# Piranha for sale in miami?



## PunkFish

i will start off by saying that I am not sure if this is the right section for posting this topic.

I was in Miami this past weekend for a wedding. While i was there i decided to check out some of the many pet shops and aquarium stores that are all over the city. I know that piranhas are illegal in florida, i am guessing because of people dumping the fish into lakes and canals, but i was amazed at how many stores were selling piranhas. i visited 10 stores 7 sold piranhas. they were labeled "assorted cichlids" , others just had a price tag, while others simply said "silver dollars". one of the places was "House of Fins" they actually had the most. how illegal is it to have piranhas or sell them? has anyone else seen this in other places?


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## eddyhead

they could of possibly been Pacu? i dont know much i live up in Ohio where all are legal, but i've read in some states where Piranhas are illegal some Pacu are? i dunno hopefully someone else has this answer or can correct me


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## Buckman

are you positive they were piranha? i thought this was a pretty big deal in states like florida.


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## PunkFish

fett529 said:


> are you positive they were piranha? i thought this was a pretty big deal in states like florida.


absolutely, they had a tank with 9 2-3" piranhas and they still had the spots. If it was any other fish they should have at least had a name, all they had was "assorted cichlids". i took two pictures but they really didn't come out to well.


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## Nick G

my buddy got nabbed in NYC, and he is a city employee, so they took it light on him, and he got the minimum fine... and it was still a 500 dollar fine.
and that was after a few reductions.

this is not a light fine for us regular joes. 
these stores are taking a huge risk.


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## Buckman

could they lose their license for that?


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## ChilDawg

I would imagine that they could, among other things, but I'd need to read the laws to be sure.


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## Buckman

i imagine they would be some pretty hefty fines considering the risks. piranhas, especially reds that will shoal, could destroy the ecosystems in warm water areas.


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## Dr. Giggles

I suggest you read this. Brandon actually got off easy considering the facts. ClickMe


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## armac

I lived near Miami for years, never seen a public fish store selling piranhas. I shipped mine in.

F/W Game and Wildlife is very active in Florida, I have to doubt your story.


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## PunkFish

armac said:


> I lived near Miami for years, never seen a public fish store selling piranhas. I shipped mine in.
> 
> F/W Game and Wildlife is very active in Florida, I have to doubt your story.


I know game and wildlife is very active in florida, especially around the keys for poaching. I went fishing in isla morada and was asked for my three day license by game and wildlife twice in 5 hours. i used to live in sweetwater. this is the first time i have gone back since i have moved. only reason I bring this up is because it shocked me that so many stores in that area were selling piranhas. pretty much all the stores were on dixie highway (US-1) near kendal.


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## midnightmadman

my buddy got nabbed in NYC, and he is a city employee, so they took it light on him, and he got the minimum fine... and it was still a 500 dollar fine.
and that was after a few reductions.

was he selling them or just had them in his house?


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## Nick G

midnightmadman said:


> my buddy got nabbed in NYC, and he is a city employee, so they took it light on him, and he got the minimum fine... and it was still a 500 dollar fine.
> and that was after a few reductions.
> 
> was he selling them or just had them in his house?


just had them in his house, 12 rbps.
and a terrantula that they took too, but he figured out that the terrantula wasnt illegal so he didnt get fined for that, but still never got it bac.


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## Coldfire

PunkFish said:


> are you positive they were piranha? i thought this was a pretty big deal in states like florida.


absolutely, they had a tank with 9 2-3" *piranhas and they still had the spots*. If it was any other fish they should have at least had a name, all they had was "assorted cichlids". i took two pictures but they really didn't come out to well.
[/quote]

I am sure those were Pacu. Smaller Pacu will also have spots, but a different spotting pattern. I have been to TONS of LFS around the South, and the only one that I have found to have piranha (reds & spilo/mac that I have personally seen) was in TN where piranha are legal to own.

I am 100% positive that 7 of 10 stores in FL would not have piranhas for sale. The only lake I know of that was genocided (if that is a word) because of a reproducing population of piranha was located in FL. The FL DNR does not play around when it comes to this fish, because it actually can survive in the local water ways.


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