# Info on C.Mento aka Wimple Piranha



## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

Frank seems to be the most knowledgeable on this topic, so hopefully he can fill us in..............

when you kept them, how did you keep them, tank size, number of fish per tank, etc. I dont know anything about these fish really and you seem to know the most about them, please help
anyother info that would help us take care of them is useful as well

one last question though it does sounds a bit unlikely, do you think its possible to have them breed through egg crate divider?

Thanks in advance Frank


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

The C. mento were kept in a 125 gallon aquario, heavily planted with Amazon sword plants. The filtration was kept mild and not a heavy flow as these fish are not found in rivers, but creeks. A bubble wand was used more for oxygenation than anything else because of the filtration used (2 whisper 5's set at slow). I cannot give you a set number of fishes because the behavior was the main thrust of the examination. But at one time, I did keep about 62 of them together at about 1 1/2 TL. Then 25 of various sizes to determine compatibility and other nuances. All in all, a little over 200 species of C. mento made their way into that 125 gallon aquario over the course of time from 1985-1999. The sexual dimorphism of the species was discovered by me in 1986 and information forwarded to Dr. William L. Fink in 1987. It remained unpublished until 1994 when I went public with it via the old OPEFE Piranhas and Predatory Fishes Journal newsletter. No information is available about their breeding or spawning behavior as S. American aquaculture has only recently received my sexual dimorphism information via Michel Jegu.

It seems they had several hundred large specimens (5 1/2 TL) in formalin and none saw the anal fin and what it signified at the Museo Sao Paulo, Br. As for the egg crate, no idea on it.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

thanks Frank, I dont have current in my tank for the wimple, it looks like by luck my lfs is getting 6 more tomorrow and I will get 2 more, if they dont do well, which I bet from what you said they will be seperated with egg crate. I really enjoy the fish already and so does the girlfriend which is always a good sign









they have well water with pH of upper 7s. I saw you suggested that I keep it low to minimize fighting, but it doesnt look like that will be possible as the water has high alkalinity, do you think that will be a significant problem for me?


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

Frank you also said the female are dominant which would be better to have 2 males and one female or 1 male and 2 females?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Frank you also said the female are dominant


 Never said any such thing. It appears that females act like a black widow spider, not that they are in nature like that. They did indeed attack the males and kill most of them. But I never ruled out the possibility it could have been due to age, size or temperature. There are always mitigating factors why fish behave a certain way. But never rule out anything.



> which would be better to have 2 males and one female or 1 male and 2 females?


I have no idea, it will be luck of draw on compatibility, if you can keep either sex for very long together. Provide plenty of cover, not that it will mean much anyway as these fish are solitary. They are to me, similar to S. rhombeus in temperment.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

ok, I understand it better now, thanks

I was confused because the lfs had theirs in a tank with platies and tetras


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Sir Nathan XXI Posted on Mar 27 2003, 04:01 AM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ok, I understand it better now, thanks
> 
> I was confused because the lfs had theirs in a tank with platies and tetras


 Not unusual to find them mixed in with fishes not C. mento. Please keep in mind though, dealers have little experience with these fish and naturally assume they will not terrorize or kill the companions because they think them to be false piranas. Very bad mistake as these fish are experts on removing scales. One example I can cite was with a large bluegill I had placed as a tank mate for feeding for one solitary wimple (about 4 inches TL). The fish denuded the bluegill in a matter of a couple hours. The 7 inch bluegill had to be euthanized.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

wow, thats impressive, I havent got mine eat yet though


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Like piranas they need time to adjust and they also fast.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

I really want one!


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Usefull info. Thanks!


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

well I got 2 more today for $25 each and they both are females and are bigger than the male for a total of three




























I will keep you all updated on how they do, so far they try their darn best to get through the divider to the big convicts and arent concerned with all the feeders in there, wierd hunh?


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Sweet pics, Nate!
Congrats on yet another cool tank


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

Frank I havent seen them eat a feeder yet, when the scale them do they remove the scales only or the entire skin?


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## sccavee (Feb 11, 2003)

They are some nice looking fish!


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Sir Nathan XXI Posted on Mar 28 2003, 04:48 PM
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Frank I havent seen them eat a feeder yet, when the scale them do they remove the scales only or the entire skin?


 The skin is sometimes damaged. Guppies are primarily eaten since their scaling is not sufficient for a real meal. My suggestion would be place a cichlid in there and let the wimples feast.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

hastatus said:


> > Sir Nathan XXI Posted on Mar 28 2003, 04:48 PM
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Frank I havent seen them eat a feeder yet, when the scale them do they remove the scales only or the entire skin?
> 
> ...


 so thats why they try to get through the divider all day..............
I use egg crate to seperate a convict pair that I am hoping will breed soon and provide feeders for them, with a divider like that the babies will be able to get through to where the wimples can get them, I have goldfish in there too and they only killed on so far

maybe I will get a cichlid for them today


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I have odds the cichlid will be denuded of scales within a few minutes if the wimples are hungry enough. Be sure you euthanize the cichlid or feed it to your other piranas. No sense allowing it to suffer and die.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

yeah I will give it to the Elongatus after they are done, my elongatus makes short work of anything in its tank


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## Bcollins111900 (Feb 3, 2003)

yeah nate before i left for your place I fed the whimple I sold ya. They will chase the fish and hit them or bite them and u will see scales fly off and start to sink to the bottom of the tank and then they see them then will go down and eat them before they hit the bottom. This is from my own observations when I had the whimple.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

Bcollins111900 said:


> yeah nate before i left for your place I fed the whimple I sold ya. They will chase the fish and hit them or bite them and u will see scales fly off and start to sink to the bottom of the tank and then they see them then will go down and eat them before they hit the bottom. This is from my own observations when I had the whimple.


 little bastards didnt eat again today









yours killed a goldfish and cleaned it up some the first night, nothing since


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

if they could survive with the Elongatus they would be a perfect match, the Elongatus really distroys feeders, he does the whole shark shaking the fish think and scales go everywhere, they would be best mates only if I could convince Bundy the Elongatus of that


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## Bcollins111900 (Feb 3, 2003)

dont think bundy will understand nate. But what you could do it take a peice of eggcrate and place it horizontally in the tank so the whimples are on the lower level and they sclaes from bundy filter downto the safe whimples? LOL i know it is a long shot, lol.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

thats a thought but would make tank cleanings a beach


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I want a whimple!!!


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

the place in columbus still has a few I think for $35, the place I got my 2nd two are out already, but can get them again for $25 most likely

I dont know how you could get them home though

Frank what is the growth rate of these?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Sir Nathan XXI Posted on Mar 29 2003, 05:17 AM.... Frank what is the growth rate of these?


 Similar to S. spilopleura. Very quick growth in spurts, then stops. Full size in about 1 to 2 years from 3/4 in. TL to 5 1/2 TL.


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

great thanks


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