# My setup



## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

I am new. What problems will I have.

I have a 5 gallon tank.

One 2 inch black piran

Questions I have:
How often to feed.
The best food.
Is my tank large enough?
How clean should the tank be?

Thank you

http://www.CarPhoto.net


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

Will any of the forums grand Sages help me?


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## Ms_Nattereri (Jan 11, 2003)

You chose a slow time in posting to need a response. However, your gonna need a bigger tank...thats all I can say.


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## JeFFLo (Aug 29, 2003)

yea first of all get a bigger tank 20 or 30 gallon.
feed him like twice a day or whatever you want.
feed it feeder fish , beefheart , krill , flakes , bloodworms depends on what your fish likes.
like i said your tank is too small. i hope you have a filter and heater on that.
the tank should be real clean...clear water...do water changes if you have to and dont leave uneaten food in the tank.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

CarPhoto.net said:


> Questions I have:
> How often to feed.
> The best food.
> Is my tank large enough?
> How clean should the tank be?


1) For a small rhom, once a day is sufficient.
2) A variety in diet that consists of chopped up shrimp, various fish fillets (salmon, catfish, smelt), an occasional feeder, earthworms, even pellet food if your fish will eat it.
3) Your tank is definitely NOT large enough. A good starter tank would be a 20 gallon. 
4) Your tank should be as clean as possible. No leftover food, small water changes at least every other week. Rinse filter material in a bucket of aquarium water every month or so.


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## JeFFLo (Aug 29, 2003)

i hope that 5 gallon is cycled.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

The tank has a filter. I will clean it tomorrow. I have not fed my fish today. I've got this other fish. Should I feed it the fish or use my flakes.


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## JeFFLo (Aug 29, 2003)

feed the rhom flakes.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

he wont eat the flakes homie.

should i scoop the flakes?

I have 1 dead fish and 1 live fish. Should I feed it those?


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

find a store with clean tanks and clean looking feeder fish and get guppies or rosies, whichever it'll eat.

if you can get it to eat shrimp or fish filet now that will help in the long run, but I myself wouldn't starve it at that size.

get at least a 10 gallon tank for it (wal-mart sells the entire set-up except for the gravel for $30), but a 20, 29, or 30 will last a few years for it to grow in.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

I've been told that live feeders could give my fish a disease. I plan to take very good care for long life. My fish is not for gory entertainment. I will feed him live food if it is better. Any ideas?


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

some piranhas, like other fish, will never accept anything but live feeders. Some will, some won't.

You can as I said above, find a good store with clean tanks and clean fish.

You can buy feeders and quarantine them for a couple weeks to a month, if there's anything wrong with them they will die in that time. Also while quarantining them you can treat them with a medication and use salt in the tank to "clean them out"

or you can starve it to the point where it will eat the shrimp/fish filet/whatever and hope that it doesn't starve to death. You do this by giving it the food every day, and whatever it doesn't eat within a certain time you scoop it out so that it doesn't ruin your water quality.

otherwise you might need to take a look at whether or not you really want to keep a piranha and if not get something else.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

Excellent idea. I already have several smaller tanks because of my betas. I will keep feeders seperate for a while!


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## akio525 (Sep 4, 2003)

DonH said:


> CarPhoto.net said:
> 
> 
> > Questions I have:
> ...


this is great advice. If you dont want to risk disease from feeders you have to quarantine for at least a couple weeks. Youre going to have to get a bigger tank a 40 gallon would be good for a couple years but rhoms can grow pretty big so 100 would be suggested for life. welcome to p-fury.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

Thank you guys!


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## str8up (Sep 20, 2003)

Welcome carphoto...
You came to the right place...Need an answer...the boys...(and gurls) are on top of it!!...
OH...and please...get a little bigger tank for that Rhom....That's tough on them..
Imagine being in a little jar?
Ok...off soap box.....later...str8


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## Noe (Aug 22, 2003)

For sure you need a bigger tank. Get a 30 -40 gallon tank and feed him krill, feeder, beefheart, and brine shrimp.

Good Luck and welcome aboard.............................


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## oscar man (Aug 25, 2003)

get a 30g tank with an aqua clear 200 power filter, ebo-jager heater and gravel andall that junk. your rhom will be very happy in that setup for a long time. maybe even add a small powerhead for exercise. just make sure you buy a 30g and not a 29g the 30 is 6 inches longer which means you can keep him in there a little longer without having to up grade. but for the time being i would at last buy a 10g from walmart for 8 bucks add a filter and heater and air stone. dont bother with gravel and stuff. then when you get a bigger tank use the 10g for feeder fish.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

Ok I bought a new tank. how should i introduce the fish to the new tank?


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

would a lobster have a problem with a rhom


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## akio525 (Sep 4, 2003)

First get your new tank cycled and established with the beneficial bacteria. You can do this by using water,gravel,or filters from your old tanks. Put a few other fish in there to help the tank get cycled then once your water tests ammonia-0 nitrite-0 ph 6.6-7.6 you can go ahead and put your rhom in there with no worries. A lobster will probably get eaten by the rhom unless its a huge freshwater lobster but then it will possibly pose a threat to your rhom.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

would rhom have a problem with a alge eating fish?


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## JeFFLo (Aug 29, 2003)

make sure the pleco is bigger than the rhom.


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## CarPhoto.net (Nov 21, 2003)

How long will my rhom live in my 4 -5 gal tank while i am cylcling my new 40 gal tank. how long is the cycling by the way?


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

CarPhoto.net said:


> How long will my rhom live in my 4 -5 gal tank while i am cylcling my new 40 gal tank. how long is the cycling by the way?


 4 to 5 gallon you say???
I dont know a specific time but I would not want him in there for that long at all..
Cycling could take anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days or more depending on the products you use..
You can do It conventional way by adding old rocks , and or old filter media and goldfish and adding an ammonia source ...this may take a little while to actually cycle ..
Or you can get this Live bacteria called Bio-spira ...from your LFS..
It states that it will have your tank cycled in 24 hours...
I have used this many of times ...with all times having good luck with it..
Good luck with your tank..

How long are you gonna have him in that 40 gallon for?
You will have to upgrade later...


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## boxer (Sep 11, 2003)

this sounds like something GG would pull but its most likely not. since you invested in a bigger tank, you won't have to spend much more $$$ in years


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## vlahos (Sep 7, 2003)

what size rhom is in the 5g. did i miss that?
as for a 40g that's what i have my 4-5" in and he's happy. its a wide tank so lots of moving space. wont need to upgrade for years.
with rhoms feed him rosies if he only take live or starve him for a few days and get him to eat shrimp, fish fillets and stuff like that. good luck


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## vlahos (Sep 7, 2003)

ahhh a two incher you have. my bad
anyways he'll be happy in the fourty when its cycled and ready to go. I cycled my tank in two weeks.


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