My red belly has a WHITE belly.

[Dez]

Yesterday our power was cut due to a gas leak, which means that my tank's heater was also shut off. I'm not sure if it's due to this, but some time later in the day I checked on Attila and discovered that his whole belly had turned white.

He's acting normally, albeit a little more aggressive/frightened than usual, and is eating. While shining a really bright light into the tank, I noticed some white residue gathering at the top of the tank, could this be some kind of fungus problem?

Please let me know.

Side Note: I am at work, so my responses will be delayed. Sorry.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Pics would help.

How long was your power out? I'd be more worried about the biofilter than heat ...

HarleyK

 

[leg89]

its normal that the belly turns white when no light is provided. about the same if you let your lights too long.

has HarleyK says, the thing to worry about is the biomedia in the filter not having any flow! if all your bacterias die, it will be some trouble man!

also, do i understand that you keep a single red belly? if so, that is not taking good care of his fish... anyways...

 

[JoeDizzleMPLS]

its normal that the belly turns white when no light is provided. about the same if you let your lights too long.

has HarleyK says, the thing to worry about is the biomedia in the filter not having any flow! if all your bacterias die, it will be some trouble man!

also, do i understand that you keep a single red belly? if so, that is not taking good care of his fish... anyways...

please explain...

 

[Juxtaroberto]

please explain...

Piranhas do best in large groups. Despite their aggressive connotation, they're actually frightened of almost anything else that swims in the water. In the presence of another fish, their heartbeat increases, signaling fear and therefore causing stress. However, in larger groups their heartbeats go back to normal faster than when kept alone, meaning less stress.

On the other hand, if the room the piranha is in is calm enough throughout the day, I don't see the problem with a piranha all by itself if there is sufficient cover. I'd rather see a lone piranha with many places to hide in than many piranhas in a tank that's too small.

 

[JoeDizzleMPLS]

pygos are not a typical shoaling fish and do not need to be in groups to feel comfortable. this is one of the most widely spread myths about piranhas and its actually quite funny to hear people blast those that keep a solo pygo and then provide their reasons why they HAVE to be kept in groups.

 

[leg89]

pygos are not a typical shoaling fish and do not need to be in groups to feel comfortable. this is one of the most widely spread myths about piranhas .

i'd like to know where you found this information... because in my head, and in David Schleser's head, yes, pygos are shoaling fish, and yes they need to be kept in groups.

but if you know something we don't please share with us but be aware that you must have good sources to do that.

but i know you're no pee wee piranha keeper so i'm open to your thoughts

 

[JoeDizzleMPLS]

i didnt get the information from books, as the books written on piranhas are full of outdated and/or completely false information (schlesser's revised edition that just came out is full of good info, but most people are still using the old edition), so i won't have any sources to provide you with. i have gotten my knowledge from many years of my own experience as well as the information i have gotten from experienced keepers and other respected members of the hobby.

i never said that piranhas don't shoal, pygos do live in large groups in the wild, i said they aren't a typical shoaling fish. the issue with pygos is that they have to watch out for attacks from others of their own kind just as much as from other predators. if you watch a shoal of natts in your tank, it is quite obvious that they are just as afraid of each other as they are of anything else, they are constantly keeping an eye on each other to make sure that they don't become a meal for their shoalmates. so saying that they won't do well unless they are in a large group in a fish tank is just plain wrong.

there is so much wrong information that gets spread around because people preach information that they have heard from someone else without knowing the facts themselves or they read it in a book that was published 25 years ago. i laugh every time i see someone putting another person on blast for not following the "20 gallons per fish" rule or the "they have to be kept in odd numbers" rule or the "piranhas have to be kept in large groups" rule.

 

[Juxtaroberto]

i laugh every time i see someone putting another person on blast for not following the "20 gallons per fish" rule or the "they have to be kept in odd numbers" rule or the "piranhas have to be kept in large groups" rule.

Yes, because that makes much more sense than simply putting your two cents in and trying to show them your point of view. No, you're right, laughing at people is much more productive.

 

[Negrodamus]

how do you know what makes piranhas heart beat quicken? do you have a fish stethoscope?

I have kept (and keep currently) solo reds many times and kept them in groups many times as well. To say they shouldnt be kept solo is an opinion you have. not fact.

to the OP, pictures will help, i know when my red is bugged out he seems to lose color, never getting totally white though.