# Serrasalmus maculatus



## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

Hello Everyone,

Many of your knoew that I have an awesome mac coming in soon at 7 inches. Im going to be placing him in his own 55 gallon once i get him. Ive owner RBP and small rhoms in the past with plenty of other predatory species, im currently working with RBP's, Oscars, Pacus, Knifes and more and I want to make tihs guy feel at home. Has anyone kept this species and is willing to describe their personality and such? Any tips or suggestions on this species would be great. Any pictures of your Mac's and their setups would be greatly appreciated.

Heres my guy:


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

Here is my guy. As you can see he is very very aggressive. I had the fish for about 2 months before he came out of his shell. Since then he hasnt stopped trying to kill me through the glass. He is in a 55 gallon and is about 8 inches long. I plan on housing him in a 75 for life. I dont know if it is just my fish or what but it is very sensitive to water changes. Always use dechlor and make sure the temp is perfectly the same. I have had some close calls when I am being lazy while doing a water change. This is one fish I am not getting rid of!


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

That was a great reply, made me alot more eager to get my baby


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

yeah they are very agressive the moment i got mine in its tank it was a finger chaser you should be very happy with this fish they are very active


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

I have 2 one inch baby macs. They are doing very well with each other. My baby macs are very aggressive. I'll post pics later when I can figure how to work my sisters cam.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

SpeCiaLisT said:


> I have 2 one inch baby macs. They are doing very well with each other. My baby macs are very aggressive. I'll post pics later when I can figure how to work my sisters cam.










That would be awesome


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

View attachment 91645

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K..I got the 3 best pics that I took..out of like 132,244,637,639,454,068,542. These guys move way to fast for me to even take a pic.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

SpeCiaLisT said:


> View attachment 91645
> 
> View attachment 91646
> 
> ...


Looks great, what size tank is that? And what would you suggest me to keep this guy in by him self? I wouldnt want to put him in anything smaller than my 55g, sound good?


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

Its a 20 high for now. I'm planning to upgrade to a 50 or bigger. 55 or bigger would be good. Macs don't grow fast and they don't grow big either. I say 8 inch would probably be the biggest for a Mac.









I'll try to get better pics and close ups on my baby macs.


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

a 55 would be ideal for a mac







SpeCiaLisT they look great


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

KiLLeReDs-8 said:


> a 55 would be ideal for a mac :nod: SpeCiaLisT they look great


Thats what im going to put my guy in.


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## b_ack51 (Feb 11, 2003)

Landon said:


> a 55 would be ideal for a mac :nod: SpeCiaLisT they look great


Thats what im going to put my guy in.
[/quote]

A standard 55 gallon tank for your Mac will be good. At 12 inches, he should have enough room to turn around in. Chances are the fish will be shy at first. Try to make it a habit of just walking by the tank and being around the tank so he gets used to that outside presence. He could take a day, week, months to come out of his shell. You never know. I had a gold spilo that hid 24/7 and only came out when the tank lights were off, the rooms in the light were off, and when everyone left the room. He was a killer, just when he was by himself.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

b_ack51 said:


> a 55 would be ideal for a mac :nod: SpeCiaLisT they look great


Thats what im going to put my guy in.
[/quote]

A standard 55 gallon tank for your Mac will be good. At 12 inches, he should have enough room to turn around in. Chances are the fish will be shy at first. Try to make it a habit of just walking by the tank and being around the tank so he gets used to that outside presence. He could take a day, week, months to come out of his shell. You never know. I had a gold spilo that hid 24/7 and only came out when the tank lights were off, the rooms in the light were off, and when everyone left the room. He was a killer, just when he was by himself.
[/quote]
Ive been seeing the maximum size listed as 12" and 8" which is it?
http://www.piranha-fury.com/information/pr...php?cat=p&id=10


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

If thats what a mac looks like. Mine is not a mac for sure. I dont know where members get the facts from on this site cause I have a spilo and everyone tells me its a mac but looks nothing like yours. Mine is a lighter color and has a black strip in the middle of his tail.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=110467

Im pretty sure I have a mac, lol. Though whats the max size then? 8 inches or 12?


