Cannibals in Your Living Room: Piranhas as Pets
January 18th, 2008 by BallerHouse
Owning mean fish is fun. Unless you reach into the tank, they won’t bite you. You get to watch them devour small animals live. And you won’t go to jail for watching them fight…nor will you lose your
football contract.
If the joys of Piranha ownership sound like something you might be interested in, we’ve outlined what you’ll need to do to bring these cannibals into your living room.
Where can I purchase my Piranhas?
You’ll likely find Piranhas at your local fish store, but it is unlikely the store will carry much more than the small and calm Red Bellied Piranha, a.k.a. Pygocentrus Nattereri. If you’re looking for a rare Piranha with some attitude, we’d recommend you go with the Serrasalmus or Pygocentrus varieties carried by online fish stores like
DontGoInTheWater or
AquaScapeOnline.
Does it matter if I go with Serrasalmus or Pygocentrus Piranhas?
Pygos can live together for long periods of time with minimal cannibalism. Serras are very aggressive and are said to work well as individual pets. Experts differ as to whether or not these piranhas can co-exist in a tank successfully. Having both in one tank is doable but very risky for the well-being of the fish; these things are cannibals. Of
course, if you’re looking to stock your own man eating fish tank, we suggest you go with the Serras.
How big of a tank do I need?
For one fish, the minimum recommended size is a 50 gallon freshwater tank. You should add approximately 25 gallons for each additional Piranha. The tank will need an exterior power filter with a bio-wheel for cleaning, and a maximum of 1/4 inch of gravel. If you want to add plants to your aquarium, it’s recommended you use a fluorite base.
What do Piranhas eat?
You can feed your Piranhas both live and manufactured foods. Mice are a common choice for live food. So are feeder fish and worms. On the frozen side, manufactured meat cubes and frozen bait fish are popular.
What does it cost to own Piranhas?
The fish alone will run you $5 to $200 each, depending on the variety and size. A good Serra will run you $125 or more. On the low end, a new tank will cost about $800. High-end, custom aquariums with the full setup can be as much as $10,000 or more. Food costs, of course, vary depending on your feeding preferences.
