Red Eyed Tetras

[vanillaXtiffy]

remind me of mini piranhas :evil_lol: If you look closely they look very piranha-ish and they have some nasty attitudes! My friend gave me his 4 in January, then in March I moved but missed one of them when I was getting my fish ready to ship. By the time I found him, I had already sent the fish off so I gave him to my neighbor. Fast forward to now, I had a female and two males. The males were tearing each other apart, and biting right in the same spot I've seen piranhas bite each other during mating/dominance type fights: on top of their heads. So now one of them has a scar there . I bought 4 more today so hopefully that will curb aggression, I'm going to try buying a few every week until I have maybe 15 or so.

Anyone else think they're like little mini piranhas?

 

[TheFishBoss97]

When I had 5 of them in a 20G, they never had any attitude, and were very very jumpy and scaredy cats as they were always hiding. IDK why. I think they are the complete opposite of mini piranhas, but maybe mine were just scaredy cats, or something was weird. But they kind of do Look like(only look, not the same behavior), piranhas. Did you know that in the wild piranhas are not aggressive at all unless there is blood, I have seen people swim with them(as long as they aren't bleeding), and jeremy wade(river monsters(biologist)) swam in a pool full of them without mishap/injury.

*But redeyes, have creepy eyes especially with lights off.

 

[vanillaXtiffy]

When I had 5 of them in a 20G, they never had any attitude, and were very very jumpy and scaredy cats as they were always hiding. IDK why. I think they are the complete opposite of mini piranhas, but maybe mine were just scaredy cats, or something was weird. But they kind of do Look like(only look, not the same behavior), piranhas. Did you know that in the wild piranhas are not aggressive at all unless there is blood, I have seen people swim with them(as long as they aren't bleeding), and jeremy wade(river monsters(biologist)) swam in a pool full of them without mishap/injury.

*But redeyes, have creepy eyes especially with lights off.

Yeah, I've taken care of piranhas before in a naturalistic setting. They're actually kinda wimpy. I wouldn't put it past them to get a few bites in under the right conditions, but their reputation is undeserved, poor guys.

Anyway these tetras are insane. When I feed the tank, they frenzy. They don't bug my pleco or my keyhole cichlid, but amongst themselves they are vicious, and they ate my betta when I first got them. I mean he was old and his time was coming, but still, it was not cool.

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

yeah my tiger barbs go into a wild feeding frenzy when I feed them too, very active little guys

 

[freshwaterkid]

I had some tiger barbs real bullies they were chasing all my neon tetra around i felt bad because they took over the tank

 

[TheFishBoss97]

Yeah, I've taken care of piranhas before in a naturalistic setting. They're actually kinda wimpy. I wouldn't put it past them to get a few bites in under the right conditions, but their reputation is undeserved, poor guys.

Anyway these tetras are insane. When I feed the tank, they frenzy. They don't bug my pleco or my keyhole cichlid, but amongst themselves they are vicious, and they ate my betta when I first got them. I mean he was old and his time was coming, but still, it was not cool.

Sorry for the betta, but why would you ever put a betta with piranhas??? I wouldn't keep the keyhole either, but since your piranhas are fine with it, then it is okay. It is sad that people think that they are blood thirsty monsters! They are pretty much harmless unless you are thrashing around/disturbing water, and bleeding.

 

[RNeiswander]

Fishboss he was talking about the tetras with his betta. Not pirahnas

 

[smitty]

I am quite sure I have seen them before but I can not actually place them. If you can post a photo.

 

[vanillaXtiffy]

Sorry for the betta, but why would you ever put a betta with piranhas??? I wouldn't keep the keyhole either, but since your piranhas are fine with it, then it is okay. It is sad that people think that they are blood thirsty monsters! They are pretty much harmless unless you are thrashing around/disturbing water, and bleeding.

They're afraid of the Keyhole, probably because he's so big.
@rneiswander: she* and I think he knows, lol.
@Smitty: I took some pictures yesterday, I'll upload them after work today.

 

[Belltrain]

are you talking about the little ones or the big ones? I have the giant Redeye tetras or Niger Tetras and they are vicious.