# Updated both dead RBP, Now with LOTS of Pics.



## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

I am losing a P as we speak, doing an emergency water change and hoping for the best. My question is I had these guys since 2001, when can you say they died from old age vs care?


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

SAFETYpin said:


> I am losing a P as we speak, doing an emergency water change and hoping for the best. My question is I had these guys since 2001, when can you say they died from old age vs care?


Well I gave him 1/2 hr after the water change but he is pretty much gone, I just scoped him up in a bowl and moved it to the freezer. I'll take some photos and measurements after hes gone. I hate losing animals!!


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## blue23 (Jan 2, 2007)

I think that piranha can live for 20+ years..


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

ya a good healthy fish can live along time.....LONG time how big was the one that died?


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

SAFETYpin, I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but I don't think that your fish died of old age.


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

check you nitrates and all that stuff....mabe that was the problem


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

He was 10in and very thick.



Appears to have HITH, I never really noticed that untill now. I thought most of his looks where changing due to age, guess I was wrong.







His slime coat looks really funny here, I think its the flash.


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

ChilDawg said:


> SAFETYpin, I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but I don't think that your fish died of old age.


I kinda agree, these guys took some major abuse during there younger years/ my learning process. I lost one a year ago when I purchased my home. I didn't have time to due much maintenance while I was working on the house getting it ready. Basically the tank crashed, and I lost one due to ammonia and low PH.

Before the move to my first home.



After the move I went bare bottom. I want to redo things just don't have the money, houses hurt.


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

wow hard to belive you never noticed them hugh holes before


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

After a little more thought and study, I think this one died of dropsy. Unfortunately I believe my other piranha has it too.

The dropsy kind of explains the overfeed look even though they haven't eaten in a week.


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## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

Pygos can live 35+ years in captivity. It is recorded.

Awesome pygo btw. Thick is good! sry for your loss


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## barbianj (Aug 3, 2003)

He looks more bloated than thick. A little out of proportion. Can't see any upper teeth. I remember when you had the ammonia problem. Do your other fish look similar?


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## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

maybe a lttle bloated on the right side, but may just be stiff. My cariba is every bit that thick


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

barbianj said:


> He looks more bloated than thick. A little out of proportion. Can't see any upper teeth. I remember when you had the ammonia problem. Do your other fish look similar?


Ive never had a problem with my cichlid tank, but the p tanks is another story.

I try to do water changes every week, but sometimes it will go two weeks. It seems to crash at weird times, Ph falls really low, and ammonia spikes follow. I always use a water conditioner (prime) and feed rather lightly IMO, once every 3-4 days as adults.

My other Piranhas are looking pretty rough right now too. Theres one red still in the 75 gallon and one in a 46 gallon bow front that I separated from the pack a few years ago. Obviously I am doing something wrong. I ve never had a crash type situation on the bow front, but the P in there doesn't really look much better than the other.

I am pretty sure I am losing the last one in the 75 gallon to dropsy too.

This is the guys in the 46 gallon, this photo was taken a year ago. He looks much worse now, you can see his gill kinda of protruding and curling but only on his right side. He eats very regularly and hides often, occasionally I will see him swimming in his power head. His eye was damaged along time ago from a large piece of lava rock. I was unaware they would run into things to the point of hurting themselves when young.



My Malawi tank, these guys are breeding like crazy. I always have little fry in the tank but usually don't remove them so they get eaten. Ive never had any bad things happen that are unexplainable. I had a small ammonia problem but that was after the move, tearing down the tank obviously disturbed something.



Anyways I am kinda just laying in all the line for you guys, go easy on me.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

SAFETYpin said:


> He was 10in and very thick.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


WHat is Hith Exactly??


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

HITH= Hole in the head or lateral line disease


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## Dezboy (Apr 2, 2006)

Gutted for you man, those pygo's are very nice indeed, but from the pictures they seem to be healthy, not really bloated as youi suggest........................have you checked the gills for any sign of disease................??


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## CorGravey (Feb 13, 2007)

I think it looks a bit thick, did it ever go through periods of sparse feeding in its life?


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## piranawick (Dec 1, 2004)

Hey Pin is it just the pic or is it missing top teeth?


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

piranawick said:


> Hey Pin is it just the pic or is it missing top teeth?


I believe its just the photo, but I will check for you.

The last one in the 75 gallon went belly up today, dropsy for the lose. I'll be sure to get pics of him when I get home today from work.

In other news I now have an empty 75 or 46 gallon bow front depending on how I juggle my last red belly.

This sucks!!!


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## piranha303 (May 7, 2006)

Leasure1 said:


> Pygos can live 35+ years in captivity. It is recorded.
> 
> Awesome pygo btw. Thick is good! sry for your loss


WOW can they really live that long, iam sure it is shortened by giving feeders and what not but wow


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## eiji (Sep 16, 2006)

sorry for the loss.. your red seems healthy IMO. Could it be the problem is in your water??


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## barbianj (Aug 3, 2003)

> The dropsy kind of explains the overfeed look even though they haven't eaten in a week.


That's why I thought it looked a liitle off even though it is a thick fish.

Sorry to hear that another died.









Now you will have to start the "What is SAFETYpin going to put in his tank" thread.


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## SAFETYpin (Feb 1, 2004)

Well the second one had top teeth, I will assume the first one did too.

Couple of shots if anyone is interested.

Very bloated looking IMO

















I don't think Ill be stocking anything new for a while.

Its funny the solitary piranha would have been my guess for the first to go. I separated him a few years ago, hes nearly completely blind and has always ate like a horse. We have affectionately named him the Big Dumb Blind One, hes the last one standing!!!!


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## Nevermind (Aug 16, 2007)

SAFETYpin said:


>


That guy's eye looks really cool, it makes him look like hes got a mean expression on his face


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## mully2003 (Jan 24, 2005)

seriously...do some major water changes and test it every day. Sounds like you may have somehow killed your "good" bacteria and now you need to recycle your tank. Either that or you some how let a disease in there by live feeders or maybe something else...


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## Ironhead (Nov 25, 2007)

Have to agree w/ Mully2003 on testing and frequent water changes, have
you tried any treatment for infections, I personally have had very good luck
w/ Metronidazole. Was a very good looking rbp, sorry for your loss,..


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## Dezboy (Apr 2, 2006)

LOOK, if i were you i would take the p down to nyour local lfs, if there is a specialist there he might be able to tell you why they died, Im very lucky in the fact i have a friend who is a specialist in fish keeping, so if a fish dies i take it to him for analysis, and most od the time it isnt my fault that the fish has died........................


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