Advice for new Piranha tank

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Dunegan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 12, 2010
13
0
0
Michigan USA
Hello,
I'm new to fish keeping and setting up a couple of tanks, two 120's with a large sump trickle filter. I will put Red Belly Piranhas in one or both, have not decided. I plan on a UV steralizer in a side loop off the main return and wanted to know if an in line mechanical filter that can hold optional media like carbon would be a good idea?
 
Welcome~!
if you are running a big wet dry you don't really need any additional filters. if you want you can always add some HOBs (AC110 for example) or a canister filter (FX5 for example) as additional mechanical filtration. Carbon isn't really needed on normal days, I only add carbon when I want to remove any med in the water after disease/parasite treatment.
if both tanks are going to be piranha tanks then one tank can be a pygo tank (rbp, caribe, etc) and one can be a serra tank, a rhom or maybe a manueli.
what are the dimensions of the 120's anyway?
 
Since you're new to fish keeping, I would advise you to keep a shoal of RBP's since they are pretty hardy fish and quite entertaining. The only time I used carbon was to get rid of the smell at times. Carbon doesn't really do much when the filter is fully established.

The other tank should be a rhom, from my research i would stay away from the manuelli, since it requires an advanced hobbyist to keep optimum water quality since it is very sensitive to it. I think a black diamond rhom will suit the other tank well.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
Thanks for your advice. The tanks are 48 x 24 x24 both have dual built in overflows. They should be in from manufacturer next week. I still have to build a stand, then I can start planning the plumbing. The filter is a Precision Marine rated for Up to 400gal. I have not made up my mind about substrate or plants. I like doing maintenance on my sons small SW tank, and the boys are really excited about getting more fish. I'm probably more excited than they are. I have read a few short books, but have a lot to learn . Any info is welcome.
 
tips on piranhas, you need some serious filtration, they love some cover and places to hide, but are also very active and need room to move. try to find really long thin pieces of wood, check the reptile section and dont worry if it gets fungus for a month, wont hurt fish and goes away. despite being very agressive, they are also one of the most skittish fish out there
 
also you wont read it online, but trust me you will want tank covers as they routinely jump or hit the surface hard. they will attack eachother, but heal more rapidly than probably anything else. and if you want anything in with them, put other fish in first. adding any fish is not an option once they get comfortable in their tank. make sure you start with one or 2 more than you want, because when they are juvenile, you will most likely have a casualty or two.
 
Great advice on wood. The reptile wood I have seen is the branchy type I was hoping to find. My local FS is nice but takes up alot of room. Do any of you folks use plants? I read mixed opinions. Perhaps plants growing on the wood and floaters to break up the light. I would love a natural tank but maintenance is the first priority. Size of shoal is an issue. I would love a big active shoal and would be willing to move them to a very large tank. It would be a year at least and it sounds like they grow fast.
 
careful with planted tanks, swords and java anything will prob be ok, but piranha will destroy any scaping you do. they smash and knock over anything ive ever done to make it look cool. if you cycle your tank with reptile branches, put some black mollies in and they will eat the fungus that will grow on it. My LFS bought them back after they fungus was gone, but i kept a few. the other thing about planted tanks, piranha dont like high light that is necessary for heavily planted tanks. mine get much more skittish if i turn on metal halide bulbs near them.
 
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