# is elongatus hard to keep?



## zhelmet (Jul 21, 2004)

a friend of mine have helped me buy 1 elongatus and I am going to pick it up this or next week. I have read some posts here and notice that the elongatuses seem to be a little hard to keep than other piranhas. do an elongatus die easily? and what should I do to keep it healthy and happy? please share some experiences with me. and any suggestions are appreciated.


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2005)

Personally I figured this was a bit of a myth that they are more difficult to keep. I haven't had one so I have no experience, feel free to shoot me down if this is not the case. As a rule P's are a pretty hardy fish. As long as you are cycled and keep clean (waste food), have adequate filtration, you should be fine.

I would have thought the only real special need was a larger tank than the average P. The elongated body makes for more streamline swimming and a long/large tank is necessary for room to shoot about.

In any case if it is a fish you like don't be put off with talk of difficult to keep. Even if this is the case I'm sure you will manage.


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Nice BIG tank.


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## Brendan (Oct 7, 2004)

big tank , black pirnaha


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## fliptasciouz (Jul 4, 2004)

minimum of 55 gal with a 48" lenght depends the size of your elong.


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## dutchfrompredator (Sep 26, 2004)

i just posted pics of my elong taken last night in pics and videos if you want to see him. he's hearty, aggressive, and very fast and active. he's pushing six inches right now and eats very well. he was the second piranha i ever bought when i knew nothing about the hobby whatsoever and has proven he can roll with the punches from everything to feeding to water conditions as i learn how to do this. i don't baby him at all and he has no special needs whatsoever to differentiate him from my other p's. i totally agree they need room to swim and exercise, more so than other p's their size. mine's in a 55 alone right now but he'll definitely have a bigger tank when he gets larger. i love watching him get up alot of speed and freak out and they totally need room to do that. enjoy yours; if he's healthy when you get him, plan on having a really nice piranha.


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## WorldBelow07 (Dec 16, 2004)

and no you cant keep him with anything


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## zhelmet (Jul 21, 2004)

thanks! I heard they die easyly when get hurt. is that true? and will they die more easier when catch up some diseases than other piranhas? my reds and other piranhas seem to heal from hurts and diseases very quickly, so I really don't have much skills about how to treat these situations.


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## dutchfrompredator (Sep 26, 2004)

i can't tell you about disease and injury on elongs and their recovery. the worst that's happened to mine is a lip cut from bumping the glass. that healed with salt fast. i don't know about the other stuff. i hope it's not true.


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## zhelmet (Jul 21, 2004)

thanks everyone. going to pick it up tomorrow. are there still anyone like to share their experience with me?


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## zhelmet (Jul 21, 2004)

I heard that the elongatus is very sensitive to the changing of water conditions. is that true? what should I do to prevent the death when I add it to its new tank?


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## hydroshutter (Jan 12, 2003)

Whenever you are introducing him to your new tank, take some water out of the bag he's in and replace it with a % of water from your tank...do this for a little while after a few mins...put some more water into the bag until the water he's in is all the tank water.


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