Pondering with the idea of stocking a 250 gal. tank with pirahnahs. How many would be a good number and what species and where to find them?
pirahna stocking question
- Thread starter RobertST
- Start date
You could have a fair sized school for that size! Probably the best would be the red belly, becasue they are so cheap to buy. but If you are not looking for cost effectiveness, the black pirhana is facinating, but expensive and fairly rare. For a tank that sixe I'd say you are probably looking at about 2-3 dozen if you'd like perhaps more. Just make sure you either introduce them at the same time, or rearrange the tank before putting new fish in. This will make them a bit more nervous and they won't attack. Also you might be best off buying slightly mature fish, as the young ones are crazy and attack everything, especially when stressed you may end up with a few missing eyes, or even dead fish.
I don't know the dimensions of that size tank but that sounds like a very large number of fish. Red bellies do not get huge but they do get large and they like to swim. 36 sounds like a lot to me.
Might I ask just exactly HOW one cleans a tank with 36 spastic flesh eating fish?
Not a flame mind you just a simple question
Not a flame mind you just a simple question
many people report them acting the same as silver dollars do when you get in the tank they get real scared and bonk into teh walls
It's been said that it's quite safe to swim in piranha-infested waters except *just* after drought season. Point is, as long as they are well fed, chances of being attacked are minimal. They usually avoid anything foreign anyway, unless extremely hungry.
Of course, you don't wanna deliberately dangle your hand in the water & go "hey-kitty-kitty". Keep them satiated belly-wise & take safety precautions.
They poop a lot... I've never owned a tank that big but 36 sounds like a lot, so I'm afraid in terms of stocking levels I can't be much help, sorry.
Found some links that might help:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/bpiranha.shtml
http://petplace.netscape.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=3123
http://home.nyc.rr.com/pita/truth.htm
There are more but you can google it.
Of course, you don't wanna deliberately dangle your hand in the water & go "hey-kitty-kitty". Keep them satiated belly-wise & take safety precautions.
They poop a lot... I've never owned a tank that big but 36 sounds like a lot, so I'm afraid in terms of stocking levels I can't be much help, sorry.
Found some links that might help:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/bpiranha.shtml
http://petplace.netscape.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=3123
http://home.nyc.rr.com/pita/truth.htm
There are more but you can google it.
Last edited:
I kept 3 in a 55g and felt that was a push. Red bellies get about 10" in length and a 55 is only 48" long.. They like to have places to hide, when they feel like hiding, but they also like to school from time to time.
They are not as vicious as the movies say they are and you can panic them fairly easy. If they are well fed and you move slowly they seem to do OK.
IMO, it is better to get them fairly young so they have a chance to get use to the regular tank maintenance and put them someplace where they can adjust to people around the tank.
I had 1 in a 40 gallon and he outgrew that in my opinion, but in a 250, I would say 6-8 would be good, in a 90 maybe 3. They can get big if given time. They won't get as big as pacus but big enough. I have seen em as big as a foot long if given the right conditions.