# Can piranhas play?



## pyrokingbrand (Nov 30, 2004)

I have 4 juvinile RBP's anmd they all seem to "race" around their tank like little madmen







. they do this pretty much all day. One will take the lead and the others will follow, doing a figure eight in the tank. It's hilarious to watch because they will just fly. Is this the famous shoaling activity that I read so much about or is it somthing else?


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

pyrokingbrand said:


> I have 4 juvinile RBP's anmd they all seem to "race" around their tank like little madmen
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shoaling is another word schooling, so if there next to each other there shoaling. this is just swimming and being active. having a powerhead on there too may also stimulate this, but it will wear off, theyll become inactive in no time


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## tweekie (Nov 3, 2004)

think its the same as alot of other wild animals. as youngsters they practice their movements and attack patterns etc. so it is them playing in a way.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

tweekie said:


> think its the same as alot of other wild animals. as youngsters they practice their movements and attack patterns etc. so it is them playing in a way.
> [snapback]1111455[/snapback]​


I agree. That is why shoals are so much better than a single kept piranha in my opinion. You get to watch them all grow up and interact with each other.








~Taylor~


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

taylorhedrich said:


> tweekie said:
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> 
> > think its the same as alot of other wild animals. as youngsters they practice their movements and attack patterns etc. so it is them playing in a way.
> ...


obviously this comes from a guy that has never kept a solo p

its a proven fact that fish are more personable when kept alone, i think reds a waste a of a tank, they maybe cool when young but once older id rather own neons.

there is *NO* competition between reds and serras, (or solo pygo), pygos when u go up to the front of the glass they usually just hide(finger chasers are rare for pygos) and there are LOADS of serras that finger chase. it will be very rare to see a pygo member of a shoal chase your finger or charge at u, but most(if not all) of the aggressive pygos have been solo. its the same thing with cichlids too, if there alone, theyll be more of a "pet"


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

Sounds like normal activity for me with reds....


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

maybe there playing simon says :rasp:


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## bjmarche (Jun 30, 2005)

Mine play like this every once in a while. but generally they sit and stare at me, like they are doing right now


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## lightning2004 (Jun 25, 2005)

bjmarche said:


> Mine play like this every once in a while. but generally they sit and stare at me, like they are doing right now
> [snapback]1111611[/snapback]​


what you dont know is there plotting against you this very minute..lol


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## pinchy (Jun 3, 2004)

mine did that a lot as well


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Tibs said:


> pyrokingbrand said:
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> > I have 4 juvinile RBP's anmd they all seem to "race" around their tank like little madmen
> ...


Shoaling and Schooling are two different words that refer to two different things.



Tibs said:


> taylorhedrich said:
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> > tweekie said:
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This coming from someone who hasn't even been interested in piranhas for more than six months and suddenly you're an expert on all the different types and how they all behave depending on tank conditions? Seriously, shush


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## Dawgnutz (Mar 2, 2005)

pyrokingbrand said:


> I have 4 juvinile RBP's anmd they all seem to "race" around their tank like little madmen
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When mine were small they did that smae routine. Funny because they followed the same route back and forth the tank, swimming between the heater and glass. One night I was watching them and the lead red, got stuck between the heater and the glass then the other 5 reds came crashing into the first.







Even at their size now, 6 inches, they still manage to push the heater away from the stoppers and off of the glass, so that they can swim between the two. I guess they like the quick rush of warmer water


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## anthongy817 (May 3, 2005)

i personally think a shoal of pygos is a lot cooler than a single serra.

the first time i owned or kept a fish was 12 1" reds. I ended up selling all of them at about 2". I then ordered 7 1.5" caribes, and a 4" rhom. After having them for about a week, i still think 7 caribes are much more intresting than the rhom. the rhom just sits there and stare at you or at a reflection of himself. Caribes are badaass p's...but reds are just as great too! cheap, beautiful colors, and can breed in captivity.

so i you ever upgrade to a bigger tank...in my opinion, i would pick a mixed shoal of pygos over any serras.


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