So he wants a piranha

[josh]

I've got an empty 29 gallong fish tank full of water and a few plants (being filtered of course). One of my roomates wants to put piranhas in it.

What do you guys think about them? Are they interesting aquarium subjects, or are they just novel becuase they eat stuff like crazy?

Would a fish store take them back once we have to move out?

is there any chance they would co-exist with other animals? How about with plants, do they eat plants too?

Thanks Y'all
-Josh

[ChilDawg]

Josh,
I am not a big fan of piranhas, and I have a feeling that your roommates may not be once they realize all the care and vigilance required to keep them. You could probably fit one in a 29g tank, and, if you grow a healthy specimen, there is almost always a good market for it, so you can be almost assured that your lfs would buy it back when you need to move.
Piranhas are group-oriented fish, though, and solitary specimens are not well-recommended. They are interesting, but I think for the reason upon which you have hit, and that is because of their eating habits. I have read in some books that you have to starve them to gain the feeding frenzy behaviour.
By group-oriented, I mean piranhas of their same type. They are known to even cannibalize their own if not fed well enough, and a hungry piranha with tankmates is dangerous to all those involved. Plus, if you use feeders, no tankmate is safe, because it may be seen as consumable by extension. Best of luck with finding an inhabitant for the tank, but you may want to consider something else.

~Matthew

[wetmanNY]

Your roommates may be disappointed to hear that owning piranhas is actually perfectly legal in Michigan. So you lose points there...

I'm just afriad you'll wind up with the "Piranha Look-Alike" -- the Pacu.


You can get the same violence, but scale it down.

First hatch some brine shrimp. Raise them to maturity. Watch them through the magnifying glass. Give them all names: Wilma, Gladys, Brett, Emily, D'Shawn...

...then throw them to the Neon Tetras!

[Mad Hero]

As long as we can name one "Betty" then it sounds alright.

[Tightdog1]

pretty much tho my uncle used to keep piranahas and they are kinda weak, you wont be very pleased just ask mojo .www.aquamojo.com (http://www.aquamojo.com) , if u keep only 1 he will be very boring to you they are only insanely aggressive with a large pack o them you would be better off with a copule of convicts of something

[pinballqueen]

I wouldn't try piranah in 29 gallons. They get a little large, and just like their cousins (silver dollars, hatchets, bala sharks) get really skittish in small spaces, and tend to jump. They also like to be kept in numbers rather than as single fish.

If a piranah is well-fed, it's a little boring, to tell the truth. They only have a mean streak if they are hungry or they feel their territory is being threatened. This "territory" thing could reasonably separate you from a fingernail while doing tank maintainence if you keep them in a small tank... You'll save a lot of money and heartache by having something a little more placid that looks similar, like a silver dollar. They have a very similar look to a piranah, minus the toothy grin, and they dart about a little more than a piranah does, making them a lot more fun to watch during feeding times. Plus, silver dollars grow a little slower, so you'd be able to keep them longer before they outgrow the tank.

Just my 2 cents.

[vfrex]

If you want to see somethign interesting at feeding time, get a small puffer.

[josh]

what ya'll are saying sounds right. I'd actually rather have something a little more outrageous that will be smarter and less dangerous. I'm not all about keeping a school of them cos the food bill's gonna get pricey. Plus I like my fingernails to be on my fingers so sounds like I'm not going to be the one gettin in on that deal.

I've kept oscars before and they are money when young! It was funny though cos one day I came back from class, and there was only one left with any scales on it. I guess they couldn't stand eachother any more. I don't even think it was out of hunger. Funny thing was that the lone oscar lived happily with a goldfish and blackskirt tetra for a long time after that.
(here he is - http://www.msu.edu/~hulljosh/oscar.jpg )

Anyone have any ideas for a fish to suggest as a fun inhabitant to the aquarium? something smart that will catch people's attention and swim around?

thanks people! Adios
-Josh

[Mad Hero]

How about an oddball fish?
Butterflys,puffers, some eels, leaf fish (my personal favorite) and some pipe fish might fair well.

[corvettekid82]

I've got a 'stink-pot' turtle in my 25gal (long) tank. He's a blast and a great topic of conversation. Best of all.. he'll chase your finger around the tank, chomping at it through the glass. You want carnage? Toss in a big juicy earth worm and watch the damage :) I'm a total naturalist when it comes to tank decor.. but I had to toss in a ceramic for that tank: "Beware of JAWS!" sign. That's his aptly appointed nickname.

Oh, BTW.. I'm new here so http://www.ls1.com/forums/images/smilies/wavey.gif

[wetmanNY]

For what you guys want, personality, you need a cichlid. And to be in the 1 per cent smartest bracket-- make it just the one fish!

This is hard to do.

[BluEyes]

my g/f has piranha. They're nothing like hollywood makes them out to be. Yes, they will go after meat pretty well, but nothing spectacular.
We used to have a fair amount of floating water sprite in the tank, and would actually breed guppies in there WITH the piranha. Some killers...
They're also really skittish! Partly because they need a larger tank, but we keep them covered most of the time otherwise they freak out and go bouncing off the sides of the tank.
Otherwise, they are very INactive fish- just sit there and float most of the time.
Basically, get them if you like them as a fish, if you like the way they look, etc. But, getting them so you can have a cool killer-death-fish... No.

That, and they'll outgrow the 29g pretty quick...

Get a few moderate-sized cichlids or something. A Jack D would work in that tank for some time, and I hear they're pretty nasty!
Also, the fish store should be more than willing to take back the Jack after you've done all the 'growing out' for them. Just don't expect more than a fraction of what they will re-sell him for!

Oh, also think about a school of tiger-barbs in there. Like 8-12 or so. Those t-barbs will get very active, chasing one-another all across the tank! Just don't put any other middle-dewllers in unless they are equally fond of roughhousing.