Needing a tank mate for my piranhas

ativa01

Exodon
MFK Member
Jan 21, 2021
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Big fish in small pond
I never had a problem keeping my group with other fish. Mainly with Chinese algae eaters and jewel cichlids. Kept probably five CAE and ten jewels along with six rbp in a 6x2x2 when the rbp were probably 9”.
My previous attempt ended with the convict cichlids I was trying, killing my five 4” rbp.
You managed to keep six adult red belly piranhas with Chinese algae eaters and jewel cichlids? You must be the fish whisperer or something because that won't work 99% of the time. More like 99.9% of the time. The piranha simply interpret those fish as food.

AND you had convict cichlids which killed five medium sized red belly piranha? Were you adding steroids to their food or what? ?

Crazy stuff going on in your tanks. Please take video next time stuff like this happens because I'd love to see.
 

latapy10

Piranha
MFK Member
Nov 9, 2019
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You managed to keep six adult red belly piranhas with Chinese algae eaters and jewel cichlids? You must be the fish whisperer or something because that won't work 99% of the time. More like 99.9% of the time. The piranha simply interpret those fish as food.

AND you had convict cichlids which killed five medium sized red belly piranha? Were you adding steroids to their food or what? ?

Crazy stuff going on in your tanks. Please take video next time stuff like this happens because I'd love to see.
Some aquarists are testers... And the end of result is not important to them.. some piranhas will remain .
 

Fishman Dave

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Nov 14, 2015
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The jewel cichlids were in from very small as grow on stock back when I bred and sold jewels. They started off maybe 1” with 4” piranha and by the time I moved the piranha on at 9” they were a group of mixed adults which I was keeping myself. The CAE were real nasty devils I didn’t mind losing but didn’t lose one. The piranha were always fed twice a week on mussels and cut whitefish fillet and never bothered the other livestock.
 

Milingu

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jul 19, 2015
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It is all about the attitude of cichlids. Piranha are easy to intimidate.
Some years ago the chairman of my local fish club gave two oscars to a museum. A few weeks later the museum called begging to take the oscars back.
They had put the oscars in their piranha display tank where they had spawned within a few days. The oscars were defending a small rock in the middle of tank and the scared pinraha were pilled up in two corners of the tank.

Long story short, the oscars had to leave the tank to save the pinraha. But does this make them good tank mates?
Obviously not because either the piranhas are scared to death or because they'll tear the oscars apart in one bite.
 

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
23,484
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Ohio
It is all about the attitude of cichlids. Piranha are easy to intimidate.
Some years ago the chairman of my local fish club gave two oscars to a museum. A few weeks later the museum called begging to take the oscars back.
They had put the oscars in their piranha display tank where they had spawned within a few days. The oscars were defending a small rock in the middle of tank and the scared pinraha were pilled up in two corners of the tank.

Long story short, the oscars had to leave the tank to save the pinraha. But does this make them good tank mates?
Obviously not because either the piranhas are scared to death or because they'll tear the oscars apart in one bite.
I've heard of Cichlid trying lip lock with Piranha do I need to say more.
 
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