Pacu growout

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Redtail Catfish
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They probably don’t get as vegetarian until they grow. More of a fin nipper at this size.
I thought he’d be a big fin nipper too but for better by the type of fish he is just scared of everything he loves the flagtail and the blackbelt cichlid but everything else he’s scared of like if the giraffe catfish is sifting through the gravel then Darkseid just freaks out if I open my door a little bit too fast he freaks out but then when it comes to feeding, I keep a rock on top of my tank to cover the feed hole and they’ve all learned the sound of the rock being moved and every time I move that rock they all come to the top hut Darkseid is always first there
 
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Kolton13

Redtail Catfish
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Thank you i have him on cichlid pellets right now (sinking) and he’s not a fan of blood worms yet but when he eats it reminds me of a dog with 5 tennis balls in its mouth he just stuffs his mouth full of pellets takes them to one corner spits them out then one by one he eats them
He won’t eat blood worms as pacu are vegetarians.
 

Deadeye

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He won’t eat blood worms as pacu are vegetarians.
Pacu are definitely not vegetarians. When I had them they cleaned house on fish. Turned things into skeletons piranha style.
I thought he’d be a big fin nipper too but for better by the type of fish he is just scared of everything he loves the flagtail and the blackbelt cichlid but everything else he’s scared of like if the giraffe catfish is sifting through the gravel then Darkseid just freaks out if I open my door a little bit too fast he freaks out but then when it comes to feeding, I keep a rock on top of my tank to cover the feed hole and they’ve all learned the sound of the rock being moved and every time I move that rock they all come to the top hut Darkseid is always first there
Most piranha relatives are skittish. Pacu grow out of it as they pack on some size.
 

Kolton13

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Pacu are definitely not vegetarians. When I had them they cleaned house on fish. Turned things into skeletons piranha style.

Most piranha relatives are skittish. Pacu grow out of it as they pack on some size.
They are primarily vegetarian. But if a fish is in there nerves and they’re aggressive I can see why it would do that.
 
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jjohnwm

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Plenty of fish and reptiles that are largely herbivores as adults eat more animal protein when they are very young and small. Perhaps pacu are in that category? I don't know, but the ones I have owned were always gluttons who would eat anything offered.

I agree that they may become less skittish as they grow, but in my experience a large pacu is one of the worst offenders when it comes to harrassing, killing, biting and generally chewing on other fish kept with it. They all turned into big fat bullies eventually.
 

Deadeye

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Plenty of fish and reptiles that are largely herbivores as adults eat more animal protein when they are very young and small. Perhaps pacu are in that category? I don't know, but the ones I have owned were always gluttons who would eat anything offered.

I agree that they may become less skittish as they grow, but in my experience a large pacu is one of the worst offenders when it comes to harrassing, killing, biting and generally chewing on other fish kept with it. They all turned into big fat bullies eventually.
I agree. Bearded dragons and crested geckos are a good example. They eat almost exclusively bugs when young, but as adults they are primarily herbivores. Not to say they still won’t go after animals to though.
 

Kolton13

Redtail Catfish
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I agree. Bearded dragons and crested geckos are a good example. They eat almost exclusively bugs when young, but as adults they are primarily herbivores. Not to say they still won’t go after animals to though.
Yeah it’s like that with beardies. But idk about cresteds. Mines not full grown yet and she doesn’t eat insects at all. I do hear some do, I guess I got lucky. But I do hear they eat insects sometimes.
 
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Deadeye

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Yeah it’s like that with beardies. But idk about cresteds. Mines not full grown yet and she doesn’t eat insects at all. I do hear some do, I guess I got lucky. But I do hear they eat insects sometimes.
My crestie go’s through phases. Sometimes she only wants bugs, other times she will only touch paste. Sometimes neither. When she was young she wouldn’t touch paste. Once she was old enough to start laying I noticed her desire to get crickets went down a lot.
 

Fishman Dave

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Pacu are omnivores as young as jjohnwm jjohnwm suggests, and tbh some never lose this. Mine was fan of whitefish and mussel meat at 2ft. Unfortunate that he was also a fan of biting holes in the liner and the pump wire too.
 
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