# JUST SOME BASICS FOR KEEPING P'S



## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

i noticed we been getting some new people and there all mostly saying they got 55g or 75 and dont know what to put..dont know how big it grows..and what can i shoal..thought this would help out..again with piranhas its hit or miss you never know what your gona get..but i will explain each species has best

*single species group*
Altuvie's can be aggressive..ive seen some around 7-8'' must be kept alone..a 55g tanks is just fine for life..

black piranha..theres so many differents types..its just a matter of preference..my favorite is the high back..these grow pretty quick from 1 inch to 4 inches then really slow down big time..to maybe a half an inch to inch a year. if you have a small tank and just wana throw something in while you saving or cycling a new tank..these will work for awhile..but eventually if properlly cared for..they will need a minumum 75-90g tank...and maybe upwards of 180g since they can grow to upwards of 15''++ but that will take YEARS!!!

Brandti piranhas are very nice and agressive..i consider them the exotic version of piranhas cause of there looks..they can max out at 10-11'' and look like monsters are that size..a member on here has one at 10'' and its beautiful..they will require at least a 55g tank for life..but a 75g would be better..

Eigenmanni piranhs are also very beautiful..they remind me of bulldogs..short and stought..and very imtimidating..i wish i knew more on these has far has how big they grow..but i belive a 55g would be more the enough..these are also hardly if ever seen for sale..there rare..

gold piranhas also knowin has gold spilos can be quite beautiful when over 6'' they can max out at 12'' so a 75g will be needed..but most wont grow past 8-9'' in home aquariums its quite rare..so alot of people will house 1 in a 55g..alot of people will shoal these alot also say not too..its hit or miss..it all depends on the attitude of the spilos..you can try if you have a tank big enough..but dont be suprised if one or more go down..also alot of people complain that there spilos are boring and jsut sit there i read this alot bout spilos but dont let that scare you..there beautiful..

elongs..(aka devil piranhas)..lol these guys are mean plain and simple..dont care about there own mommas mean..very fast and darty..so they will require a tank no less then 90g they love long tanks..and can max out around 12'' and may eventually need a tank of 125 all to thems selves..they are also sensitive to water conditions so be sure your on your game when it comes to that..

irritan(my personal favorite)has mean has elongs are..i belive irritans are just that much more meaner..they max out at around 6.5''-7'' wich sucks i would love to see this beast around 12''..they will live very happy in a 55g tank for life...you will not go wrong with a irritan!!!

Manuelli is not for the regular piranha keeper..i belive this is for the TRUE piranha hobbiyst..there so gorgoues..and exotic looking..to house one at first a 75g minimum will do but keep in mind these guys can grow over 15'' some maybe even 20'' but i wouldnt count on one growing that big in a home tank..but none the less you will eventually need at least a 125 g tank for this guy..very very beautiful..also they are sensitive to water conditions has well...so again be on your game..

Purple Spilo or Red Spilo also knowin has Sanchezi these guy can max out around 6-7'' i belive and can be agresive finger chasers..the purple spilo is very beautiful and a 55g tank will be more then enough for this guy..

*pygos*

red belly piranhas..ive seen these guys at 15'' and there monsters!!..but in a home tank i belive you will be seeing no more then 12'' unless you have a huge tank..some say there boring and not agressive..but i belive the true beauty in this fish isnt its attitude its in its looks..once they reach around 7-8'' they turn dark and look very mean..also most say there meanest piranhas was a red even when they owned rhoms..so you never know..its a good fish to start out with..usuallt people will do 3 reds ina 55g wich is good for a long period of there life..most will try to squeeze in 4-5 i suggest you dont do this unless your gona upgrade to a75-90g in the near future they grow fast to 6'' then slow down from there..

Caribes pretty much the same has reds..they grow just has big..but are more terrotorial and agressive..

