# Piranha and Plant



## Sacrifice (Sep 24, 2006)

Just a silly question but it was driving me crazy last night and I thought that I might ask how you guys deal with this. If you have a fully planted tank and a really active/aggressive P how do you go about doing any trimming or maintenence on your plants/tank? I know that with my reds I didnt worry cuz they always scattered when my hands were in the tank, but lately I've seen a lot of finger chasers on here and Im hoping to get lucky and get one of those myself, but then how do you clean your tank?

Thanks


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

I never had any problems with my diamond rhoms nor the 16" that I had.. They just avoid you but I'd take it case by case with each fish.
Just be aware when you have hands in tank, my macs make me nervous when I am in there.


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## T-wag (May 21, 2009)

never been bitten...but my buddy had a elong attatch on to his arm wen grabbing left over food.
as for my compressus he does scare me wen im taking out left overs but never been bit


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

Ive yet to hear of someone getting bit by a P that didnt do something stupid like stick their finger in its mouth. Most incidents Ive heard of were just accidents like a flopping P on the floor and someone goes to pick it up and gets nipped. IF you are worried put in a divider clean one side, remove it, get the fish on the other side and do the same thing.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

If they are that agressive, i would put an egg crate divider in section it off when i trim. If the plants are really dense and you cant put a divider in without damaging plants then i would make a moveable egg crate box and move it around with my hand it it to do maitnence. Chances are though you wont fine a p that is at this level of agression that they would always go for your hand assuming they had plenty of space to run and hide.

Generally, as long as you dont corner any p's then you will be fine as they will just sim around you.


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## thedude8 (Oct 6, 2008)

When I had my manuelli in my 75 I would just stick my hand in the tank, even push him away with my hand. Only problem I had was he would sometimes kick up a lot of the plants I just planted so I started using an eggcrate to keep him on one side or the other.


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## wpviper (Jun 25, 2007)

I just got a 4 inch elong from our beloved aqua scape in my 75 gal and he tries to go after my hand when im planting I have to ack like im trying to atack him to scare him away but he will swim back soon


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## T-wag (May 21, 2009)

id saw unless u have a super super aggresive rhom....a elong is the only piranha u actully have to worry about actully swimming up and biting u


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## shiver905 (May 27, 2009)

I dont know how you guys do it. Plants get destroyed right away by my reds.
I put in fake plants in and i still see chunks missing.

Also, as every 1 says.
They dont really go on a feeding frenzy when a huge hand is in the tank. 
I gotta admit it trips me out at times.

But hey, 
How cool would a battle scar be?!!


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## wpviper (Jun 25, 2007)

there is plenty of scars on this site I dont know who it was posted last but he got bit in the palm of his hand moving the fish with a net lol


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## notoriouslyKEN (Jul 31, 2003)

I was arm deep in my 75 gallon today trimming some plants. If you aren't comfortable with that, there are aquascaping tools available that will allow you to do maintenance without sticking your hands in the water.

A google search for "aquascaping tools" turned up these tools here


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

keep one eye on the fish, the other on the plants. One time I scared my rhom, and it flew out of its hiding place towards me, and I pulled my arm out so fast that water went EVERYWHERE. Wife was pissed and glad at the same time.


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## wpviper (Jun 25, 2007)

I m going to get a long grabber to day not so much so I dont get bit but becauce my new planted tank is 2 feet deep and in my room and its hard to reach in and then you cant see to the bottom and I dont want water all over but I wont have to worry about getting bit


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

wpviper said:


> there is plenty of scars on this site I dont know who it was posted last but he got bit in the palm of his hand moving the fish with a net lol


 I think your thinkign of theizerman (probablly spelt that terrible, but if i remember correctly his name is Mike). The rhom also bit him after jumpinmg out of the net and out of instinct stuck his hand out to stop it.


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

I have a 9 in. BDR never a problem just keep an eye on them.


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