# Baby Piranhas and a newbie



## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

I just purchased 5 1-1.5" red piranhas. I have a 29 gallon tank, now before anyone rips my head off the clerk told me..."5 will be fine in a tank that size because they will grow up together and their size will only reach 3" max" First off is he right in that my piranhas will be ok? and secondly when will piranhas be able to eat fish...they tail nip at the one feeder goldfish I got in there now, but I'm talking about the traditional vicious eating scene...will I get that out of 5 3" rbps?

any advice is appreciated greatly


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## weister42 (Apr 30, 2006)

5 red bellies will eventaully require a 120+ gallon tank if you don't want them to kill each other. As for food you can feed bloodworms? Never kept baby piranhas so I don't really know.


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

Kyle2154 said:


> I just purchased 5 1-1.5" red piranhas. I have a 29 gallon tank, now before anyone rips my head off the clerk told me..."5 will be fine in a tank that size because they will grow up together and their size will only reach 3" max" First off is he right in that my piranhas will be ok? and secondly when will piranhas be able to eat fish...they tail nip at the one feeder goldfish I got in there now, but I'm talking about the traditional vicious eating scene...will I get that out of 5 3" rbps?
> 
> any advice is appreciated greatly


He is dead wrong, a 29 gallon isn't big enough for one as they will grow to 9-11 inches. I wouldn't feed them feeders. Sounds like you are going to be disapointed, piranha are not as feirce as the media makes them out to be!


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

Wait...I'm not going to lie I bought piranhas because I figured...yeah I will feed them beef heart and little crap every day but yeah 3 or 4 times a month I could feed them a goldfish or some other fish...are you saying they won't eat/attack them?

Also, I would assume that as I become a piranha fanatic (I already look at them like 2 hours a day) I will upgrade my take to a 90+ but I don't think I would if I am just gonna have flake eating fish like every other fish in the world...I was hoping piranhas would be something different


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

Kyle2154 said:


> Wait...I'm not going to lie I bought piranhas because I figured...yeah I will feed them beef heart and little crap every day but yeah 3 or 4 times a month I could feed them a goldfish or some other fish...are you saying they won't eat/attack them?
> 
> Also, I would assume that as I become a piranha fanatic (I already look at them like 2 hours a day) I will upgrade my take to a 90+ but I don't think I would if I am just gonna have flake eating fish like every other fish in the world...I was hoping piranhas would be something different


They are in some sense agg. But not nearly as one would hope.... Most of them are skittish and run when you look at them..... If you want aggresive and that will attack anything in the tank get a red devil!


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

so yes they will grow to full size in this tank...ok gotcha...
I do have to say though that I am disappointed they will not eat live fish...I am gonna feed my piranhas bloodworms for now... but is there anything I can do to get them to eat live fish someday...at 3+" obviously
I mean should I feed them less so that they will have to be more dependent on eating live fish?

it seems sort of contradictory to hear..."you need a 120 gallon tank or they will kill eachother" which I agree with...but then someone else say "Hey buddy they are not that aggresive"


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

They will eat other fish when they are larger, although in the home tank it is not healthy unless you aurenteen them... Yes you will need a tank of 120 gallons or larger. Here is the best way to put it. You can fit 5 human babies in a bathroom with no complaints from them because they are small and it seems to be a lot of room for them, take that same bathroom and put 5 adults in it. Seemed cramped? Thats is how your p's are gonna feel and the aggression level will rise and you will lose piranhas to eachother.


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

From what I've read my piranhas should be around 3" in about 2-4 months...at which point I will either look for a new tank or look for new owners...

On the other hand at what length/age could I expect that when I drop in a <1.5" fish that my 5 piranhas will make a meal out of it? (assuming that possibly they have even gone 2 days+ without a feeding)


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## Fry (Oct 9, 2005)

In about another month if you feed them properly and keep your water conditions prime.gravel vacc 20%water 2x a week and add conditioner with proper dosage(make sure it removes chloramine and chlorine both). also try too keep the temp of the water same as in the tank.feed them 3x a day but not too much that they dont eat it all or too much.give them as much a variety as possible in their meals.example:morning-bloodworms afternoon-brineshrimp evenings-some decent quality fish flakes.


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

Alright thanks...

But it does suck that I'm gonna have to go out and get a 90+ tank...which means probably another filter and a bigger heater...not to mention I have no where to put it


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

Kyle2154 said:


> Alright thanks...
> 
> But it does suck that I'm gonna have to go out and get a 90+ tank...which means probably another filter and a bigger heater...not to mention I have no where to put it


That does suck. Mybe you need a different fish if you can't house them properly!


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## faebo_tarzan (Jun 5, 2005)

In such a small tank they will never grow full aquarium-size and they will probably be stunned in growth and deformed. If would sell them as fast as i could if I couldnt take care of them.


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

I wish the clerk would have told me all this...When will I need to buy the bigger tank by? I mean obviously now would be optimal but can I wait like 2 months or so?

Also...If 5 piranhas is unreasonable...could a 30 gallon hold 2? or possibly even 3? could the tank hold one black piranha...since black's have to be kept solo anyways would this be a better way to go?

I love these piranahas...I look at them all day and I want to take care of them properly


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

Kyle2154 said:


> I wish the clerk would have told me all this...When will I need to buy the bigger tank by? I mean obviously now would be optimal but can I wait like 2 months or so?
> 
> Also...If 5 piranhas is unreasonable...could a 30 gallon hold 2? or possibly even 3? could the tank hold one black piranha...since black's have to be kept solo anyways would this be a better way to go?
> 
> I love these piranahas...I look at them all day and I want to take care of them properly


It is good you want to house them prop... When you say 30 gallon are you refering to your 29? Anyway, to keep any amount of pygos for life you need atleast a 75 gallon for 3 specimen... Evan a 55 is too small for life. A rhom will also outgrow a 29 gallon. I would get a larger tank and your options are endless, as know you have very few options with the size tank you have....


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## CROSSHAIR223 (Jan 17, 2005)

Eventually you will need a 75 but you have time and I mean a good amount of time before you need something that big. If you can't afford the jump to 75 might I suggest looking into a 55? Cheaper and you will be able to hold them in a tank that size for quite a while. I've held more than what should be allowed in a 55 before jumping to another tank. I think it there tempermant depends alot on how and what you feed them. If you want them to grow really quick I would stick to LIVE bloodworms. When I was breeding them that was all I fed my little guys after they got off of vinegar eels and when the got to live bloodworms you could see them grow by the week.

If you're wanting more aggressive p's I would make sure the tank is in a spot of high traffic where they are around people moving all the time, especially when young. They will get used to people and are more likely to not be as skittish. Once they get bigger too, around the 4-5 inch mark you can have a little bit of fun by starving them and watching there behavior. When they start to get real aggressive towards one another then put in a feeder, or actually more than one. I've had them be hungry enough that with one feeder for all to focus on the probability of them hitting each other is higher. Through in a small group of feeders and hopefully you'll have a little feeding frenzy to view


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## Kyle2154 (May 12, 2006)

excellent, thanks man...Will they grow to 4-5 inches in this tank??? and if so how long will it take? I read that they will grow to about 3" in 3 months, at which point feeders can become part of the diet! How long can I keep these guys in the 30 gallon before I run into problems. I mean if I wait like 10 months and then move them to a 75+ gallon would they start growing again? Again, I plan on giving 2 to a friend when they get...oh say...3" and only keeping 3 of them permanatly and not adding more until the 75 gallon comes







but that might not be for awhile


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## Guest (May 13, 2006)

Frozen Mysis is your friend...trust me


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