Ternetzi piranhas are beaitufl they have HUGE heads when they grow large over 12'' and can get to sizes of 15'' so you will need a big tank for a shoal.. most have told me terns are just reds without the red...terns can be very imtimidating in a shoal..and if you plan to shoal at least 3-4 you will need at least a 100g tank no less..

Piraya ( the caddilac of pygos)very beautiful and the most expensive of all pygos..can grow to 24'' in the wild but in tanks ive seen no bigger then 16'' so you will need a huge tank to shoal these much like the terns..most pirayas will have eiter a orange coloration or yellow coloration to them..i suggest you mix and match if you plan to shoal..

again this is just a breif summery nothing to detailed..but it gives you an idea..also alot of folks say i just got my p's from the store he was a mad man there now in my tank hes shy..or i just got this p from a member here or my friend and he was crazy and eating now he wont eat..keep in mind everytime you take one p from his tank and put into another..he gets shy..its a new environment..and he needs to get used to it and feel safe enough to come out.and dont worry about him not eating when your not there he will chow down..and eventually he'll get used to you..pateience is the biggest part of this hobby..if you have it with your p..he will reward you..trust me..so do whatever you can to make them comfortable..also for tanks under 75g id used hang on back filters(HOB) eiter get 2 ac500's or 2 emporer400's...anything bigger go with canister filters like a xp3..there awsome..anyways hope this helps..

another thing..people usually wonder if they can keep 2 instead of 1 or 3 pygos...guys this is up in the air..most have kept 2 for years..others havent had much luck..it all depends on your fish if there agressive or mellow..so its heads or tails with this..no real answer to this..


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## anthongy817 (May 3, 2005)

good info! would've been very useful to me 2 monthes ago!


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

nice post, but to be honest its nothing that couldnt of been found if newbies read over the FAQ and info section before posting!


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

CraigStables said:


> nice post, but to be honest its nothing that couldnt of been found if newbies read over the FAQ and info section before posting!
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we all know how often they do that..0 times..lol


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## malicious1 (Jul 4, 2005)

sweet post man, you answered bout all the q's i had, thanks again


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

good idea, but thats pretty mediocre info, and they can just skim the forum if they really want it


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## theanimedude (Jun 4, 2005)

lightning2004,

YOU ARE THE SH!T!!! I BEEN FRICKEN ASKING EVERYONE WHAT TO GET FOR A 55 GAL.........SO..IRRITAN I'M GETTING!! ONCE THEY GET IN STOCK....


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

Tibs said:


> good idea, but thats pretty mediocre info, and they can just skim the forum if they really want it
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sorry it didnt live up to your expectations when you decided to click on it.my intent wasnt to turn you into a genious with this post..just to give you an idea ..


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

i'll also add that not everything you said is exactly true.

I mean most people dont mean life when they talk about tank size. As due to the slow growing Serras it can be 5-10years before it may need a larger tank than a 55G if you bought it small.

Plus as I said, and as Tibs meant. More detailed and accurate info can easily be had from our info sections, and just doing a quick search.

But it is still a god basic post!


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

thankyou..i felt i needed to only touch on things that were being asked alot latly..and has the saying goes.. one persons crap is another persons bread and butter..me personally i would have killed for this info when i first started out..


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## b_ack51 (Feb 11, 2003)

lightning2004 said:


> thankyou..i felt i needed to only touch on things that were being asked alot latly..and has the saying goes.. one persons crap is another persons bread and butter..me personally i would have killed for this info when i first started out..
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Like Craig said we had a few people already make the FAQ for most questions. Yes, alot of people don't read them. But they are pinned for a reason. If you wanted, you could just post the link to them to refresh people's memory. Maybe even include the link in your signature.


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## pinchy (Jun 3, 2004)

well i think that some of the new people will appreciate this info. it does not give all the answears but its a good start for someone just starting out.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

pinchy said:


> well i think that some of the new people will appreciate this info. it does not give all the answears but its a good start for someone just starting out.
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thats all i set out to do..not trying to win a award here..


