# Got a hypothesis about piranhas behavior



## Hannibal (Dec 2, 2002)

Now that I have both a caribe and red belly piranhas I have noticed differences in their temperment and in their behavious. Of course my caribe is more aggressive but I think they seem more normal or calm that red bellys. When I approach the tank sometimes my red belly's freak out. Slam into the wall and just go crazy. Rarely if ever does my caribe do this. He is usually still and pretty calm. He goes for cover but does just take off at the first sign of something new.

My hypothesis is that this is due to the ease at which red bellys can be bred in captivity. I know the animal kingdown reproduction is different that with human reproduction. Like with dogs that are brother and sister can breed later on in life and there isn't a high chance of having birth defects because they are relatives, much like their would be high chances of complications if human brothers and sisters had children. It just seems to me like the interbreeding of red bellys has sort os "dumbed down" the species(those that are reproducing in captivity).

I am totally basing this off of my experiences with the red bellies that I have had in the past and currently. I have never had red bellies that have come from the wild so this is totally based on tank rasied red bellies. I have never had a ternetzi or a piraya and can't really speak on their behaviour. I just wanted to throw it out there and see if anyone else thought that my hypothesis held any water.


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