# Hard to Handle



## LouiCypher (Mar 10, 2003)

I need to know how you guys inspect the teeth on you RB's. Do you just pick em on up and ask it to say ahh?


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

i don't ...i know they have nasty teeth by the bite marks they leave on there food


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Depending on how big your Ps and how/if they're still skittish, turn on the lights, lay low and check 'em out when they swim by. My Ps went past the stage of being skittish before, so I had no prob having a staring contest with 'em.


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## LouiCypher (Mar 10, 2003)

Nobody picks em up or anything


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## rosecityrhom (Feb 3, 2003)

I never have held my piranhas with my hand and probably never will. Not worth the risk IMO...not to mention the stress you're causing the piranha.


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## KIKI (Mar 20, 2003)

rosecityrhom said:


> I never have held my piranhas with my hand and probably never will. Not worth the risk IMO...not to mention the stress you're causing the piranha.


 true


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I would make sure not to do it very high off the ground, that way if you drop them it shouldnt kill them

hold them with a soft cloth and use tweezers to gently pull the gums back, I hope you arent going to cut the lips though are you?


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## Petzl88 (Feb 5, 2003)

Don't ever attempt to handle your piranhas. Not only will you probably get a nasty bite, but they'd rather be in the water without your hands on them.

Just take a look through the glass at their teeth. If you want to see how sharp they are, get a mounted Piranha off of Ebay. Do a search and it will pop up. They cut the lips off of the mounted piranhas so that you can see how sharp their teeth are.

That is all the inspecting I'd do if I were you.


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## RHOMKILLA (Feb 22, 2003)

Trust me the teeth are their. Unless your an oral surgeon or dentist and even then don't risk a bite and don't bring on unecessary stress on your fish. Chances are the fish would wind up on the floor possibly getting hurt or worse. They flap so vigorously that it would be very difficult to keep it from jumping off your hands.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I disected a 3" Cariba a few years back that died in shipping, its teeth were much much bigger than you would imagine, and yes sharp enough to cut you just be holding them to tight,

my fish scratch my glass with their teeth, so must be nearly as sharp as a diamond


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> I need to know how you guys inspect the teeth on you RB's. Do you just pick em on up and ask it to say ahh?


Here is some information for you on a technique I have used for over 30 years: Handling piranas

Always keep the fish moist as they dry out quickly. And if you wrap them in something make sure it is a wet towel and nothing dry.


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

Sir Nathan XXI said:


> I disected a 3" Cariba a few years back that died in shipping, its teeth were much much bigger than you would imagine, and yes sharp enough to cut you just be holding them to tight,
> 
> my fish scratch my glass with their teeth, so must be nearly as sharp as a diamond


The hardness of glass is 7. I wouldnt say they are as sharp as a diamond (which is 10) as many minerals are harder than 7 but that is still pretty darn hard and wouldnt wanna put my hand near it.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> QUOTE (Sir Nathan XXI @ Mar 19 2003, 10:55 PM)
> I disected a 3" Cariba a few years back that died in shipping, its teeth were much much bigger than you would imagine, and yes sharp enough to cut you just be holding them to tight,
> 
> my fish scratch my glass with their teeth, so must be nearly as sharp as a diamond





> The hardness of glass is 7. I wouldnt say they are as sharp as a diamond (which is 10) as many minerals are harder than 7 but that is still pretty darn hard and wouldnt wanna put my hand near it.


I find it interesting too, since I just tried to scratch some glass with a couple of dead specimens I have here and nothing happened. Even the large lower jaw of the Serrasalmus species I have did nothing. I must not have enough _bite_ power. But I did manage to break one of my specimens tooth off when pressed to hard. Not a mark on the glass.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I dont have anything else in my tank that could be scratching the glass, it was a new tank and they are right at the height the cariba swim at. They are at the two ends where the little hideouts are where they chase eachother out of, believe me the scratches are visible

its an all glass aquarium to so I doubt its cheap glass


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## Knifeman (Feb 3, 2003)

Could be from moving rocks or gravel Nate. I have never had piranhas scratch my glass either, but have scrathed it accidently myself while moving tanks or doing tank maintanance.

Even my acrylic tank doesn't have a mark on it on the inside, and there is a shoal of 11 piraya in there.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Sir Nathan XXI Posted on Mar 20 2003, 04:56 PM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> I dont have anything else in my tank that could be scratching the glass, it was a new tank and they are right at the height the cariba swim at. They are at the two ends where the little hideouts are where they chase eachother out of, believe me the scratches are visible
> 
> its an all glass aquarium to so I doubt its cheap glass


I don't see the connection with assuming something and seeing something actually done. The hard material of the teeth is composed of calcium, phosphorus, and other mineral salts. Hardly strong enough to scratch anything like the consistency of glass. It can however scratch your skin or in this case slice a nice gash-----but glass? Better think of something else than just assuming.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I dont have rocks near the front though, and the gravel would get flung up that high, what else could it be?


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

Sir Nathan XXI said:


> I dont have rocks near the front though, and the gravel would get flung up that high, what else could it be?


Its not teeth.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

Ill try to get pics of the scratches, they way they are shaped made me think teeth, guess not though


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Sir Nathan XXI Posted on Mar 20 2003, 05:45 PM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ill try to get pics of the scratches, they way they are shaped made me think teeth, guess not though


 I see clouds formed in many shapes that appear like animals, or mountains carved by nature appearing as other things. Get my point?


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

yeah, not everything is as it appears

I measure the scratch it was just over 6.2 inches, to me its too long for gravel to have caused I know its hard to see in the pics but look right below the red line.


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

How exactly do you figure your piranahs made a scratch 6 inches long along the side of the tank??


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

they swim fast and slamming into it with an open mouth, it seems alot more logical than them pushing a rock that far with constant pressure, which is whats required to make a complete long scratch like whats in there


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I dont believe it. It could be a million things. Frank checked it out today and beyond a reasonable doubt he couldnt scratch glass with piranha teeth (and this is with a very large man exerting a lot of pressure) so what you claim is not possible....


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## Neoplasia (Feb 16, 2003)

Possible it could have been there for some time and never noticed. As has been said teeth are made of calcium and other minerals, not exactly the hardest materials around.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Neoplasia Posted on Mar 20 2003, 09:17 PM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Possible it could have been there for some time and never noticed. As has been said teeth are made of calcium and other minerals, not exactly the hardest materials around.


 And I might add before this is suggested by anyone, it does not include diamond minerals.


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## Neoplasia (Feb 16, 2003)

Unless you spring to have a diamond tooth! (Lenny from Simpsons)


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Unless you spring to have a diamond tooth! (Lenny from Simpsons)


 Funny







.


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## bozley (Mar 12, 2003)

cypher, I have enough problems just netting the quick devils. I don't think many fish can match their short-term energy level, or many animals for that matter.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

what else could have caused the scrapes then only things it could be is my fish or gravel, which is small and smooth, it is also about 2 inches above the gravel.

the scrapes are very even in pressure and fairly straight

I wanna know so I can avoid it, you would think snails could do it if they were brushed against the glass by my fish?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> I wanna know so I can avoid it, you would think snails could do it if they were brushed against the glass by my fish?


I know I will regret answering you, but snail shells are made almost basically from the same minerals as your teeth and the fishes teeth.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

darn, I just dont know what it could be then, it kinda pisses me off, well thanks for filling me in Frank


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Its not teeth, but you know that already from all the previous posts on this thread. Try your ring or who's ever ring cleaned that tank. Most likely happening. I'm done.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I am the only one and I dont wear jewelry, I am stumped as well.


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