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## blindside (Mar 25, 2005)

i think its dam good info for a starter to piranha keeping, nice one lightning

u have made a good point about elongs, they may not grow as big as a rhom, but due to their shape and lifestyle they need a decent length tank compared to some other serras

ian


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

Sweet









"will do 3 reds ina 55g wich is good for life"
I disagree, a 55 gal is usually only 12 inches wide, that doesnt work for fully grown reds.


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## frogguy1 (Jun 9, 2004)

Nice post man.







Why negative comments came your way I dont know. Ignorance maybe (some people just feel the need to knock someone down) Over a computer is pathetic. Your just trying to help out people who may not read the older pinned beginner threads.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

thanx guys


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## matc (Jul 31, 2004)

good post it should be pinned for the beginners BUT there's one thing i don't agree with : imo you can't keep any reds in a 55g for life. 55g tanks are not enough wide for them to turn around once they are full grown. To keep a shoal of reds,caribe or piraya you need at least an 18'' wide tank. Even a 75g will 3 big reds looks cramped...but as i said the rest is fine !


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

well reds rarly grow over 12'' in fact of all the reds i know that were grown up in a house tank the biggest ive heard of one growing was around 10-11''..but ya your right a 75g would be needed...BUTTTTT..then again its not always the gallon its the footprint..


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## ~Silly~Spy (Mar 12, 2005)

dude good info, this will help out new people for sure


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## piranhamama (Jul 6, 2005)

Thank you for the post.......I am trying to learn as much as i can as I am new to piranhas but not new to aquariums. I found your post very informative......









Cath


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

thankx guys..and gals..i like to know ive helped a few people..makes me feel good.


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

BigChuckP said:


> Sweet
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matc07098702 said:


> good post it should be pinned for the beginners BUT there's one thing i don't agree with : imo you can't keep any reds in a 55g for life. 55g tanks are not enough wide for them to turn around once they are full grown. To keep a shoal of reds,caribe or piraya you need at least an 18'' wide tank. Even a 75g will 3 big reds looks cramped...but as i said the rest is fine !
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## b-unit34 (Apr 1, 2005)

good info for some noobs and people who are getting into the hobby


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## Nuance (Jun 12, 2005)

I would have liked to have known this years ago when i got my first piranha and stuck him in a 5 gallon aquarium, so many people jump into this because there too lazy to do the research. This post should be pinned


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

thanx for the good words brothers and sisters.i doubt they will pin this..but i have the link in my sig for anyone who ever wants to skim over it..


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Good starting point in a search for information - as said, not everything is as accurate as it could be (tank size for Pygo's for example), but it's definitely suitable to send newcomers in the right direction.
And besides that, it's the thought (and effort) that counts - bitching at it is as easy as taking candy from a kid, but actually taking time to write out something like this is easier said than done (and less than 1% of the members here would actually devote their time to do so).

So thanks for your efforts, mate - it's appreciated


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

thank you for the words man..i appreciate it.


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## drewgotdat (Apr 28, 2005)

good post i think it is great for newbies whohavent gotten use to the site and it was easy for them to access this info great job boy boy!!!!!


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## aWhITExbOYz (Jun 4, 2004)

drewgotdat said:


> good post i think it is great for newbies whohavent gotten use to the site and it was easy for them to access this info great job boy boy!!!!!
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Really sweet post, short and sweet. And as a new member to most on-line enthusiast websites I do go over the FAQ first!


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## piranhaqueen (Nov 18, 2004)

I like it... it is a great one page summary of the p species (which makes it much easier to compare them then the information sections does) IMO.... add a link to more info on each species and pin this sucker!


