Damnit!! he's Ted Bundy Pogy version!!!!

[Armand]

Caribe "shoals" should have a ton of cover plants in the tank, cuts down on the cannibalism.

Yeah and the most annoying fact is that I am not a newbie keeping piranha. I just got slopy.

 

[jp80911]

Yeah and the most annoying fact is that I am not a newbie keeping piranha. I just got slopy.

I think you just got lazy, lol

Hi Jack.

You know something? I was thinking about you having so many pygos and have no looses....I also did not have any single red lost with my original shoal but this bast*rd 's got his temper.....

I think having looses depends on every particular fish personality or what do you think JP?.

I've never lost a single red to their tank mates, not even when I had 7 in a 45g. fish personality plays a role in this I do agree with that, I also think the number of fish you had and the tank setup are also contributing factors. with more cover/hiding spot in the tank will of course make it harder to single out and corner the weakest link and it. and with just three fish the aggression can't be spread out too much. if you have say..few more in a similar setup you may not have any lost...or at least it may play out a bit longer. in the end it's really hard to tell why and what triggered such behavior since we have no idea communicating with the killer, you'll just have to sentence that killer to solitary confinement in a suitable glass cage for the rest of his life...unless you are willing to try again with more tank mates, maybe a different setup as well..but if I were you I'd keep it solo and you'll have one prefect mean @ss killing machine and then get few more caribes and try to get a shoal out of them the best of both worlds. but that's just me.

Tony (frontosablkrhom) has 11 caribes in a bare 125g tank I believe without any plants and hide outs (did not notice that he has any in the tank) and they are all doing fine, so I think the number of fish will help out in a big way as well.

 

[pdsmith]

the problem is you had a pair. when there are only two fish the dominant one will usually pick on the weaker one untill it kills it. plant cover may have helped, but 2 is the biggest NO NO when dealing with pygo shoals. if you took two of your reds and put then together they would probably do the same thing. grow out the caribe a little bit solo and put it with your reds. he will make all your reds even more agreesive.

 

[Armand]

the problem is you had a pair. when there are only two fish the dominant one will usually pick on the weaker one untill it kills it. plant cover may have helped, but 2 is the biggest NO NO when dealing with pygo shoals. if you took two of your reds and put then together they would probably do the same thing. grow out the caribe a little bit solo and put it with your reds. he will make all your reds even more agreesive.

In fact they were 3 but this Mo Fo waisted the other two!!!.

I agree with what you say, I'll just grow him a inch or two more and move him along with the reds.

Cheers.

 

[frontosablkrhom]

Yeah and the most annoying fact is that I am not a newbie keeping piranha. I just got slopy.

Hello Armand, I bought 5 caribe last august at 2 inches. They were in a 60 gallon tank with plenty of hiding spots. I fed them shrimp and some white fish, 4 times a day. In that tank I lost 2 due to cannabalism. Later on I lost another from popeye. I have the remaining 2 still with a red belly and a juvie pacu. I know it sounds mean but the pacu is there just so the two monsters dont hurt each other. They take out there frustration on the pacu. Its working wonders right now but I will soon donate the pacu to a lfs because it's getting big, around 7 inches.

This year i did as much research as possible. I knew I wanted a big shoal and I also knew I did not want to lose ANY of my expensive mini monsters. So my babies came in at less than an inch, I was questioning weather or not these were even caribe.There was no black spot visible and they were about the size of a pinky nail if not smaller. While doing research I found out live blackworms are a must!!! I spent nearly 200 dollars just on live blackworms, I should have ordered in bulk online. I would have saved alot of money, ( My lfs charges 2 dollars a tablespoon rip off) but i knew i needed them. Within 3 days they were showing there black spot and looking fat. For the first 2 weeks i fed them six times a day, a tablespoon of live blackworms. I vacuumed the detrius out every night and replaced the water with aged water. During the third and fourth week I made the 6 daily portions bigger and upped the water change schedule. At week five they were pushing 3 inches and getting chunky.

So, at week five I could barely afford to get them the blackworms anymore, and figured they were probably ready for shrimp. So the daily feeding schedule consists of 4 shrimp, some shell on, 2 times a day and 4 night crawlers twice a day. That's the diet they're on now. All 11 caribe look great, knock on wood. I've had all 11 since June in a 40 gallon breeder bare bottom tank with one plant!!!
Thats why I dont think cover is the reason you lost the 2 guys. I think when you have such a small number the alpha fish is only looking at these 2 fish all day. When you have a bigger group there's always a new tankmate in his face. So think about it. If theres always someone new passing you there wont be enough time to bully just one particular fish. Big groups is what keeps these guys alive, that and plenty of filtration and water changes. I think some cover is necessary tho. The floating plant is perfect. It's big and at night they're like little birds all perched in there.

Armand ,I know this alot to read. I was in the same situation you were in last year and now things are going great. NO CANNABALISM!!!! So I'm just telling you what schedule has worked magic for me. Anyone who has baby caribes try my feeding schedule and cleaning routine. It's alot to handle but these fish are amazing little gems that are more beautiful than any saltwater fish or cichlid in my opinion. La caribe wey

 

[kevbc03]

In fact they were 3 but this Mo Fo waisted the other two!!!.

