# Red Meat?



## Guest (Jun 12, 2011)

LFS... one of the better ones around here.. or atleast I thought recomended feeding red meat or pinkies to put size on piranhas.

This is what he told my fiance... she went in there looking at discus and noticed he had 3 types of red bellies that he breeds.... he also told her all piranhas come from red bellies.

but anyways I am just curious why is beef a bad idea to feed piranhas? his P's were MUCH larger than mine and younger. I feed white fish squid shrimps. he feeds pinkies and beef.


----------



## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Well i'm not surprised, most people from LFS know a sh*t about Ps... why are his Ps bigger?, hard to know, maybe a matter of better filtration or genes, or his Ps are just more fat than yours... keep on the right track, a varied diet of fish fillets, shrimps, squid, pellets (if taken), etc + good filtration + weekly partial water changes is the way to go...


----------



## Guest (Jun 12, 2011)

Kinda disheartening when his are much bigger than mine younger and mine have adequate filtration...


----------



## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Maybe something else is missing... what's your tans size, how many Ps do you have, how big are they and how much have they grow?... do you make weekly partial water changes, what's your filtration?, tank temp?


----------



## Guest (Jun 12, 2011)

well I have a RRS........... went from 2" to....... 3.5" in a few months.... but I had a 4 y.o solo red belly that was around 6-8" and his redbelly are 9mos and around 6-8"


----------



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Sounds like this guy has no idea what he's talking about.

_"Three types of red belly?"_
I'd be interested in hearing him explain that one...

_"All piranhas come from red bellies?"_
Wow, now I've heard everything.









To answer your question... yes, red meat can put some quick size on your P's... but at a price.
Their digestive systems will be affected negatively, their liver will suffer, and their lifespan will most likely be shortened greatly.

I feed mine red meat once in awhile... like every month or so I'll slip some raw steak to 'em.


----------



## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

IMO growth depends on many factors: genes (the individual), water conditions (filtration + water changes, no nitrates, enough oxygen), feeding (varied diet, enough food), exercise (tank current, enough room), water temp (related to fish metabolism), tank space (related to water quality), general health (no illness, parasites, stress...)…


----------



## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Piranha_man said:


> Sounds like this guy has no idea what he's talking about.
> 
> _"Three types of red belly?"_
> I'd be interested in hearing him explain that one...
> ...


True... there's no need to use meat to grow your fish while risking their health... i also use meat once in a loooong while but fish and shrimp is my staple...


----------



## Guest (Jun 12, 2011)

Alright... good to know. He feeds all pinkie mice... glad im doing the right thing... and I am never going back to this place..... told my fiance there are 2 types of piranhas black and red belly.... but both decendants of red bellies.


----------



## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

c_granger21 said:


> Alright... good to know. He feeds all pinkie mice... glad im doing the right thing... and I am never going back to this place..... told my fiance there are 2 types of piranhas black and red belly.... but *both decendants of red bellies*.


What an ass!


----------



## Guest (Jun 13, 2011)

He sounds like a pro to me, tell him to join the forum.









I've seen fish raised on nothing but goldfish feeders, fish raised on nothing but pellets and fish given a varied diet. Those with the varied diet do better in the long run, given the tanks are all identical and water quality the same, fish with a varied diet look and behave better IMHO.

Members fish on this forum who practice what Hannibal outlined earlier are testament to it.


----------



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

c_granger21 said:


> Alright... good to know. He feeds all pinkie mice... glad im doing the right thing... and I am never going back to this place..... told my fiance *there are 2 types of piranhas black and red belly.... but both decendants of red bellies.*


Yeah, this guy is far from a "pro."

"Black" piranhas (_S. rhombeus_) are of a completely different genus than red bellies (_P. nattereri_ ) and aren't even "true piranhas" although they are referred to as "piranhas" by most people- including experts.


----------



## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Traveller said:


> He sounds like a pro to me,* tell him to join the forum*.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That'd be funny


----------



## Guest (Jun 13, 2011)

im far from a pro on piranhas... but I dont pretend to be either... and try and tell girls that come into my store that I know it all either... kinda pisses me off he was trying to "show off" and knows nothing really. i know its bad to feed red meat... just didnt know reasoning behind it


----------

