# what kinda of food is best to feed Baby Piranhas??



## jamie_seto (May 3, 2006)

I want my piranhas to grow up healthy and disease free, so I was wondering what kind of food should I feed them?? I have 4 caribe and 2 reds less than 1 inch in a 55 gallon tank.

They are currently eating cichlid pellets, bloodworms, and brine shrimp. Should I feed them beefheart or mysis shrimp or anything that could help them grow faster and enhance their color brighter. ^_^


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## kelrx8 (Apr 1, 2006)

nope your doing good.bloodworms and brine shrimp is what got my reds with really nice colors. 
I wouldnt and havent used beefheart now my pygo's are 3inch and get talipa & shrimp some brine and bloodworms but is messy. but for babies its a perfect meal.


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## golfer931 (Feb 26, 2003)

what you are feeding them now is great as long as they eat it. just make sure they get enough at this age because they will be very cannibalistic. once they get bigger though you can feed them fish filets, raw shrimp, more pellets, krill, smelt, etc. I would not recommend beef heart very often but you can feed it if you want.

The main thing though is that you will need a larger tank. a 55gal. is good for 3 p's but definetly not 6 once they get much size on them. so you will probably need to upgrade soon because they will grow fast. other than that just keep the water clean and the fish well fed.


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## jamie_seto (May 3, 2006)

can I over feed the babies??

It seems like they are alwayz hungry and no matter how much food I put in they always seem to eat them all up. I know the rule "feed as much as they can eat" but they are never full though. What should I do??? I don't know if they are full or not, and I don't want them to end up eating each other

PS: I will get a bigger tank 2 months from now =D


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

jamie_seto said:


> can I over feed the babies??
> 
> It seems like they are alwayz hungry and no matter how much food I put in they always seem to eat them all up. I know the rule "feed as much as they can eat" but they are never full though. What should I do??? I don't know if they are full or not, and I don't want them to end up eating each other
> 
> PS: I will get a bigger tank 2 months from now =D


I have seen it written in information many times on piranhas that they can over eat, but personally I don't think they do. They may if they were starving at one point, but in normal conditions they will just spit the food out they can no longer fit in.

They definitely have an appetite at that age! When my reds were that young (less than 1") I was feeding them about 7 times a day or more. Just keep feeding them all they will eat without wasting food that could spoil your water. Eventually their stomachs will bulge and they won't accept anymore. Always try to keep their stomachs bulging a little.

Good luck and have fun watching them grow!








~Taylor~


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## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

Brine shrimp is worthless.
You rather feed them mysis shrimp and small chunks of table shrimp/prawns, red compose wigglers, and table fish. But I think the majority of their feed should be pellets and freezed dried krill. Dry foods such as pellets and freezed dried krill will make it very easy for you as "a working man" as they get bigger.


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## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

You are doing a great job so far, so keep it up. Nice variety in their diet, etc, etc.... Keep feeding them the pellets, bloodworms, and brine shrimp throughout the day until their sides bulge. I agree with Taylor, at that size you can feed them all day long, and they will continue to eat. Feed them until they start rejecting it (e.g. splitting it back out). This will really help to keep them from eating one another. The bloodworms and brine shrimp are about the same IMO, they will help fill their stomachs and help them grow, but really don't do a ton for them. The pellets are very good for them; plus, it will help when their color starts to develop.

Keep feeding the combination that you are until they start rejecting it (over all rejecting it, not just that they are full). They will hit a certain stage around 1.75" - 2.25" That they really don't love brine shrimp/bloodworms, but can not eat mouth full of white fish fillets, beef heart, krill, etc... Once they grow to @ 2.5" they will be able to shear off mouth full. At that point you can more to other larger foods.

Mine just hit the 2.5" - 3" stage, and have moved from brine shrimp to krill, several different types of white fish fillets, beef heart, shrimp, etc...

Good luck with those babies!!


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