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

Landon said:


> http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=110467
> 
> Im pretty sure I have a mac, lol. Though whats the max size then? 8 inches or 12?


Im pretty sure yours is a mac too. Mine doesnt look nothing like yours though thats all im saying.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

gold spilo perhaps.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Slim said:


> If thats what a mac looks like. Mine is not a mac for sure. I dont know where members get the facts from on this site cause I have a spilo and everyone tells me its a mac but looks nothing like yours. Mine is a lighter color and has a black strip in the middle of his tail.


I agree, your fish is clearly a Serrasalmus spilopleura. Landon's (rchan11's) is clearly a Serrasalmus macalatus. It's all in the tail. Slim's fish has the black band in the middle of the tail with a clear edge on the end. They are both very nice specimens.








~Taylor~


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> If thats what a mac looks like. Mine is not a mac for sure. I dont know where members get the facts from on this site cause I have a spilo and everyone tells me its a mac but looks nothing like yours. Mine is a lighter color and has a black strip in the middle of his tail.


I agree, your fish is clearly a Serrasalmus spilopleura. Landon's (rchan11's) is clearly a Serrasalmus macalatus. It's all in the tail. Slim's fish has the black band in the middle of the tail with a clear edge on the end. They are both very nice specimens.








~Taylor~
[/quote]
Thanks, whats the max size though? 8 or 12"?


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

8 inches would be the max size that a mac could get. Macs and Spilos look alike, but the only way to tell is to look at the tail. Well heres William explaining the concepts of a Mac. http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=73979


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## focker (Jul 15, 2005)

theres my gold spilo, hes friends with the rpbs. i feed them raw salmon and they love it.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

SpeCiaLisT said:


> 8 inches would be the max size that a mac could get. Macs and Spilos look alike, but the only way to tell is to look at the tail. I think if you look at the head of a Spilo and a Mac they are shaped different. All the pictures I seen, the head of a mac looks more rounded than the spilo.


Thats what i thought, so the PFury Information center is wrong?


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

The PFury Information Center is right, 20 cm (8").


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

I dont know about the tail band because my mac has a black band most of the time on the end of his tail but about once as month or so he will have a clear edge. Whats that mean?


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

there is no humeral spot on any gold spilos ive seen not sure but this may be a way to tell check the pics no humeral on the fish that are supposed to be spilos but there is on the macs


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## clarence (Jun 8, 2004)

ive had my mac for a few months now, he is 5 inches and aggressive as hell. took him a few weeks to settle but he has a wicked personality now. when i bought him the shop thought he was a rhom, wouldnt swap him for nothin now.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Wow, almost everybody that has a mac/spilo really likes them and says they are aggressive. Do any of you believe one specie is generally is more aggressive than the other?
~Taylor~


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

Nope, it all depends on the fish itself.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

Are macs 'generally' aggressive piranha?


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Landon said:


> Are macs 'generally' aggressive piranha?


That's what I've heard from about 5 or so people. They claim they they are their most aggressive experience with a Serra. Just by looking around the forums, members seem to have really mean gold piranhas......
~Taylor~


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

My spilo was shy at first, just came out of his shell. He is crazy now. He attacks my finger outside the tank, my algeascraper, almost everything. its really crazy. RCHAN11 keeps telling me mine is a mac but it looks nothing like his mac at all i think.


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

My macs are breed piranhas. Aggressive piranhas can be different from another persons point of view. Some people would say aggressive piranhas are the ones that chase your finger, some people say piranhas are the ones that eat like krAzY when hungry. If the piranha is hungry then the piranha will eat aggressively. Basically piranhas are aggressive when hungry and people say that their piranha are aggressive when eating.


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

slim i think you got a spilo cause your fish looks nothing like mine but it looks awesome there is a difference in the tale and mine has a humeral spot i think most macs have humeral spots


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

KiLLeReDs-8 said:


> slim i think you got a spilo cause your fish looks nothing like mine but it looks awesome there is a difference in the tale and mine has a humeral spot


Ya mine dont have a humeral spot on it. I think some people just think they know so they tell people that to make themselves look good. Not trying to down on anyone at all, I bought it as a spilo from george and he sells both on his site. Doesnt make sense. Ya but mine looks nothing like yours.


