# This is a Black I am clueless about



## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

Well I won't bombard you guys with all the ones I can't identify. But this one has stomped me since I purchaced it. I got it for $65 and it was 8 inches.. I never saw a piranha like it before, and the price was fair. It is a very hearty eater.. Eats shrimp, fedders, beefheart.... I have not been giving it the attention I should.. but it is growing... I would be very greatful for anyone that could tell me what species it is...


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

Can you get a direct side shot?


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## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

Yep... Give me untill monday evening... I won't have a camera untill then..... I have waited this long.. I can wait a few more days... any ideas would also be appreciated.. I have many piranhas, and have read many books, and surfed the web.. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this one.. It has a tremendous sliver shimmer.. My fiancee calles it sparkle...Curved up lip.. and in the pic the eyes appeared red.. but not when I look @ the fish.. I found that very strange..


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Looks like an Xingu or a HIgh Back also.. Most def a Rhom


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## Neoplasia (Feb 16, 2003)

Not sure how you'd get Xingu from those pics, Xingu is just a word attached that's supposed to mean a rhom from that river system, but could just as easily be used to make the sale.


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## B. Scott (Apr 24, 2003)

I bet spilopleura. Look at the caudal fin.

Spilos come in many different colors depending on locality.

Cheers,


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## Forked_Tongue (Feb 20, 2003)

i would sayt gold also


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I lightened the photos. Guess again .


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Doesnt look like any spilo i have ever seen

~Dj


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## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

I agree. I have golds, diamonds, and mendinia.... I could be wrong.. That's why I am posting, but I don't think it is a Spilo??? I is a pretty docile fish other than feeding.. Most of my spilo's chase the net when I clean the tank.. this fish just watched.. But eats an enormous amount of food. I have had it 7 months and it has grown 2 inches... I think that is good for a Serrasalmus species that size.

The way the bottom jar curves up is what confusess me the most.. I sure hope it is a piranha...


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> serrasalmus_collector Posted on Apr 26 2003, 07:13 AM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> I agree. I have golds, diamonds, and mendinia.... I could be wrong


 This is the inherent problem using common names on fishes. Dealers can place whatever name on a fish and doesn't mean anything to science classification.

When you say golds in pirana forums that almost certainly means; S. spilopleura. Diamonds can either be S. spilopleura CF or S. rhombeus variotype. Medinai is misused for S. spilopleura CF. Seriously doubt you have one in your collection because they are never (at least at the present time) imported. Usually, these medinai-types are also called ruby reds, or red-throats and other novelty names. Totally useless for positive id's.

As for feeding behavior, doesn't mean much either because fishes in captivity may vary their diet according to how much they get and what they get. So that does not help in ID either.


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## B. Scott (Apr 24, 2003)

Whoa there!!!!









Lighter pics definitely help. I am also working of a lap top.

See what happens when one attempts to ID species of such difficult fish as piranhas by fotos alone?

The result is often incorrect as in my case tonight with this species. I agree, not spilo.

Thanks to Frank for the improved pics!!


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Now you see why I hesitate on photos that are poorly made to give a _positive ID _ on these group of fishes, especially when it comes to S. rhombeus which are extremely polymorphic.


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## B. Scott (Apr 24, 2003)

Understood completely sir.

S. rhombeus polymorphism is an understatement for that complex. UUGG the possabilities.


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## serrasalmus_collector (Mar 9, 2003)

My mendinia was identified. Sorry for not being more accurated. I have a diamond of the spilo/complex. My mendinia resembles the fish alot but is longer and more compressed, simular to elongotis but not quite as slender. The fish has a curved up lower jaw like the the one in this picture, and yellow eyes. The person who identified it, sayed the yellow eyes, and body compression were characteristics of this fish. If you would like a pic. I can get you one. I have a few contacts that lead directly to South American... Looks like when I started collection Piranha and showed them to a friend of mine.. I never realized she traveled so much to Various countries....... 
That brings one more question I have... Don't consider me stupid.. I truely don't know. Are there 2 species of piranhas in Africa. I have been told of them by several different people. Once says they can get them for me, but will cost over a grand. The fish were discribbed as being pitch black with Blue lips and teeth like a gopher... I haven't found anything on the internet to match this discription....The person saw my fish and said I had nothing that even remotely resembled this fish... They kept telling me about the protruding teeth.. Let me know if such a fish excists, and if you can I legally have it in Michigan???


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> serrasalmus_collector Posted on Apr 26 2003, 07:41 AM .....My mendinia was identified. Sorry for not being more accurated. I have a diamond of the spilo/complex. My mendinia resembles the fish alot but is longer and more compressed, simular to elongotis but not quite as slender. The fish has a curved up lower jaw like the the one in this picture, and yellow eyes. The person who identified it, sayed the yellow eyes, and body compression were characteristics of this fish. If you would like a pic. I can get you one. I have a few contacts that lead directly to South American... Looks like when I started collection Piranha and showed them to a friend of mine.. I never realized she traveled so much to Various countries.......
> That brings one more question I have... Don't consider me stupid.. I truely don't know. Are there 2 species of piranhas in Africa. I have been told of them by several different people. Once says they can get them for me, but will cost over a grand. The fish were discribbed as being pitch black with Blue lips and teeth like a gopher... I haven't found anything on the internet to match this discription....The person saw my fish and said I had nothing that even remotely resembled this fish... They kept telling me about the protruding teeth.. Let me know if such a fish excists, and if you can I legally have it in Michigan???


A photo would be helpful. Yellow eyes is characteristic of S. medinai among other attributes. Knowing the collection point also would narrow down the ID because S. spilopleura is also found in the range of S. medinai.



> Don't consider me stupid.. I truely don't know. Are there 2 species of piranhas in Africa.


 I don't consider anyone stupid, simply misinformed. No piranas are not indigenous to Africa and if they are there, they were transplanted. They have a relative called Hydrocynus species (commonly known as tiger fishes) which are in the family Characidae which includes the piranas, but that is as far as the relationship is.

They are predators with some very nasty teeth.

See below:


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