# When Is It Not A Good Idea To Put Your Hands In The Piranha Tank?



## Tropicalfishauction (Jun 27, 2009)

When is it not a good idea to put your hands in the piranha tank? I am not afraid of the 1 to 3 inchers.


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

Its ALWAYS a good idea to put your hands in the piranha tank. It helps form an owner piranha bond.


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

No reason to be afraid at anytime I think. Just be cautious. 90% of the time the fish will just stampede to the other side of the tank.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I agree with zanni, I've never been afraid of any of my p's


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## impalass (Nov 20, 2009)

X2 Johnny_Zanni's answear. Good advice.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

At feeding time. Ask sick of Cichlid what a 3"-4" rbp can do to ya.


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## T-wag (May 21, 2009)

my black piranha jump out of the water at my hand once.....very unexpected and my hands were always in the tank with no problem.....just take per cautions....you will know if u have a piranha that is mean enough to bite u


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

my caribe almost took the tip of my finger once back in June during feeding time because I hand fed it


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## Tropicalfishauction (Jun 27, 2009)

balluupnetme said:


> my caribe almost took the tip of my finger once back in June during feeding time because I hand fed it


Wow that's crazy


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

yea he was around 6"


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## sick of chiclids (May 25, 2010)

BRUNER247 said:


> At feeding time. Ask sick of Cichlid what a 3"-4" rbp can do to ya.


They can do some damage. I'm still not afraid of my fish. Lol. I just don't hand feed any more.


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## Sacrifice (Sep 24, 2006)

Out of all the crazies







on this forum we only see a couple bites per year. So for the most part I believe that you're fine. But it never hurts to take a few precautions. Handing feeding is pretty much asking for it.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Unless you have some mean sob finger chaser you wont have a problem. Just be aware if your in an ally and trying to corner a dog dont be supprised if you get bit. Point is almost always will a p flee rather then fight if given a path of escape. Becasue of this i try to move my hanv in the tank by the front glass so they can easily go back and forth by the back glass without me being in the way and feeling threatened.


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## Onkiebonkie (Apr 5, 2010)

I almost got bit once by one of my caribes. I was emptying something into the water and washed the container after that. I felt a bump against my finger and instantly pulled back, realizing it was the upper lip of my piranha trying to bite.

I find that movement at the surface is very atractive to piranhas. Will atracked unwanted attention. When they see the whole arm in the water i don't think you will get attacked very soon. At least i could work on my tank without any problem.

I was a bit skittish to go in the water too at first. Just make sure you got an eye on them at all time!


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

Depends on the piranha. Would I stick my hand in my rhom's tank? Sure, as long as we're making eye contact and he's 6 feet away at the other end. lol. Seriously, don't be foolish...


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## TheCableGuy (Feb 22, 2005)

I don't put my hands in my elong or marginatus tank without a huge net as protection. 
My elong likes his corner and defends it well. I have to physically nudge him with the net to move and he immediately comes right back. And as fast as p's are, why would you take the chance?


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## TheSpaz13 (Apr 9, 2010)

I got a small sanchezi that I really don't want to get to close to and he's only in a 30 gal. Right now he chases fingers every now and then and when I clean the inside of the glass he's completely unafraid of the giant blue squeegee coming half an inch away from him. I tried to net him to get him away from his rock and he practically tried to attack me through the net. I keep him very well fed and as far away as I can when I'm in his tank...there's not really a question on whose tank it is anymore. The 3 reds I got re the exact opposite, the hide as soon as my pinky hits the water. It depends on the animal, some are more aggressive than others. Just remember they got teeth...lots and lots of them...oh yeah and they're sharp. Don't piss off the ones with a short fuse and your fine.

Feeding them before you put your hands in the tank was never really a terrible idea either tho...


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

I have never been overly nervous about plunging my hand in my piranha tanks, including the mixed pygo schoal, and 14" rhom I used to have.

But NOW.... I have one crazy ass sonofabitch 9" plus rhom that is off the charts nuts! and I am genuinley afraid to put my hand in the tank! I had a 20 inch dovii wich was pyscho and I'd pit this evil bastard against it any day!


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## howdy (Oct 25, 2010)

I agree it just depends on the particular fish. I've never thought twice about it, but that is with red bellies and they are pretty shy. Working with a planted tank it's pretty hard not to use your hands.


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## PiranhaMike661 (Jul 9, 2010)

Rough996 said:


> Depends on the piranha. Would I stick my hand in my rhom's tank? Sure, as long as we're making eye contact and he's 6 feet away at the other end. lol. Seriously, don't be foolish...
> 
> View attachment 197365
> 
> View attachment 197367


First of all, is that an old picture that everybody's seen, or am I gonna have to be the first to comment on it? That $hit is crazy. Mine haven't bitten me yet, or haven't even tried. I've had one rub on the side of my hand as I was fixin a plant, but that was maybe just him lettin me know he was there. Also, my rbps are only about 4 inches....I might be a little more cautious after they gain some more weight.


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## Hogdog (Feb 1, 2010)

My Marginatus is quite timid and not a finger chaser but when I have my hands in the tank he does 'stalk' my hand which is quite unnerving. I think it may be a territorial thing. I expect that I'll probably get bitten one day and I'm not looking forward to it.


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

PiranhaMike661 said:


> Depends on the piranha. Would I stick my hand in my rhom's tank? Sure, as long as we're making eye contact and he's 6 feet away at the other end. lol. Seriously, don't be foolish...
> 
> View attachment 197365
> 
> View attachment 197367


First of all, is that an old picture that everybody's seen, or am I gonna have to be the first to comment on it? That $hit is crazy. Mine haven't bitten me yet, or haven't even tried. I've had one rub on the side of my hand as I was fixin a plant, but that was maybe just him lettin me know he was there. Also, my rbps are only about 4 inches....I might be a little more cautious after they gain some more weight.
[/quote]

Yes... old photos. I found those attached to a story of some kid in IL, who was trying to catch his (I believe it was) 9 inch rhom as it fell out of a net. He caught it face down (obviously), but said the rhom never bit through, so those wounds are JUST from the sheer sharpness of the teeth and whatever velocity the fish had as it was falling. I think my 16" rhom could take off an entire finger with no problem. lol.

FYI, when I do maintenance in his tank, I put a large frog-catching net between us. I keep him on one side, do whatever cleaning I need to do, lift the net - he swims to the other side, I put it back between us, and finish the second half. He's VERY familiar with the routine and only gets aggitated if I've been in there longer than normal.


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## BuckeyeGuy777 (Oct 30, 2010)

howdy said:


> I agree it just depends on the particular fish. I've never thought twice about it, but that is with red bellies and they are pretty shy. Working with a planted tank it's pretty hard not to use your hands.


i agree...my RBP..they are fine...they swim to the other side...now my MAC...thats a different story


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