# feeding new piranha



## Aaronic (Apr 22, 2005)

I just got a new tank yesterday and treated the water and added one RBP later on that day. They pet store told me not to feed it for a few days but he looks hungy. I have 10 small feeder goldfish and a pack of frozen blood worms. What should I field him and how often? He is very small, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches.

Aaron


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## Genin (Feb 4, 2003)

i say put the feeder goldfish in and let him demolish all of them. after he is through with them start feeding him once a day. feed him a mix of bloodworms, shrimp, beefheart (only once in a while, very high in fat), smelt, & squid. That'll make your boy big in no time.


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## Dawgnutz (Mar 2, 2005)

Couple different things i would have done
1) Let the tank cycle first
2) Take out the goldfish right now. You will learn how bad they are for them
3) If feeder fish is a must try- guppies, mollies, convicts, or even ghost shrimp.
Diet) Bloodworms, redworms from baitstore, KRILL







, small pieces of tilapia,


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Dawgnutz said:


> Couple different things i would have done
> 1) Let the tank cycle first
> 2) Take out the goldfish right now. You will learn how bad they are for them
> 3) If feeder fish is a must try- guppies, mollies, convicts, or even ghost shrimp.
> ...


Exactly









Genin,
How can you not tell him that goldfish are bad for piranha? You are Team P-Fury man..
~Taylor~


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## GoJamieGo (Mar 18, 2005)

Get those goldfish out of there ASAP!!! Its bad enough you didnt cycle your tank first and having all those goldfish in there is going to spike your ammonia. Most juvenile RBP's accept pellets or flakes.... Tetra Bits are good. You can also give him little pieces of shrimp from the grocery store.
Welcome to the site!


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## king red belly (Apr 13, 2005)

who cared about the pet store they dont no anything feed it bloodworms!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## richiecarw (Apr 6, 2005)

he never once said the goldfish were in with the P!!!
he said he had ten and a pack of frozen blood worms what should he feed him and how often!

please read before u jump down the poor lads throat>

that aside i agree with every1 else dont feed the goldfish to the little guy the golfish has growth inhibiting hormones ie when the p eats it itll stunt his growth
not straight away obviously only if you feed him them all the time!
id feed him twice a day at that size try feeding him some frozen prawns (completely defrosted) my p's liked prawns at that size!


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## Dawgnutz (Mar 2, 2005)

richiecarw said:


> he never once said the goldfish were in with the P!!!
> he said he had ten and a pack of frozen blood worms what should he feed him and how often!
> 
> please read before u jump down the poor lads throat>
> ...


True I guess I miss read the post, none the less stay away from the goldfish


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## Aaronic (Apr 22, 2005)

Dawgnutz said:


> richiecarw said:
> 
> 
> > he never once said the goldfish were in with the P!!!
> ...


I now have 2 small RBP and 1 large 6" RBP in with a small Oscar. At first I did indeed but the 10 Goldfish in with the P's to keep them from eating each other. Right now I have about 4 of the feeders left as I have been feeding them beefheart and bloodworms which they eat right away. If I don't feed goldfish, which type of live fish can I feed them that is healthy for them? I don't mind feeding them beefheart and bloodworms but I would like them to eat live occasionally.

Thanks everyone for the replies

Aaron


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Do you know why not to feed goldfish to your piranha? Goldfish contain thiaminise (sp?) All of the fish in the goldfish family carry it, and it stunts your piranha's growth. Guppies are the way to go, because they are cheap, and don't contain it. Also, some members feed their piranha tetras. Yes, they are expensive, but also keep in mind that live fish should only be fed as treats once in a GREAT while.

I reccomend cutting live fish out of your piranha's diet, because the diet doesn't include treats, so that means they can still have a treat once in a while. I prefer neon tetras, because they are fast and your piranha will have to work for them.








~Taylor~


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## Aaronic (Apr 22, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> Do you know why not to feed goldfish to your piranha? Goldfish contain thiaminise (sp?) All of the fish in the goldfish family carry it, and it stunts your piranha's growth. Guppies are the way to go, because they are cheap, and don't contain it. Also, some members feed their piranha tetras. Yes, they are expensive, but also keep in mind that live fish should only be fed as treats once in a GREAT while.
> 
> I reccomend cutting live fish out of your piranha's diet, because the diet doesn't include treats, so that means they can still have a treat once in a while. I prefer neon tetras, because they are fast and your piranha will have to work for them.
> 
> ...


My LFS only had very very tiny guppies that my large piranha would eat 300 of and still be hungry. The only reasonably cheap feeder fish they had that wasn't a goldfish was minnows. I bought 20 of them but I don't want to feed them until I know that it is ok.

Thanks in advance,
Aaron


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Aaronic said:


> taylorhedrich said:
> 
> 
> > Do you know why not to feed goldfish to your piranha? Goldfish contain thiaminise (sp?) All of the fish in the goldfish family carry it, and it stunts your piranha's growth. Guppies are the way to go, because they are cheap, and don't contain it. Also, some members feed their piranha tetras. Yes, they are expensive, but also keep in mind that live fish should only be fed as treats once in a GREAT while.
> ...


I don't know what kind of minnows you are talking about. Rosy Reds are the most common minnow that a pet store would sell, but they also contain thiaminise (sp?) Like I said, I'd stay away from feeders altogether. If you are a believer that piranha DO need live fish in their diet, buy a 10 gallon tank, and use it as a quarantine tank. Quarantine the feeders for 4 weeks in it, and then when the 4 weeks are up, and you are sure that they are showing no symptoms of internal or external parasites, feed them to your piranha.
~Taylor~


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## Aaronic (Apr 22, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> Aaronic said:
> 
> 
> > taylorhedrich said:
> ...


How can I identify these Rosy Reds? If I bought minnows to avoid thiaminise and got it anyways with the minnows I am going to be mad.

Well all 4 fish seem to be liking the minnows anyways.

Aaron


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## Feeder_Phish (Apr 15, 2005)

minnows and goldfish belong to the same family cyprinidae so they both have thiaminise so you cant avoid thiaminise when feeding with minnows, guppies and convict are the way to go


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## CTREDBELLY (Apr 8, 2005)

get to ur LFS ASAP and buy some bio-spira and about 5 live plants to help the cycle.


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## spec-v (Feb 27, 2005)

How big is your tank?? just curious. I feed tadpoles as a treat my fish love them but I freeze them first


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## richiecarw (Apr 6, 2005)

where do you get tadpoles from?
do you go to your local pond or something?


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Aaronic said:


> got it anyways with the minnows I am going to be mad.
> 
> Well all 4 fish seem to be liking the minnows anyways.[snapback]998763[/snapback]​


An easy way to tell Cyprinids (a family of fish which contain Thiaminase: commonly used species are Goldfish, Koi, Minnows, Rosy Reds, Danio's and Barbs) apart from Characins (which don't contain it, and thus are suitable to feed) is by looking at the area between the dorsal and tail fin: Characins have an extra fin, the adipose or 'fatty' fin, Cyprinds don't (just compare a picture of a Tetra and a Barb/Danio).

And Cichlids and Livebearers (Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails), bot also suitable due to the absence of Thiaminase, are easy enough to recognize.


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