# Have any piranha owners been bitten by their fish?



## garritto (Feb 3, 2005)

I recently purchased 5 RBP's and am wondering if any owners out there have ever been bitten by their piranhas. I am not necessarily afraid of cleaning the tank (yet) but I know that when they get bigger they will have the serious potential of harming anything that ventures into their tank. I have tremendous respect for these animals and do not wish to ever have them afraid of me or hungry enough to attack, but I am still wary. How much should I be worrying when I put my hand in there???? Thanks for the help, a new piranha owner!


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

how big are they? every since they were about 1" when i got them my p's have been so afraid of me that when my hand goes in there theyll make every attempt to huddle together at the farthest point in the tank away. my new terns are a little bolder but i still dont think twice about puttin my hands into my tank. unless you have a very aggressive rhom, elong, etc then i wouldnt worry


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## bigpun (Oct 26, 2004)

I used to have a 2" irritan when i was scoping some dead feeders out of the tank he attacked my hand and actualy drew a little bit of blood.I had quit a few piranhas before but the irritan is the only one to ever get me!


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## KrazyCrusader (Oct 26, 2004)

My 6 Reds never bit me. Keep them well fed and no worries.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I was bit on the finger over 30 years ago. Required 3 stitches and the fish was 2 1/2 inches TL. It was purely an accident, I made the mistake of catching the fish with my hand when it bit through the net. Instinctive reaction on my part, but a dumb one at that. I didn't not feel any pain from the bite until my mother pointed out to me my hand was bloody.


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

Never been bitten, Just keep aware!


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## r0d1mus (Jul 5, 2004)

My p's are a bunch of wimps.... i wouldnt worry too much


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## garritto (Feb 3, 2005)

Thanks for the input. I will continue to respect my piranhas, and hopefully they will continue to respect my hand cleaning their tank!


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## Papagorgio (Mar 30, 2004)

I feed them well before I clean the tank. I just respect them no sudden movements and keep an eye on them. I have a long thick shaft too. So I can stick it in there without having to use my hand much. Unless I need to get in there and redecorate.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

hmm..do a search..you'll fine a few thread on members that have been bit..


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

thePACK said:


> hmm..do a search..you'll fine a few thread on members that have been bit..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yup there is a couple of pretty good pics of some of these bites too


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## french toast (May 2, 2003)

Been bitten several times but this one was the nastiest (7" red belly)










Just like Frank, it never arrived in the tank, always when holding them in the net


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## huntx7 (Nov 13, 2004)

Most piranhas are more scared of you, the main thing you should watch out is if you corner them and they feel threatened... just spend time infront of the tank to get to know your p's and they'll respect you as well. I feed mine about 20 minutes before I change their water, though.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> french toast Posted Today, 05:23 AM
> Been bitten several times but this one was the nastiest (7" red belly)
> Just like Frank, it never arrived in the tank, always when holding them in the net


Hi FT, don't the locals have a name for a fisherman that keeps getting bitten by pirana, I don't think the word is "unlucky"?


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## french toast (May 2, 2003)

Well... maybe a "stupid tourist" ?









Seriously speaking, that bite happened last year after a dinner in a very very nice restaurant







... That was a big mistake and I'm not proud of it







Bad thing is I don't feel anything anymore at the end of that finger









And how about yours Frank ? Please show us your old finger !


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Hey not much to look at, its well-healed after that incident. But will take a current photo of it and post it here. What can I say, I was trying to protect the fish from hitting the carpet.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Here you go (circa 1972 bite), now healed. Semi-circle is present if you look closely around the area I drew for emphasis:


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## necroxeon (Jan 21, 2005)

My reds ( all 9 of them get really scared when my hand is in the tank and they run and hide) but on the other hand my rhom is completely unafraid he doesnt move an inch when I work in the tank...never been bitten by him though..not yet


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## marky (Sep 4, 2004)

Damn thats gotta hurt! Mine were to scared to do sh*t !


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Actually, it was quite painless. Sort of like a paper cut or razor cut. It don't hurt at first.....but man oh man afterwards! Something I quickly learned not to do EVER AGAIN.


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## garritto (Feb 3, 2005)

Wow, I'm kinda scared of my piranhas now. But I guess I shouldn't be, because I havn't heard of anyone who has piranhas that actually bite from in the tank, only from the net. Thanks for the input, Garrett


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> garritto Posted Today, 02:02 PM
> Wow, I'm kinda scared of my piranhas now. But I guess I shouldn't be, because *I havn't heard of anyone who has piranhas that actually bite from in the tank*, only from the net. Thanks for the input, Garrett


There have been such cases of that. George S. Myers wrote about it in his Piranha Book about a collegue dangling his fingers. The fellow lost the tip of his finger.