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

if you got it from george it should be a spilo he knows his p's


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

KiLLeReDs-8 said:


> if you got it from george it should be a spilo he knows his p's


I know but some people call him a liar. I trust him.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Slim said:


> My spilo was shy at first, just came out of his shell. He is crazy now. He attacks my finger outside the tank, my algeascraper, almost everything. its really crazy. RCHAN11 keeps telling me mine is a mac but it looks nothing like his mac at all i think.


I don't recall calling your Serra a Mac, but again, I've nearly 5,000 posts and don't remember what I said half the time. Looking at your pics and the black band location, it's a Spilo. If the pic is not that clear, it's very hard to tell. Truthfully, I'm no expert, Frank is the man.


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## JD7.62 (Apr 7, 2005)

Do you guys think that the clear edge I get on my Mac occasionally just has to do with his growth?


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

rchan11 said:


> My spilo was shy at first, just came out of his shell. He is crazy now. He attacks my finger outside the tank, my algeascraper, almost everything. its really crazy. RCHAN11 keeps telling me mine is a mac but it looks nothing like his mac at all i think.


I don't recall calling your Serra a Mac, but again, I've nearly 5,000 posts and don't remember what I said half the time. Looking at your pics and the black band location, it's a Spilo. If the pic is not that clear, it's very hard to tell. Truthfully, I'm no expert, Frank is the man.
[/quote]

Ill have to ask frank then.
http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=108029

http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=110430
Here is where you said it rchan11


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## 50cent$13 (Jan 3, 2005)

I found them to be vare agressive, the best time I like to feed mine was at about dinner time. Everyday id rush home from work, pick up one specific fish from the fish store or sometimes found a toad or frog from the pond in my back yard, throw it in, turn off the lights and the light coming in from the window was enough to watch this guy go to action. Ripped things apart, i started getting spooked as he grew and i had to clean the tank.


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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

Yeah, I think its because of growth, but I have feelings that your fish tail will change in time. Post some pics so I can see them and see how its going.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Slim said:


> Here is where you said it rchan11


Now I've to edit that post


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

yes its from growth mine had it when i first saw it now it doesnt


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## kimmielz1 (Jan 24, 2006)

JD7.62 said:


> Here is my guy. As you can see he is very very aggressive. I had the fish for about 2 months before he came out of his shell. Since then he hasnt stopped trying to kill me through the glass. He is in a 55 gallon and is about 8 inches long. I plan on housing him in a 75 for life. I dont know if it is just my fish or what but it is very sensitive to water changes. Always use dechlor and make sure the temp is perfectly the same. I have had some close calls when I am being lazy while doing a water change. This is one fish I am not getting rid of!


What kind of fish is he? He looks awesome.


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

it is a maculatus piranha read the topic title


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

Cant wait to get this guy either, ill have him in about 10 days. This will be his official topic


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## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

View attachment 92025


From what every1 tells me is that I got a MAC... This one is a finger chaser, a siphon chaser, and one time the dude came after my hand when I tried to grab something from his corner he sits in. I love this P, I just wish they grew faster and bigger. So is it 12 max that they grow to? here is a pic from about a year ago...

Peace


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

8" max


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

rchan11 said:


> Here is where you said it rchan11


Now I've to edit that post








[/quote]

LOL thats a good one. I wasnt trying to call out just you alot of people keep telling me its a mac. I think judazz even did. But ive been looking at stuff and i have all the simularities of the spilo. You know what I mean.


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## B. Rodgers (Jan 20, 2005)

I love that Avatar, you pimp!


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

B. Rodgers said:


> I love that Avatar, you pimp!


Who?


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

Landon said:


> I love that Avatar, you pimp!


Who?
[/quote]

He was talking to me, and about my sig pic not my avavtar


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

Slim said:


> I love that Avatar, you pimp!


Who?
[/quote]

He was talking to me, and about my sig pic not my avavtar
[/quote]
Thought so


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

My baby will be shipped out tommorow!


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)




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## SpeCiaLisT (Aug 12, 2005)

I got better pics of my macs!









View attachment 92120

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You can check out my gallery link for some more pics.


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## t_rent8 (Dec 15, 2005)

they look like mini gangstas


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