Best Beginner Piranha?
- Thread starter Chijin
- Start date
A Nattereri piranha was the first fish I ever owned. I must admit most of the first batch I bought died while I figured out how and what tank cycling was. Two remained and kept them for a few years.
If I could recommend a piranha for a first timer it would be a sanchezi. Great color and stays under 7". Not a bad price tag either.
If I could recommend a piranha for a first timer it would be a sanchezi. Great color and stays under 7". Not a bad price tag either.
red bellies are the only piranha i recommend for a first time piranha keeper becuase all the others are wild caught and a little more picky about water parameters and the like. Besides they are usualy under 10 dollars a pop while alot of others are going to run you anywhere from 50 bucks to over a thousand dollars.
and they can be kept in groups which is far more entertaining than a single piranha. (Don't get me wrong single p's are cool too but i don't think i could live without atleast 1 tank with a shoal in it).
and they can be kept in groups which is far more entertaining than a single piranha. (Don't get me wrong single p's are cool too but i don't think i could live without atleast 1 tank with a shoal in it).
I think RPB's are the easiest to keep... my first Piranha is a Rhom, now I do have experience keeping hard to keep fish and IMO taking care of my Rhom is a breeze because it is just the one guy. If you aren't lazy and do your weekly water changes and your tank is fully cycled I think you would be safe with any Piranha.
Zander_The_RBP;4070839; said:
Please don't take this as some kind of attack...its not meant that way. But Serrasalmus maculatus is bred quite often in captivity and young specimens are quite inexpensive. Now that I think of it a Mac would be a good choice as well.
Cost of these fish depends hugely on where your located. I can go to a store near here and purchase small Sanchezi's for around $25. Very small rhom's for $20 (but the jury is always out if they really are rhoms being so small).
I will say that Pygo's, natts in particular, are extremely hardy fish but Serra's as far as fish go, shouldn't at all be anywhere near concidered "fish for experienced keepers only" if you know what I mean. They're not a difficult fish to keep healthy. If the first time piranha keeper has a idea how to keep fish in general, almost all serras will not give him problems.
As for a group of pygo's being far more entertaining then a single serra. Thats your opinion and totally cool but I could not disagree more. I've kept many groups and grew tired of it. Solitary Serra's are my thing. Nothing is more hypnotic to me then a full grown, adult Rhombeus patroling his tank.
Well since this thread got mega-bumped i think i'll take the time to respond to this nowTango374;4071614; said:
Serrasalmus maculatus has been bred in captivity but are you likely to find any juvies at an LFS that are captive bred, no you are not. 95% of all non nattereri piranhas are wild caught and are notoriously difficult to spawn.
As for single piranhas vs shoal. it is not only my own opinion but several other members on here as well. i've seen several people all who owned a single piranha (or several single piranhas in separate tanks) all of whom eventualy got bored with them and went on to other non-piranha fish or who eventualy broke down and bought a shoal before also moving on to other fish as well (Im sure the 2 people who i am referenceing will know who they are) Fact people seem to get bored on single piranhas faster than shoals. I've had my shoal of 6 captive bred reds for over a year now and i still am still entertained by them
Zander_The_RBP;4729310; said:
@ you responding to a mega old thread but i'm surprised you let it slide the first time. i agree with everything you just said. too many of us have fallen from the ranks of piranha owners stemming from boredom, more often then not the solo ones