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

piranha or pacu?There seems to be alot of confusion between Piranhas and Pacus. Some fishermen claim they have caught piranha in North American waters. Such stories easily become headline news, even though all of the "piranhas" I have seen (news, the papers, wildlife magazines) from these reports have clearly been pacus. I have never once seen a real piranha from any of these reports. Some of the stories even claim the fish have been examined by experts and determined to be a real piranha. What expert? The old man from the bait shop? Even Fish and Game Officials can't tell the differance between them, or maybe they just don't care to reveal the truth. Piranhas loose in North America sounds alot more spectacular than Pacus, doesn't it? Are you sure you want these people in charge of our wildlife? Well, this page should help reveal the BIG difference between Piranhas and Pacus. Maybe the next person to catch a "piranha" in North American waters will notice that it is probably just a pacu..
View attachment 69926
View attachment 69927
the second pic is the pacu for newbies.

TANK LOCATION.
You should place your Piranha tank in an area of the room where it does not get direct sunlight, because the sunlight can cause the tank to overheat or get an algae bloom. You should also consider a low-traffic area of the room to place them in, because too many people walking by all the time can stress them

AQUARIUM LIGHTS.
Piranhas in their natural habitat usually live in murky water or in and around forest bottoms during the rainy season where not much light penetrates through the forest canopy. Piranhas eyes have adapted to these conditions, they have a large pupil (black part of the eye) that is designed to absorb light so that they can see better. However, unlike a humans eyes their pupils cannot contract to regulate the amount of light entering the optic nerve this is why you see your Piranhas go crazy when you turn on the aquarium lights. It hurts their eyes. their pupils did not react to the light. Therefore it must mean that Piranhas cannot regulate the amount of light entering their optic nerve, and obviously they do not have eyelids, so they couldn't just shut their eyes if light is too bright. This is why you should try not to use the light has much has possiable.

PIRANHA SPECIES

Pygocentrus nattereri-common names: Red Belly Piranha
View attachment 69928


Pygocentrus piraya-common name piraya-Range: Lower Amazon Region, Rio Sao Francisco Brazil. 
Adult Size: 24" 
Tank Size: Adult specimens of this species should be kept in a tank of at least 200gallons. 
Compatible Species: P.cariba, P.nattereri
View attachment 69929


Pygocentrus cariba-common name cariba-Range: Venezuela, Rio Orinoco, Lago del Guarico,Adult Size: 14"+.
View attachment 69930


Serrasalmus brandtii-common Names: Brandtii Piranha,Range: Rio Sao Francisco
View attachment 69931


Serrasalmus rhombeus-Range:Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin, Guianas 
Adult Size: 18+" 
Tank Size: Adult specimens of this species should be kept in a tank of at least 180+ gallons. 
Compatible Species: NONE
View attachment 69932
View attachment 69933


Serrasalmus Geryi-Adult Size: 11-12''...Compatible Species: Possibly its own kind 
View attachment 69934


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

piranhaqueen said:


> I like it... it is a great one page summary of the p species (which makes it much easier to compare them then the information sections does) IMO.... add a link to more info on each species and pin this sucker!
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hope this makes it a bit better?


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## tianaman (Jan 25, 2005)

Thanks a bunch lightning2004, I'm considerin the RBP to be the next owner of my 50G

Thanks again


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)




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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

I dont mean to sound ungrateful for the work your putting in, as its definitly a good contribution...

but why are you just re-writing alot of info that is either written in either pinned threads or in our FAQ / Info section?

Im not trying to put down what you are writing, but alot of hard work has gone in by many experienced members to write up these sections so they are as correct as possible, so dont really need re-writing!


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## Whall Banner (Nov 25, 2004)

frogguy1 said:


> Nice post man.
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I totally agree with you man.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

CraigStables said:


> I dont mean to sound ungrateful for the work your putting in, as its definitly a good contribution...
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> but why are you just re-writing alot of info that is either written in either pinned threads or in our FAQ / Info section?
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craig your....but the proof is in the pudding..obvously these new members arnt finding whats writin..cause your thanking me for writing it and putting it here..if this bothers you so much and i see it does...then just lock it or if you dont have that power then please just pm a mod and have him/her lock it and even delete it..im really sick of your crying man..do whatever you wana do with this.


