# Help With Piranha Id



## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Hey Guys I'm new to this forum... Been out of the hobby for a while but getting back into it. I have a 100 gallon tank and I'm putting a piranha in it. I have one on hold at tropiquarium in eatontown. Anyway I wanted a rhombeus piranha and the ones they have are about 3 inches long. They have a little red on chest and are silver with spots and typical sera type head... I know this is hard without photo but can anyone tell me what to look for if it a rhom or it may be a spilopluera. Like I said its called "black diamond piranha" thx in adavance


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

does he look like this?









is that the 'red' youre referring to? all of my juvenilles rhombs had a bit of a reddish wash to their pectoral fins/chest when very small.


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Ocellatus2000 said:


> does he look like this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes exactly but his eye is silver... I red some rhoms develop red eyes later... There are also smaller ones that have a bit more red on chest... That's apart exactly what he looked like though... Any chance u have a pic of a spilopluera? And are they very different behavior wise?


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

the above is a rhomb...this is a spilo. spilos have more rounded (compressed) bodies generally. if you compare the 2 pics youll notice what i mean


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Ocellatus2000 said:


> the above is a rhomb...this is a spilo. spilos have more rounded (compressed) bodies generally. if you compare the 2 pics youll notice what i mean


Ya I think he's a rhom but doesn't have the red eyes yet... Rhoms are more common then spilo in the hobby anyway I think so probly a rhom.... I hope so! They are awesome.
Juvenile piranhas look so similar it can be difficult. Is there anything u can do to make them darker? Also what's optimum number of days of to feed them a week for most growth?


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

Bobbyd123 said:


> Juvenile piranhas look so similar it can be difficult.


truer words have never been spoken...
to make him darker? well if youre talking his natural colors theres not much you can do to change genes. however within the tank itself a few tricks work just fine with almost anyfish. darker gravel and subdued lighting and even surface plants will keep the tank a natural dark look and in turn the fish as well. the best trick is gravel. substrate thats dark will absorb more light and wont give such an unatural brightness. 
generally high stressed fish are paler. so providing a sheltered low stress environment will assist in the fishes appearance as well. also i should add this while were at it. stress...

stress (or lack there of) will determine much about the fish. keeping the fish happy and healthy will increase growth rate, apperance and lifespan as well as behavior.

feeding a juvenille rhomb i have always done the same method. daily small meals. krill and silversides were my main go to food for mine. they were cheap and you could stock up on them since theyre frozen until thawed.

small portions once a day every day until the fish is around 3-4 inches then i generally feed larger portions spaced apart a bit more. i also tried to avoid getting in a habit. i dont like feeding ANY of my fish the same stuff the same time every time. i like to break up diets and get as much in them as possible. that to me has always given me the best growth rate, color and lifespan.

on a side note if youre going to feed live fish i HIGHLY recommend you get yourself a feeder tank to quarentine the fish before adding to your piranhas tank. i lost a beautiful rhomb years ago to a bad batch of feeders and learned the hard way what everyone was warning me about for years


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Thanks for all your help. Ill Rey to upload a pic next week and well hopefully figure it out lol... I really want a rhom that was 1st choice, second would be a manuelli which this fish def is not. Piraya r also awesome! Too bad u can't keep all in same tank! Btw I'm over the whole get piranha to watch it rip apart goldfish.... Well maybe once in a blue lol.... But seriously just want a nice specimen...


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

^ totally feel what youre saying. i never wanted a fish more then when i first sought out my first rhomb. post pics if u can and im sure we'll be able to definitely ID the fish. 
anyways man, have fun!!! glad i could help any


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

sorry I missed this thread but yeah a pic would definitely help so we can ID it...







..until then, I won't even think about guessing.


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

My other guess is a juvenile sanchezi... Any pics of tem at 3 inches? Im getting confused. I can order a black from online for 100 from Peru but this one at the shop called a black diamond is pretty aggressive and doesn't hide... So it be a gamble getting a def rhom it can't see b4 I buy him or get an unknown species of serasalmus that's pretty agressive....


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

we can speculate all day, but with no pics were just guessing all the same. google some images of what you think it might be i suppose but you know wayyyy more then we do


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Ok guys I decided to buy a blue diamond rhom from aquascape rather then get mystery serasalmus from tropiquarium... I must say I have had him 30 minutes and he is out swimming chasing my finger and his reflection!! Aquascape I am extremely pleased! He's aggressive and a nice looking specimen! Ill try to upload pics but don't know how lol.... I'm bad with computers..

Ok guys I decided to buy a blue diamond rhom from aquascape rather then get mystery serasalmus from tropiquarium... I must say I have had him 30 minutes and he is out swimming chasing my finger and his reflection!! Aquascape I am extremely pleased! He's aggressive and a nice looking specimen! Ill try to upload pics but don't know how lol.... I'm bad with computers..

Sorry posted twice.... See what I'm saying









Thanks again aquascape


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

AWESOME








glad to hear you went with a fish you feel good with. no worries on the pics. sounds like you got a great fish though if hes already out. it usually takes rhombs a few days to acclimate to a new tank. 
great job man im happy for you


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Thanks bud.... That is a great sign though right? I thought fr sure he'd be hiding cuz it's a new home and also it 100 gallons....I wish I could stick a piraya with him cuz they are beautiful but it be a blood bath... Oh well I have one awesome fish n happy with it. Thx for all the replies ocellatus.
What kind of fish do u have?


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

i have a jack dempsey. im very downsized from where i was. ive had reds, rhombs, a copius amount of cichlids and barbs. ive probably tried my hand in most popular larger aquarium fish and a few hard to come bys


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Cool man... Ya my last tank was African cichlids... I lost a lot if fish from sandy.... I had a beautiful set up for years... Giant lava Rick boulders which looked real like lake Malawi.. After they killed eachother and then after had no power from sandy my set up was done list interest.... I had a few left and just lost interest for while.. All the sudden got the bug again to get fish. Wanted a rhom this time never had. Btw he just ate a live danio lol ... Can't believe he's eating too. I'm lucky so far. Is it rare for rhoms to eat day 1?


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

actually yeah it is kinda rare. normally theyre picky for awhile. that sucks about sandy. didnt know you went through that. glad things are on the up and up for you though. keep it up man sounds like youre having a blast.

yeah i think you got a choice rhomb. sounds like hes gonna be a badass predator.








danio


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## Bobbyd123 (Jun 9, 2013)

Lol awesome icon there ha!! ya i actually feel a little bad but its nature right... i got smaller fish so wouldnt be too bloody n painful but these danios may be therre for a while hes having hard time catching them in 100 gallon w tons of rocks n wood....btw thanks man I really appreciate that! I was praying for a badass! Honestly couldn't be happier. He's perfect! A keeper


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## scent troll (Apr 4, 2005)

thats what its all about. just admire the fish for what it is. i always tried to mimic the fishes natural environment. i never had an image of what i wanted my fish to be...rather id fall in love with a certain fish and just wanted to witness it in as natural an environment as possible. but its always win win when the fish is just flat out entertaining like yours.


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