Pirahnas...

[scorpio]

Just curious, is $38.00 good for one pirahna? theres a petshop near me that has about 6 of them.

However, im completely unsure of how good the price is, but considering the fact that they were selling dwarf hamsters at $16.95 each, I wonder...

Also, would one 20 gallon tank be sufficient for a 6 inch or so pirahna?

Thanks

 

[cichlidsman]

Just curious, is $38.00 good for one pirahna? theres a petshop near me that has about 6 of them.

However, im completely unsure of how good the price is, but considering the fact that they were selling dwarf hamsters at $16.95 each, I wonder...

Also, would one 20 gallon tank be sufficient for a 6 inch or so pirahna?

Thanks

yes a 20gal tank will be ok for 1 pirahna(only 1).if you are asking about the "true pirahna" wich is the red-bellied it grows up too 12". the aquarium should be deep and well filtered with pieces of bogwood laid out for shelter.

 

[cichlidsman]

$38 seem a bet much, but im not sure on the prices

 

[spidergoddess]

Oscars are a lot more fun to own than piranhas, plus they have the added benefit of eating their prey whole rather than taking bites out and leaving maimed prey writhing about in the tank.

 

[Brian S]

Oscars are a lot more fun to own than piranhas, plus they have the added benefit of eating their prey whole rather than taking bites out and leaving maimed prey writhing about in the tank.

You got that right. I had an Oscar for several years and it would eat about any kind of bug that I would give it. A Jack Dempsey is also a cool fish to keep. I have had them as well.

 

[danread]

Yes, Red Bellied piranhas are quite timid fish most of the time. I had one for about 6 years, but it wasnt a great display fish, as it would spend a lot of time hiding. But when it was fed it was quite impressive

 

[jaijjs]

Another great pedator fish if you live in a state that allows them is the Red Tailed Snakehead..They can get up to 40". They can eat another fish almost as big as they are. Thats why they are banned in some states.

 

[Malkavian]

Arrowanas and redtailed catfish also make nice predatory fish (if amazon fish are your liking) they both get rather large though


Edit: also i'm unsure of the price, as true pirahna (along with snakeheads) are illegal to sell in my state (NC)

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

piranhas are a big hype kinda fish in my opinion.. a friend of mine had four 6 inch piranhas in a 125 tank, well he throws a 4 inch bluegill in with them thinking they would eat it... nope the bluegill killed two of his piranha before he could get it out.

 

[DnKslr]

My Oscar ate my ex-boyfriends paranahs so he put dish soap in the tank. Oscar survived that too.
Get an Oscar, they're so cute when they're little but they grow fast! Don't plan on having any tank mates with it though.

 

[Brian S]

I have kept Oscars with other fish. If you put one in a community tank when they are small they will do ok as long as the other fish aren't small enough to eat. I have success with red-tailed sharks in with oscars. But like I said, you have to start an oscar in a community tank while it is small.

 

[DnKslr]

I have kept Oscars with other fish. If you put one in a community tank when they are small they will do ok as long as the other fish aren't small enough to eat. I have success with red-tailed sharks in with oscars. But like I said, you have to start an oscar in a community tank while it is small

I guess I forgot to tell that to my Oscar. He ate all of the other fish as he grew. Even his best buddy, a goldfish about 5", was lunch once Oscar matched his size and they lived in the same tank for 2 years
Oscar says "MMmmmm, room mates taste like chicken!" :}

 

[Brian S]

Maybe your oscar had a little shark blood in it. I guess that some oscars won't adjust to a community tank but I used to keep oscars with other larger fish.

 

[kenniey]

Sound alot for a pirana ! I think I got mine very small for like 5 bucks a shot!
They grow fast thou . I would warn you that they are a very timid fish ! I had 4 for years! I got them when they was babys then they grew like weeds to 12 inches i would guess . Every time someone walked by the tank they would freak out hitting the heaters and pumps , they jump outta the tank alot from being so scared ! I would never own one again I to had oscars and they are indeed very kewl . They grow faster then weeds ! They are pretty calm and you can even train them to let you rub them . Seems like everything you feed a oscar goes to body mass . I could keep other very small fish with my oscars and they never would eat them . I would get like 20 feeder goldfish and feed him . He would eat pretty much all off them but if one could live for like 3 days the oscar would never eat him . So yeah i had a goldfish in with him and it grew almost as big as the oscar . he would do this often and I would have to take the fish out for like a day then put it back in for him to eat it !!!!These are also easy to breed . Only bad thing with a oscar is they grow so much you will be up to a 55 gallon tank in no time my out grew the 55 he was in . Also plan on making alot of feeder fish trips . Once or twice a week .

 

[kenniey]

if i was you i would get a lion fish , they are super kewl and very pretty , they have poison spines that are all down its spine and its fins . the lion fish is salt water but dont let that scare you away , mine was very easy to keep up with and it looked a hundred times better then fresh water tanks !!! I could sit there all day if i could just to watch the lion fish suck down the goldfish. I would get a 40 gallon for like 2 lion fish a under gravel filter and some other type of filter. Get a hydrometer and salt and your good to go!
A good size lion fish will cost about 30 bucks ,. atleast thats what they are here!

 

[kenniey]

Also, would one 20 gallon tank be sufficient for a 6 inch or so pirahna?

Thanks

i would use around a 30 or 40 . If your gonna get pirahna ,,, get atleast 3 of them . They will do alot better . these fish live in bunches , having just one would make him a very sad pirahna!

 

[Hoosier]

Or maybe you could get another fish. If money is an issue, I would purchase the fruit-eating piranha cousin called the Pacu. They look exactly like piranhas and nobody can tell. Plus, they are cheaper.

 

[Hairyspider]

re:

sounds about right for the price, I had 6 two" when I lived in Denver CO,and they were about $10 a piece, that was in the early 1990's. More hype than anything else, I agree on the secretive part. Mine would not eat if I was in the room, I even hid under the blankets and peeked out to see them eat, but nothing. I left the room and came back a couple of mins later and the prey was all gone. The one and only time I saw them eat was when I threw in a left over pinkie mouse that my negritis didn't want. Also they stress out easily, I moved 20 mins away needless to say they didn't survive the trip

Later

Hairy