# Red Belly Piranha Feeding And Growth



## Sylar_92

I was just wondering how big does the average RB piranha and how long does it take. Are there formula foods which promote growth and colour? All I have been feeding my piranhas recently were boiled shrimp, Hikari carnivorous food sticks and once a week I would feed them 1 large feeder comet.


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## Piranha_man

Sylar_92 said:


> I was just wondering how big does the average RB piranha and how long does it take. Are there formula foods which promote growth and colour? All I have been feeding my piranhas recently were boiled shrimp, Hikari carnivorous food sticks and once a week I would feed them 1 large feeder comet.


First of all... welcome to the hobby and to P-Fury!









Average growth for Pygos is 6-7 inches in the first half year or so... then an inch a year after that.
(I've seen Pygos grow faster than 1" per year with proper conditions...)

I'd skip the "boiled" shrimp, and feed only raw foods.
Your Hikari sticks are a good choice too.
Skip the comets also, as they have little to no nutritional value, inhibit growth and can transfer disease.

p.s. Adequate water changes is also essential for proper growth, as they dillute the growth inhibitinig hormone "thiamese."


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## BRUNER247

Rbp generally grow a 1" a month from 1"-6" or so, & roughly 1" per year after that.some rbp get bigger than others. Tilapia fillets,raw shrimp, krill, nightcrawlers,silversides, couple kinds of pellets. More variety the better I think.some say 12"-13" for grown rbp. But these are rare. IMO 7"-10" is more the average. GL


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## Johnny_Zanni

When you boil shrimp you kill the nurtients in it. The P's like it raw


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## Sacrifice

BRUNER247 said:


> Rbp generally grow a 1" a month from 1"-6" or so, & roughly 1" per year after that.some rbp get bigger than others. Tilapia fillets,raw shrimp, krill, nightcrawlers,silversides, couple kinds of pellets. More variety the better I think.some say 12"-13" for grown rbp. But these are rare. IMO 7"-10" is more the average. GL


Genius...just pure genius.


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## CLUSTER ONE

BRUNER247 said:


> Rbp generally grow a 1" a month from 1"-6" or so, & roughly 1" per year after that.some rbp get bigger than others. Tilapia fillets,raw shrimp, krill, nightcrawlers,silversides, couple kinds of pellets. More variety the better I think.some say 12"-13" for grown rbp. But these are rare. IMO 7"-10" is more the average. GL


Agreed. In their first year they ill probably reach around 6" with their fastest growth occuring when they are only a couple inches then it slows.

Vitamins liek vitachem and some colour enhancing pellets work for colour. If you want they to grow large you want a good sized tank, excellent filtration and water quality, a varied diet and most importantly time. P's can get to large sizes but those 12" reds, 16" rhoms and 22" pirayas are not just a couple years old. For any large fish its going to take plenty of time.


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## Sylar_92

Piranha_man said:


> I was just wondering how big does the average RB piranha and how long does it take. Are there formula foods which promote growth and colour? All I have been feeding my piranhas recently were boiled shrimp, Hikari carnivorous food sticks and once a week I would feed them 1 large feeder comet.


First of all... welcome to the hobby and to P-Fury!









Average growth for Pygos is 6-7 inches in the first half year or so... then an inch a year after that.
(I've seen Pygos grow faster than 1" per year with proper conditions...)

I'd skip the "boiled" shrimp, and feed only raw foods.
Your Hikari sticks are a good choice too.
Skip the comets also, as they have little to no nutritional value, inhibit growth and can transfer disease.

p.s. Adequate water changes is also essential for proper growth, as they dillute the growth inhibitinig hormone "thiamese."
[/quote]
Thanx for informing me of keeping shrimp raw, I thought cooking them would reduce the rate it decomposes in the water causing fogging. Also what would be a good live food replacement instead of goldies or comets?


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## Sacrifice

If you do decide to feed live, try to make it a fish that you've raised. Grab some guppies and let them breed, or some convict cichlids.


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## Piranha_man

In regards to the shrimp tainting the water by sitting in it...
If you're feeding properly, they should be hitting the food as soon as it hits the water.


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## BRUNER247

Nightcrawlers, leeches, bout any white fish. Convict take while to grow n usually only a bite size.tilapia be good feeder to raise n feed.


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