I agree with what you say, I'll just grow him a inch or two more and move him along with the reds.

Cheers.

Good choice. Best of luck to you, and I'm sorry for your loss...caribes aren't cheap.

 

[Armand]

Thanks JP and Frontosablkrhom your inputs have been very helpful and thanks Kevbc3 for your comments.

I managed to get a 6.5 caribe and tomorrow I am shoaling him with my reds, let you know how it turns out.

Keep you posted pogy people...



Cheers guys

 

[frontosablkrhom]

I think you just got lazy, lol



I've never lost a single red to their tank mates, not even when I had 7 in a 45g. fish personality plays a role in this I do agree with that, I also think the number of fish you had and the tank setup are also contributing factors. with more cover/hiding spot in the tank will of course make it harder to single out and corner the weakest link and it. and with just three fish the aggression can't be spread out too much. if you have say..few more in a similar setup you may not have any lost...or at least it may play out a bit longer. in the end it's really hard to tell why and what triggered such behavior since we have no idea communicating with the killer, you'll just have to sentence that killer to solitary confinement in a suitable glass cage for the rest of his life...unless you are willing to try again with more tank mates, maybe a different setup as well..but if I were you I'd keep it solo and you'll have one prefect mean @ss killing machine and then get few more caribes and try to get a shoal out of them the best of both worlds. but that's just me.

Tony (frontosablkrhom) has 11 caribes in a bare 125g tank I believe without any plants and hide outs (did not notice that he has any in the tank) and they are all doing fine, so I think the number of fish will help out in a big way as well.

jack i didnt read that before i posted like ten paragrapghs, hes basically saying the same thing as me just in alot less words lol. and jack the 2 piraya are in the 125 and the caribe are in the 40 gallon breeder!!! lol its nuts i still cant believe there doing so good.

 

[frontosablkrhom]

Thanks JP and Frontosablkrhom your inputs have been very helpful and thanks Kevbc3 for your comments.

I managed to get a 6.5 caribe and tomorrow I am shoaling him with my reds, let you know how it turns out.

Keep you posted pogy people...



Cheers guys

your welcome armand please keep us posted with pics! i wanna see you new bad boy

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

Hello Armand, I bought 5 caribe last august at 2 inches. They were in a 60 gallon tank with plenty of hiding spots. I fed them shrimp and some white fish, 4 times a day. In that tank I lost 2 due to cannabalism. Later on I lost another from popeye. I have the remaining 2 still with a red belly and a juvie pacu. I know it sounds mean but the pacu is there just so the two monsters dont hurt each other. They take out there frustration on the pacu. Its working wonders right now but I will soon donate the pacu to a lfs because it's getting big, around 7 inches.

This year i did as much research as possible. I knew I wanted a big shoal and I also knew I did not want to lose ANY of my expensive mini monsters. So my babies came in at less than an inch, I was questioning weather or not these were even caribe.There was no black spot visible and they were about the size of a pinky nail if not smaller. While doing research I found out live blackworms are a must!!! I spent nearly 200 dollars just on live blackworms, I should have ordered in bulk online. I would have saved alot of money, ( My lfs charges 2 dollars a tablespoon rip off) but i knew i needed them. Within 3 days they were showing there black spot and looking fat. For the first 2 weeks i fed them six times a day, a tablespoon of live blackworms. I vacuumed the detrius out every night and replaced the water with aged water. During the third and fourth week I made the 6 daily portions bigger and upped the water change schedule. At week five they were pushing 3 inches and getting chunky.

So, at week five I could barely afford to get them the blackworms anymore, and figured they were probably ready for shrimp. So the daily feeding schedule consists of 4 shrimp, some shell on, 2 times a day and 4 night crawlers twice a day. That's the diet they're on now. All 11 caribe look great, knock on wood. I've had all 11 since June in a 40 gallon breeder bare bottom tank with one plant!!!
Thats why I dont think cover is the reason you lost the 2 guys. I think when you have such a small number the alpha fish is only looking at these 2 fish all day. When you have a bigger group there's always a new tankmate in his face. So think about it. If theres always someone new passing you there wont be enough time to bully just one particular fish. Big groups is what keeps these guys alive, that and plenty of filtration and water changes. I think some cover is necessary tho. The floating plant is perfect. It's big and at night they're like little birds all perched in there.

Armand ,I know this alot to read. I was in the same situation you were in last year and now things are going great. NO CANNABALISM!!!! So I'm just telling you what schedule has worked magic for me. Anyone who has baby caribes try my feeding schedule and cleaning routine. It's alot to handle but these fish are amazing little gems that are more beautiful than any saltwater fish or cichlid in my opinion. La caribe wey

I know that wasn't even to me but that is great advice. Even though i'm not a n00b myself i feel like that kind of experience that you just shared just helped me and a ton of people that'll come through this forum.

That's really the kind of stuff that i'm here on MFK for. Alot of people want to share rule of thumbs (i hate when i see do this or that but i've never kept that kind of fish) but it's the true personal experience that we've all gone through with fish keeping that i want to hear about. So thanks for sharing that. It was worth the read