Pacu Toleration

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landonc said:
Zoodiver; you seem to know quite alot about pacus, this is my new 12 incher, do you think hes a red belly or black? People are saying black as much as they are saying red and I would just like to know.
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The pics don't come up for me at work. (Could be a city computer system blocker of some type). I will look when I get off this afternoon and let you know. It should be pretty easy to tell by body structure. The color can be so different between animals of those two species, that it's not often a good way to judge species.

The macro are the true "Tambaqui". They have an elongate shape when adults. Also, the jaw structure is vastly different - though both are powerful seed eaters. The jaw protrudes outward a lot further in them. Macro will reach 80 lbs or more as adults.

Brachs can have an either all black color or some will retain the juv. red belly as adults as well. The loss of the red belly as they reach adulthood is often why they are mistaken as macro. The brachs will also have a much more rounded body as adults....very similar to the juv. shape.

I'll let you know my opinion for sure when I see the pics you posted tonight.
 
landon - come on man, it's not just my one comment. A lot of the guys on this site really know their stuff, more so than the other sites you posted. And tigerfangs, ming etc all verified it's a RB.

Col_macropomum.jpg


That above is a black. They are rare too. Yours does not look like the one above.

I feel bad for you wanting it to be a black and being told otherwise, but face the facts, it's a dark red belly. Does it really matter? You still like the fish don't you?

Like zoo said above, a lot red bellies turn more or less black, but they are not the "black fin" species.
 
I would like for him to be black though he may be a nice red. Either way he does look like the fish above, he has the greenish shimmer coloration and bottom portion is jet black. Fins are exactly the same and so is coloration, even the fish above has some orange/red coloration. My fish is also shapped pretty much the same. Honestly; i think hes a red belly but its too hard to tell when on two other forums experienced members are all posting black, and people here are saying red. There is no since to get 'angry' because im confused and questioning both responses. I cant simply chose your answer because you want me too, your probally right but who am I to say the experienced pacu keepers arent right?

Zoodiver has pacu experience and I trust his response. I hope you can understand that its not easy for me to pick out of the 50/50 responses im getting. Black or red; i love this guy, but I would like to know what species he is :)

Why would you feel bad for me? Im not saying hes a black, im saying I DONT KNOW. Im getting 50/50 answers here, calm down.
 
Rumblesushi posted a black pacu. About 5-6" in size and they look like that.
I'll confirm for ya when I get outta here in about 45 mins. For some reason photobucket is a banned site for the city.
 
I think its a red belly because I had one before and it looked the exact same way

However, we can't really be sure until it gets bigger. I've seen some black pacu that looks like red belly and vice versa. Wait for it to get older and then we'll know for sure
 
People, they (Blacks and Red Bellies) are no more similar than Rhombeus and Piraya Piranhas. They look worlds apart different...
 
tigerfangs said:
People, they (Blacks and Red Bellies) are no more similar than Rhombeus and Piraya Piranhas. They look worlds apart different...
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pacu mimic the P that is HOW they live ........... it's their saftey net.. same waters
 
Princley said:
pacu mimic the P that is HOW they live ........... it's their saftey net.. same waters
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You missed my point. I'm not comparing Pacu to Piranha. I was refering to the differences between two distinctly different species of Piranha.

Here's another example: They are as similar as Goldfish are to Koi.
 
It's looks to be a young Red belly pacu. Still the verdict is out at 12" - 18". There are hybrids out there where a so called "RBPacus" (deep blood red fins and belly)have achiveved black pacu lenghts of 4 to 5 feet.....

Get you pond going so that bogger can grow.....
C
 
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