I'll put $100 that your friend does not have an 18" one, if he does, hell, I'll fly out there just to see it.
the one in the link is nice. I don't believe there is one larger out there. I don't believe anyone has raised one beyond 12" in captivity. they do not ship well over 10" size., the last largest shipped out was 12". large ones are rare in the wild, and non in the hobby period.
the following is what I posted on the p-fury site...
that is one rare beast. the largest in the country if not the entire hobby circle around the globe. I was just in Japan, and they've never seen one over 12" in Japan! for a true collector, this is way below the market price. If I was in the neighborhood, i would have picked it up in a heart beat. Hope it goes to a nice home, keep us updated with some nice pictures! this is the only other piranha that I've not had in a large 12" above size.
all the noobs out there thinking that its blah blah blah, that just shows that you're a noob, and can't appreciate this animal.
I wonder if this was Wayne's old fish that Wes got....