Opinions on keeping a RBP

[Prex]

I have a cycled 29 gallon tank atmo, it has fake plants, rocks, natural gravel etc and has open spaces as well as shaded areas. The filter is a penguin 200b, which a strong filter for this tank, and filters lots of water. I have lots of experience keeping other freshwater fish, and currently have another tank which is 25g low tech planted community tank just to give you the idea I am familiar with basics. For my 29g I currently have one RBP baby, just about a inch long, he is very cool, and Im feeding him rn high protein flakes, with bloodworms every other day. When hes bigger in a month or two, il start giving him hikari cichlid gold as his staple in his diet, as well as shrimp, tilapia, that kind of stuff every other day, to keep it varied, and maybe every few weeks or so a live feeder fish. I have researched them a lot but a lot of the info is cloudy, and want some of your guys opinions on this who may have experience with them (first time owner of piranha). I plan on keeping the piranha alone in this tank for life, and would do 10-12% water changes weekly, with my filter I mentioned above running, and giving a mixed diet, would this be ok? Im also wondering what you guys feed your piranhas, and what feeders you use if any, Goldfish is abundantly available and cheap and some of the lfs's have a bunch of them and they seem to be in good condition . Im aware of the whole Thiamine deal and parasites but I know lots of people feed them as treats to their piranhas, would this be a big no no, and I should just use livebeares for feeders, or are the cheap and convenient goldfish ok as a treat? I understand the tank is on the small side, however at my lfs the worker mentioned he knew multiple people maintaining A single RBP in 20 gals and that the fish grew to 8 inches and lived many years healthy. With this said I really appreciate the beauty of piranhas and their chill nature, and don't want it to have **** life in my tank.
Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

Tbh RBP should be kept in shoals, and keeping a RBP in a 20 gallon for life is not cool. A 30 gallon is a little tight imo.

 

[monkeybike]

They just get more skittish when solo. I've kept several solo rbp's over the years. That 29 will be fine for quite a while. They tend to hang in cover when solo so I wouldn't worry about a ton of swimming going on. I wouldn't recommend feeder goldfish.

 

[Prex]

ye maybe few years down the road if he gets really big like if he 9 inches or more, I might get a cheap used tank that is larger( although from what ive read, sometimes piranhas even with good diet tank e.t.c will naturally max out at 8 inches, however some also naturally max out at 10-12 inches in aquariums, Ive read genetics, where its from, and whether it's tank raised or not play a role in their full size), is it really THAT bad to use feeder goldfish every once in a while as a treat? never used feeders before because I never had a predatory fish until now. Is it only noobs who feed goldies per say lol, or do some experienced predatory keepers do it as well? Also besides feeders, what was your guys regular P's diet, I plan on giving him a mixed diet like I mentioned ealier, but im just curious and it wouldn't hurt to know.

 

[tlindsey]

Prex just noticed you joined today welcome aboard. Some piranha owners enjoy watching the live kill, but if you choose to treat your RBP occasionally with a live feeder please make sure you treat them first with paraguard etc. In quarantine aquarium . Don't jeopardize your piranha life with feeding it a sick parasitic fish.

 

[monkeybike]

I almost never gave mine live food except for earthworms. I did drop a nuisance firemouth in for him once. I mostly fed shrimp, tilapia, catfish and flounder. My brother-in-law has a seafood biz so I would get sushi grade tuna as well.

You could always get a tank going with some breeder fish like convicts to feed him. Still don't think goldfish or rosy reds are a good idea.

 

[Prex]

Thank you for the help, I am eager once hes bigger to feed him some sort of live feeder cause Ive always had community fish, never a true predator/scavenger like a P before and so I think its kinda neat. I have never heard of para guard before, but I will look it up, and ya you guys are right. What I think I might do is buy some cheaper cichlid or molly or something like that stick it in my community planted tank, wait a bit and make sure hes healthy then feed it to my piranha, or I may just breed something in that tank like platy's or molly's.

 

[SandNukka15]

A minimum size tank for a single red belly for life is a 75.....a 29 is nowhere close.and the 1 inch red will outgrow it within a year ......reds can grow to 10-12 inches