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## One800Jonny (Oct 13, 2004)

your p's gotta be real comfortable for them to bite you, or just real mean. I got gold spilos which are agressive as hell, they arent afraid of fish triple their size, but are terrified of humans and they're a year and a half old. I think just like everyone says the longer you have em, the more territorial they become, so watch out when they're full grown.


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## necroxeon (Jan 21, 2005)

I know a guy who was just standing in front of his tank and piaya in the tank cornered him and scared him so he bit his tail off...

Joke moke but if they bite you ,it isnt their fault..its yours.....be careful and give them their space.


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## [email protected]° (Jun 16, 2004)

As almost everyone has pointed out most are quite skittish when a hand is in the tank.

My guys bug out, then run to the other side of the tank in a huddle when my hand goes in.

Keep them fed, and don't put your hand in if you have an open cut and you will be fine.

My GF cringes everytime I put my hand in... It cracks me up...


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## jiaguy (Jan 28, 2005)

Its been at least documented once that a Piranha bite resulted in a microbial infection (extremely rare) known as swimming pool granuloma, Frank can you tell me if the microbes form a sybiotic relationship with the piranha or are associated with it in anyway?


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Yorkshire's girlfriend lost the tip of her finger to one of his red bellies I believe I remember him saying. Good sport to have not murdered him I would say









I got bit by one of my reds when they were only about an inch big. I was being stupid and not really paying attention and grabbed a piece of decor a fish was hiding behind in the corner. My arm gave it nowhere to go and it bit my finger. The fish was too small to break skin so it was a lesson learned about not being stupid around unpredictable fish. My reds are ok now, it's when they don't move out of the way of my hand that I get worried and generally I wait for them to move before reaching at whatever I was going for. My rhom I don't really trust because he's pretty aggressive, but completely unpredictable. The one time I've had to put my hands in the tank to rearange the plants I removed him with a net and put him in a bucket.


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## Phtstrat (Sep 15, 2004)

I've never had any of mine even go after my finger, but I still wait for them to move out of the way before I stick my hand near them.

Reason is that I could imagine them biting my hand in a moment of panic when I start moving things around in the tank.


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## spawnie9600 (Nov 15, 2004)

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## mori0174 (Mar 31, 2004)

garritto said:


> Wow, I'm kinda scared of my piranhas now. But I guess I shouldn't be, because I havn't heard of anyone who has piranhas that actually bite from in the tank, only from the net. Thanks for the input, Garrett
> [snapback]879401[/snapback]​


my irritan tried to get me once, at least i think. I put my hand in and right away he arched up and darted at me. I pulled my hand out quick as he hit the surface of the water. Thats the closest ive ever been to getting bit. Now i have the irritan and an elong, separated in my 75 gal as a temporary situation. Both are really aggressive so i always keep my eye on them when my arm is in the tank.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

ive been charged at by my biggest red, but that was just because he got himself cornered. he was fine on one side of the tank. then ripped over to where i was, and took a run at my arm.

my tiger barbs non-stop 'attack' my hand and arm when i put it in. it feels like someones tickling my arm. and i look in, and there's 3-4 tiger barbs nibbling on me.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

french toast said:


> Been bitten several times but this one was the nastiest (7" red belly)
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Civic Disobedience said:


> As almost everyone has pointed out most are quite skittish when a hand is in the tank.
> 
> My guys bug out, then run to the other side of the tank in a huddle when my hand goes in.
> 
> ...


Yeah, it constantly reminds me of how the general public views piranha when I have a couple visitors over and one tells the other jokingly: "Hey, put your hand in there!" and they're both like "No wayyy!"
(I almost hate to burst their bubble!)


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## aburnzi (Apr 19, 2005)

NOT BEEN BIT YET, MINE JUST SITS BEHINED THE PUMP AND WAITS FOR ME TO FINISH...............LOL


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## cmsCheerFish (Dec 17, 2004)

one time a friend was drunk, pricked his finger on purpose, and my little 1" rbp definately nibbled on his index finger. he said it hurt, and i believe him, but it was pretty funny. ( not to disrespect the piranhas capabilities).


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## zrreber (Mar 8, 2005)

ive never been bittin but i have been slapped by the tail of mine as a warning to get the hell outa his home when i was taking out a plant


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

french that looks like one nasty bite


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## GoJamieGo (Mar 18, 2005)

I got bitten by a 3 inch rbp at the store. The rbp was netted out and put into a container and as the worker was attempting to net another rbp for me, the one in the container decided to jump out. I instinctively caught the fish with both hands and as I tried to hurry and put him back in the container he bit me on my right palm. I could feel his teeth sink in but it really didnt hurt that much. Luckily I didnt need to get any stiches but I still have a little scar to remind me to be careful.


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