner than he actually is. Regardless though, I too feel as though the fish can benefit from some added bulk, but not necessarily just fat.

Frank sent me this via PM regarding the rhom:

*"Barring any parasitic abnomality, the dorsum should return to its normal parameter with proper diet and care within a few months. There is no set period of time, only patience and good care. This is not a long lasting effect and there is every possibility the fish will return to a more normal appearance".*

Hope this helps to put the skeptism regarding the fish's health to rest once and for all.


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

Xenon said:


> You should post some update pics in a month or two and publicize your weight gainer diet so we can see if it worked.


I will definitely post the new pictures in two or three months. I have no desire to be the exclusive owner of the world's only "Serrasalmus Rhombeus Anorexias". :laughlong:


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Knifeman said:


> "Serrasalmus Rhombeus Anorexias". :laughlong:


:laughlong: 
Wow, that bad boy would have the most horrific and terrible feeding frenzies, and regurgitate everything afterwards....


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