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

lightning2004 said:


> craig your....but the proof is in the pudding..obvously these new members arnt finding whats writin..cause your thanking me for writing it and putting it here..if this bothers you so much and i see it does...then just lock it or if you dont have that power then please just pm a mod and have him/her lock it and even delete it..im really sick of your crying man..do whatever you wana do with this.
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I havent cried about this thread, I've said twice that I dont see why your trying to re-write what has already been written on here. I said it once when you first posted it up. And then a second time after I saw your update and to inform other members why I think people arent all seeing the point to this thread.

I thanked you for writing it as you took time out to try and help members of this board, something which I think VERY highly of when I see members do. But what would be really helpful is writing something that isnt already here as an article, in the FAQ or a pinned thread.

I havent the powers to lock it, and I wouldnt if I could as what you've written is helpful, although not exactly true in all areas, if people decide not to read what very experienced members have written in our areas its better they read this than nothing at all.

So calm down man, Im not having a go at you or what you've written. Would just like to see something different written that whats we've already got.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

CraigStables said:


> lightning2004 said:
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> > craig your....but the proof is in the pudding..obvously these new members arnt finding whats writin..cause your thanking me for writing it and putting it here..if this bothers you so much and i see it does...then just lock it or if you dont have that power then please just pm a mod and have him/her lock it and even delete it..im really sick of your crying man..do whatever you wana do with this.
> ...


well i wont comment on this anymore..hopfully it will just fall back into the pages and be done with..


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

lightning2004 said:


> well i wont comment on this anymore..hopfully it will just fall back into the pages and be done with..
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seriously man, if you think its worth contributing contact Judazz and work with him putting this into an article that can get put in our info section.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

CraigStables said:


> well i wont comment on this anymore..hopfully it will just fall back into the pages and be done with..
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seriously man, if you think its worth contributing contact Judazz and work with him putting this into an article that can get put in our info section.
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nah its ok man..i dont really care for that...i just wanted to help a few people out didnt really wana a award or even getting pinned..but thanx for the advice..


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## tianaman (Jan 25, 2005)

hey guys, I'm just new here and I really find this thread very good and handy, I mean I don't have to browse thru so many threads it's like making a gist out of those threads and it sure is helpfull to newbies like me


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## beercandan (Nov 3, 2004)

great info. and thanx for taking time to write big ass list.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

your welcome guys..glad it was some help to you.a link to it can also be found in my sig..so you wont have to search thru the pages to find it.


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## TB2Blazer (Jul 21, 2005)

I'm a newbie to this and I thnk its been very helpful soo far. Sure I could spend 20 minutes searching to all the sticky topics at the top but I don't have that much time to just sit on my computer. This post may not be eleventy billion percent accurate with the info but its a damn good start for someone who doesn't know jack and who doesn't have all day to go looking through posts. I don't understand why people even post negative comments when another person is merely trying to help somebody out. Thats like going up to a soup kitchen and yelling at the food donators cause its not caviar they are serving the homeless. I mean come on man if you have nothing better to do than bash someone who is trying to help then you can go over to my grandmas house; she'll listen to you all day long and maybe even bake you some cookies.


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

TB2Blazer said:


> I'm a newbie to this and I thnk its been very helpful soo far. Sure I could spend 20 minutes searching to all the sticky topics at the top but I don't have that much time to just sit on my computer. This post may not be eleventy billion percent accurate with the info but its a damn good start for someone who doesn't know jack and who doesn't have all day to go looking through posts. I don't understand why people even post negative comments when another person is merely trying to help somebody out. Thats like going up to a soup kitchen and yelling at the food donators cause its not caviar they are serving the homeless. I mean come on man if you have nothing better to do than bash someone who is trying to help then you can go over to my grandmas house; she'll listen to you all day long and maybe even bake you some cookies.
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