Any way to train your piranha to be less skittish?

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R

recci

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 21, 2017
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I have a mixed shoal of 5 red bellies and 2 wild caught caribe in 450 litres 5 foot tank. But the fish are so skittish and scared that its making wish i never got piranha. Every time I go near the tank they all hide in the corner and dash around battering off the glass if I make any sudden movements. They wont eat with the tank light on at all. I have tried dimming the light down as much as possible and leaving it on for long periods of time but it seems to make no difference.

I know these fish can be nervous in the aquarium environment but you see lots of videos on you tube etc where they have full tanks full of piranha with the lights blazing away and the fish seem perfectly happy to demolish anything that is put in the tank. I want my piranha to be like this.
 
How big are these fish? How much decor is in the tank? How long have you had them

I have heard they often are skittish until they get a bit bigger
 
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So, I looked at you tube (piranhas / aquarium.) Basically at most of the first 10 videos.

The fish were not small or there were far more than 5 or they had lots of cover or there were lots of other fish in the tank.

So, add more piranha, add more fish, add more cover or wait for them to get larger.

I haven't owned item, but that's what I saw.
 
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Also have an area where the light is dimmer most fish don't like bright light.
 
The 4 original red bellies are a year and half old they are full adults and pretty big. The two caribe are still juvenile and the other red belly is almost an adult. The lights have been dimmed down to a very dull light in the centre of the tank with it tapering off towards the sides of the tank. There is some cover in the tank bog wood and fake plants ill post pics later. Iv tried having other dither fish in the tank but they dont' last long before they are eaten.
 
recci said:
The 4 original red bellies are a year and half old they are full adults and pretty big. The two caribe are still juvenile and the other red belly is almost an adult. The lights have been dimmed down to a very dull light in the centre of the tank with it tapering off towards the sides of the tank. There is some cover in the tank bog wood and fake plants ill post pics later. Iv tried having other dither fish in the tank but they dont' last long before they are eaten.
Click to expand...


Maybe try sitting near the aquarium for longer periods of time so they may feel more comfortable with your presence.
 
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Add lots of floating plants and long grass like plants all through the tank, they will be like tigers in a forest!-)
Soon gain some confidence.
I used this method on a Manny years ago, looked like a tank of grass for a few months till he turned insane attacking through the glass!
 
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