# 6 Piranha's



## sjoseph (Dec 31, 2008)

I have 6 red-belly's in a 65 gallon tank. They are about 2-3 inches now and are eating like crazy. I'm feeding them rosy minnows (which are pretty small and they eat about 15-20 per day), blood worms, beef heart, krill and brine shrimp. My questions is, how should I balance feeding them? They are currently eating the minnows like crazy and I'll also feed them either a cube of blood worms, beef heart, or brine shrimp at night, but usually after they have eaten some minnows. I would also like to get them into a larger tank sometime in the next year. What size aquarium would someone recommend in order to grow the 6 red belly's as large as they can and give them plenty of swimming room?


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Red Lightning said:


> I have 6 red-belly's in a 65 gallon tank. They are about 2-3 inches now and are eating like crazy. I'm feeding them rosy minnows (which are pretty small and they eat about 15-20 per day), blood worms, beef heart, krill and brine shrimp. My questions is, how should I balance feeding them? They are currently eating the minnows like crazy and I'll also feed them either a cube of blood worms, beef heart, or brine shrimp at night, but usually after they have eaten some minnows. I would also like to get them into a larger tank sometime in the next year. What size aquarium would someone recommend in order to grow the 6 red belly's as large as they can and give them plenty of swimming room?


Minimum of 20 gal per Pygo rule.....So I would say a 150 gal min...220 gal would be Ideal IMO.....

Feeding wise-Thats all personal preference when it comes to that part-

Just remember a varied diet is best-So switch it up from time to time......Feed the beefheart only as a treat...Not good to feed it as a staple-

You pygo should be seeing multiple feeding daily at that size also........


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## Murphy18 (Oct 17, 2008)

Cut down on the minnows, or stop them altogether. Although the do prefer live food, they are not the healthiest option for your fish. Stick to things like shrimp krill bloodworms and white fish, mine love muscles also, pellets are very good as well. If you keep them on rosy's all there
life they are less likely to grow fully. For the tank size, i would say 100g or bigger would house them for life imo, i currently have 6 in 100g, i am more than happy with their progress.

Good luck and welcome.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Depends on your filtration and waterchange schedule mostly.

I'd rather see you put your 6 fish into a 100 gallon with awesome filtration and perform frequent water changes than if you tossed them into a 220 and with minimal attention to water parameters.

I have 11 pygos in a 150 gallon and they're healthier'n sh*t.
(I am meticulous about water quality too though.)


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## Pygo-joe (Jan 29, 2005)

Try feeding some market fresh or frozen raw shrimp, cod, tilapia, night crawlers, frozen silversides, frozen or dry krill. Maybe massivore sinking pellets, shrimp pellets, spirolina pellets, fresh peas, but try to stay away from the feeder fish, unless they've been treated for parasites over a period of time.


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## khmerboiRED (Jul 15, 2008)

i have 6 in a 125g tank and do 25% water change weekly. I mainly feed them Hikari Gold Pellets. Sometimes tilapia, and some guppies that i've raised as a treat.


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## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

You're diet is excellent except for the minnows and beefheart. Get rid of those. For 6 Reds you'll need something in the 120 range (I have a 48x24x24) to give them enough room. More is always better of coarse.


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## dschoter05 (Oct 14, 2008)

i have a 125 (72"x18"x22") they love the extra length. i love it cause they can really build up some crazy speed darting from 1 side of the tank to another.


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