Questions about Red bellied Pacu

[Richthug_Z06]

Hi i have always love Pacu. and i heard that it takes 100 gal per pacu is that true? and what they require as far as filtration and decor??? feel free to suggest anything. thanks
jake

[Jakmax]

These grow to be a VERY large fish (can be 2 feet). I believe you will need a at least a 150 gallon tank for just one!

[Richthug_Z06]

do you know if they need special filtration?

[ChicoRaton]

any fish that gets that big needs a LOT of filtration. a big sump with a mechanical prefilter and a fluidized bed filter on the return is probably best. you would probably want to plumb in an automatic water changing system for a tank that big as well... far too many 5 gal buckets to carry :P but mainly, just a lot a lot a lot of biofiltration.

[dwf73]

100 gallons, or better 125 gallons, should be acceptable for a single pacu. Bigger is obviously better though. They are large fish, but the most serious problem you may encounter is quick, jerking movements that can displace water. For that reason it is even more important to set up a tank with large dimensions, and then I would suggest leaving some space at the top. I am not sure what you are working with now or what your options are, but if you could set up a 250 or 300 then you will have ample space for a pair of pacu and room to cut off the water level. If you are limited to something in the 100-150 range, you should probably only get one. The 100 gallon / pacu rule is alright, but don't restrict yourself to it. A 400 is going to fit more than 4, a 100 may be pushing it for one, and so forth. My experience shows that they do pretty well in pairs, better in groups of three. Hope that helps some, good luck.

[Richthug_Z06]

I might get either 190 gal or 210 gal or both i dont know yet. Is there anything i need to know about a Pacu's temperment?

[Harry Tolen]

Pacus should not be kept in anything smaller than a 240g tank. They become extremely nervous in a tank that is not large enough for them to turn around in, and the 18" of a standard 125g doesn't give them maneuvering room. Many years ago I had a single pacu in that situation, and had to deal with constant dashing against the sides and top of the tank.

Currently, I have 4 pacus (all adopted orphans, including the first) and a group of large CA cichlids in a 450g tank, and things are relatively calm, so once you meet the minimum space requirements, 100 gallons per fish is probably about right. Sophisticated filtration is one thing, but lots of water changes and frequent filter cleaning are more important to keep the detritus factor down and prevent pH crashes through bioacidification.

Two other points. First, as adults they really like those little grape tomatoes that are now on the market. Keeping them well-fed prevents them from taking nips out of the fins of their tankmates. Second, they live for about 30 years (I've had my oldest for about 12 years and he's still going strong) so be ready for a real commitment if you decide to do this.

[dwf73]

Pacus should not be kept in anything smaller than a 240g tank.

I disagree. While it is great to provide as much space as possible, I would not say that a single pacu requires more than 125 gallons (preferably wide specifications) to thrive. Of course, that is based on my own experiences, and the large majority of people will argue that anything under 200 is insufficient. Also, be careful when buying your pacu that it is still a juvenile. Most are already stunted when brought home from the store.

[SnakeIce]

mojo has a pacu that is just under 2 feet long. he has pictures of it on aquamojo.com.

[N8DOGG]

you mean The Black Pacu..they do get even bigger than the red belly ones and he is in a 1900 gallon pond.