help with black peranha new tank

[mykidsmylife]

Yes most definately use a declorinator!!!! The chlorine and chloramides in your water are toxic to your fish and the biological bed you are trying to establish. I would change at the min. 50% daily and then test a while after the change. If you are still showing ammonia or nitrites, change it again. This is going to be a long hard process for your poor fish.

You may call your LFS to see if they have a product called BioSpira. It is refridgerated and will help your tank cycle quickly. I must be kept cold though. There is one called "cycle" that they may try to sell you that from my understanding is completely worthless. Biospira contains the live bacteria that you need. IF it isn't refridgerated..do not buy it.

 

[jblewis]

so with a .5ppm amonia i need to change 50 % of my water

and i have ammo lock should i use this it is sopose to detoxify the ammoinia. so it can build up some bacteria.

 

[Roan Art]

Expensive? What on earth did you pay for that Black Piranha? I see them at 4" on line for 35$

I just did some research on your Serrasalmus Rhombeus and of the 5 sites I visited, four of them stated that a 4" Black Piranha needs a minimum of 50-55 gallon tank. One site said 40 gallons minimum.

One of the reasons you need the large tank, jblewis, is because the minute you add feeders to the water, you compromise the water quality. The ammonia levels will go up. The larger the tank, the less impact that will have on your water as a whole. Your rhom will not eat in front of you for quite some time. He will prefer to be left alone with the feeders. Usually if you add, say 4 feeders, he will eat two and kill two. Those two dead ones will also compromise your water quality.

Rhoms are skittish. Yes, he will hide and hide a lot. One thing that was pointed out several times is that if you bought this fish for entertainment value, you'll have a long time to wait before he'll even eat in front of you.

You will have to change your water a LOT and in large volumes. This is due, again, to the feeding habits of a piranha.

Seriously, if I were you I would find someone to take the fish off my hands. Your tank isn't near big enough to support a fish of that type.

Roan,
who now knows a heck of a lot more than she wanted to about Black Piranhas

 

[mykidsmylife]

Yes...I personally would do a 50% change with that. Any amount of ammonia in the water is dangerous to your fish. It may not show it now...but it could cause other problems such as disease and major illness.

I have never used the ammo lock so I really can not give you any information on it. Sorry. :huh:

 

[jblewis]

i just did a 50% water change down to .25 ppm again

dont i need a little ammoina in the tank to develop bactiria or will it do it on its own with the fish in there?

ya i paid 35 for the perhana and shipping couldent find one local i might get a bigger tank when he grows a little

when i do water change should i touch the rocks or will that disturb the growth of bacteria

 

[Roan Art]

ya i paid 35 for the perhana and shipping couldent find one local

$35 is not a lot for a fish, imho. Most discus cost more than that.

i might get a bigger tank when he grows a little

Well, if you aren't going to get him a bigger tank, then I really hope you are prepared to actively monitor the water parameters every day and do unplanned water changes.

Roan

 

[sublime1184]

You will need a bigger tank...if it really is a rhom, then it could easily reach 16" and in home aquaria with good care and an adequate tank, can reach 20"+, no problem. I would suggest a +90g tank for a rhom, considering what an evil fish this is and how much it likes to stalk. I don't think you are in the biggest of hurry considering all serras usually grow very very slow...like was said 1-2" a year, tops...however, you will need to upgrade before that year passes.


http://www.piranha-fury.com/information/default.php?id=rhombeus
use this link as a guide, its spot on with all the information.


you do not add ammonia when you have fish in the tank...and yes, 35 is an amazing price for a black with shipping if this is true...don't be afraid to move whatever you need when doing water changes...

consider the price of these Peruvian rhoms....
http://www.aquascapeonline.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=195
after shipping, the 2" ones are 15, plus shipping would put it close to 50 would be my guess, you got one hell of a deal if this is all true...

 

[Roan Art]

. . .http://www.piranha-fury.com/information/default.php?id=rhombeus
use this link as a guide, its spot on with all the information.

Reading your link. Didn't find that one when I did my search.

It doesn't say anything about tank size? Lemme find my links and I'll post them.

http://www.aquascapeonline.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=195
after shipping, the 2" ones are 15, plus shipping would put it close to 50 would be my guess, you got one hell of a deal if this is all true...

Sublime,
That's exactly where I got the price from The 4" ones are $35.

Gonna go read that link you supplied. Two of the sites I read said 40-50 gallons because of the waste in the tank. Which is believable.

Roan

 

[Roan Art]

AH, maybe this is what you meant?

http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/lofiversion/index.php/t8395.html

Excerpt:

Please list your recommended tank sizes for keeping a lone 
specimen of the following species from 
- 1"-8" 
- 8"-Maximum Size
(be prepared to support your answers):

Listing 1"-8" first, 8" to maximum size second:

Serrasalmus Rhombeus-29g,125+

That it?

Here's a link from the fish database:
http://species.fishindex.com/species_591serrasalmus_rhombeus_spotted_piranha.html
Roan

 

[sublime1184]

trust me, true blacks (rhoms, not nigers) can get huge...I'd be interested to know if the OP has peruvian or venezuelan....or highback or diamond...if you know...

George and Pedro from SA and AS (respectively) have the best priced piranhas online...so thats exactly why I think thats a great price...when I went piranha shopping over a year ago, I saw 6 inch blacks for 80 bucks...so thats a great price after shipping.