# ...getting Woried... Is It Normal?



## RayW

Ok, so some of you know I have had my RBPs now for about 2weeks... They look healthy...their orange color is really coming out... they are both chunky meaty fish. They have calmed down since I got them in their new home...but their eating habbits seem off.

They were fed live goldfish and on the rare occasion, shrimp cubes.

I would rather not give them feeders... I would prefer to give them fresh/frozen shrimp, fish fillets, scallops, etc.

Sooo... after two weeks and making attempts to feed them various times... here is all they ate:

Killed but didn't eat 1 goldfish (there are two in the tank now, along with a 6" pleco and a couple other random fish)
Each took one bite out of a shrimp
each took one bite of a fish fillet strip (cut them into 1/2"x2" strips)

and thats it for 2 weeks... seems odd to me... they are 8" RBPs afterall...

Ideas? should i get some frozen silversides to try? bigger slower dumb golfish?

What should I try? or is this completly fine???

Thanks!


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## Da' Manster!

Well, I've always been a proponent of feeders...It's no secret how I feel about it...Yes, you might definitely want to try silversides and smelt!...also try nightcrawlers and/or bloodworms (the large kind)...they are probably still getting acclimated to their new surroundings so I wouldn't worry about them not eating just yet especially considering the fact that they are almost 8 inches and nearing adulthood!...


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## RayW

Humm... I can get nightcrawlers in my yard... maybe thats worth a shot... or I can get bloodies at clydes... I may try some silversides tonight...the petco has them for a few bucks...

I won't worry too much just yet then.


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## Da' Manster!

Any luck yet on getting your fish to eat Ray?


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## scent troll

well if you still have feeders in the tank leave them in. its food you dont have to worry about

as far as not eating...normal. they will eventually. even with the feeders in the tank introduce some food. white fish, krill, silversides. any frozen food for fish will get them interested. but fish (unless ill) will not starve themselves to death. they will eventually take something. and they will be eating from that point forward. stubborn bastards. just be more stubborn then they are and youll be good to go.

trust me...they will eat


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## Da' Manster!

and believe me, I haven't seen a piranha in all my years in the hobby that hasn't gone nuts over silversides, smelt, and nightcrawlers!...so, it's not a question of if, but when!...


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## RayW

Hey guys, I am going to get some silversides tonight...or maybe dig up a worm and try it... I also have 3 more goldies in quarentine.. that I will dump into the tank when I go on vacation. hopefully they eat something tonight or tomorrow.

Still its nice to know this can be normal... I just figured they were so big they would DESTROY food when I chucked it in there.


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## Da' Manster!

^^^...actually, quite the opposite Ray...As piranhas mature and get older, they don't need to be fed nowhere near as much as oppossed to when they are juvi's...Usually, once or twice a week will suffice...


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## RayW

Yea, thats what I am seeing from reading more food and feeding posts on here... while I am on vacation they aren't going to get fed at all...(other than there being some feeders in the tank)... so I am gonna try to feed them tonight... if not then friday night... after that... they are on their own for a week...


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## scent troll

they can go without food for a good while. but its a risk. a highly predatory fish in an enclosed environment. the risk of cannibalism increases with long stints of no food. a week should be relatively ok. personally i would over stock on feeders of some type so they might only have to last a few days instead of a solid week


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## RayW

Good point... if they eat tonight... I won't get feeders... if they don't eat... I will pick some up tomorrow after work. Good call.


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## Da' Manster!

definitely leave some extra feeders in there when you go on vacation!...


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## RayW

I am picking up some silversides tonight and I am gonna get some feeders too... will post here tonight if they eat or not...


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## yohanan

Da said:


> Any luck yet on getting your fish to eat Ray?


Ray who?


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