Pacus are very big Characins. Cousins to the Piranha, they generally lack the aggressive quality of their relatives. The body is dark grey with tiny scales; the belly and anal fin being red. The fish may fade in color with age. Pacus are deep-bodied fish that are too large for most home aquariums and so are often seen in public aquaria. The Red Pacu, however, is actually the smaller of the true Pacus, and also the most commonly seen in pet shops.

Tank Setup

When Pacus get frightened, they dart away from danger with their powerful speed. In the home aquarium, this can leave gallons of water on the floor, heaters broken, and tank decorations destroyed. It is advised that you plan ahead and don't buy a Pacu unless you have at least a five foot long, two feet wide tank tank. Single species are often kept, but they do like the company of their own kind, especially when young. Red Pacus require big aquariums of 90 gallons or more to keep them healthy and they can even out-grow tanks of this size. Provide them with plants and lots of places to hide. Plastic plants are recommended, as they may eat live plants.

Feeding

In nature, Pacus enjoy eating the fruit that falls off of the trees of the Amazon. In the aquarium, they will eat a large variety of foods including grapes, peas, cichlid pellets, live foods, meaty foods, cherry tomatoes, and vegetable matter. If it looks edible the Pacu is sure to give it a try.

Water Chemistry

They can handle a large variation of water conditions such as a pH from 5.8-7.5. However, Nuetral pH is recommended.

Breeding

Little is know about the breeding of these creatures and the only known sexual differences relates to another species, 'Piractus mesopotamicus', in which males have a more pointed dorsal fin than females. Pacus do make migratory spawning runs in large shoals.