pacu?
- Thread starter fishpro
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150 gallons now and within a few months 600+ gallons or more. I'd say minimum 100 gallons per adult pacu but don't keep them in something smaller than 3 feet front to back because you will need to make sure they have plenty of swimming space and room to turn around. Pacu grow huge 
Don't get black ones they can't live in a tank unless it's a truly monster size tank.
Heater: probably around 3 watts per gallon of water, keep them at 80 degrees.
Filtration: A tank with an overflow to a sump, would be the best. Check the DIY section for information on how to build those or you will need to buy multiple expensive cannister filters.
Don't get black ones they can't live in a tank unless it's a truly monster size tank.Heater: probably around 3 watts per gallon of water, keep them at 80 degrees.
Filtration: A tank with an overflow to a sump, would be the best. Check the DIY section for information on how to build those or you will need to buy multiple expensive cannister filters.
I've got a rescued red belly pacu in a stock vat. It was about ten inches in the body last August and is about sixteen to eighteen inches now. It was and probably still is stunted. The vat is six by four by two feet deep. I'll need to go larger...
Filtration is via a large external and a home built pond type filter driven by a 1000gph pond pump plus powerheads for aeration. The heaters sit inside the filter out of the way of the pacu (they can panic or chew on any electrical cables in their tank - it recently damaged the cable to an internal power filter that I've had to chuck out) but will not dry out if the power goes off.
If this individual has enough hides, it does not panic unless I'm doing a water change and disturb it. It lurks in a plastic dustbin (!) or behind the very large granite blocks the filter sits on when it feels the need but seems less jumpy now than when it was in a glass tank.
Nitrates can be kept below 10ppm by a 50% change every two weeks with water being pumped directly to an outside drain by the pond pump. A hosepipe is used to top up with water at the correct temperature (27C) and dechorinator being added directly to the vat. Takes about an hour.
Tankmates include a Claris catfish, a pair of angelfish and a pair of paradise fish which the pacu seems to ignore or at least not eat. Yet.
It all sort of works - I'm just gaining experience of slightly larger systems.
Not everybodies idea of a specimen fish, but I like the beast
Anyway the trash can is kind of funny in a warped sort of way. Shop staff see me trying to keep a straight face when I'm looking at their coffee mug sized artificial caves and sometimes ask me why I find them amusing...
Hmm, my profiles out of date...
Filtration is via a large external and a home built pond type filter driven by a 1000gph pond pump plus powerheads for aeration. The heaters sit inside the filter out of the way of the pacu (they can panic or chew on any electrical cables in their tank - it recently damaged the cable to an internal power filter that I've had to chuck out) but will not dry out if the power goes off.
If this individual has enough hides, it does not panic unless I'm doing a water change and disturb it. It lurks in a plastic dustbin (!) or behind the very large granite blocks the filter sits on when it feels the need but seems less jumpy now than when it was in a glass tank.
Nitrates can be kept below 10ppm by a 50% change every two weeks with water being pumped directly to an outside drain by the pond pump. A hosepipe is used to top up with water at the correct temperature (27C) and dechorinator being added directly to the vat. Takes about an hour.
Tankmates include a Claris catfish, a pair of angelfish and a pair of paradise fish which the pacu seems to ignore or at least not eat. Yet.
It all sort of works - I'm just gaining experience of slightly larger systems.
Not everybodies idea of a specimen fish, but I like the beast
Anyway the trash can is kind of funny in a warped sort of way. Shop staff see me trying to keep a straight face when I'm looking at their coffee mug sized artificial caves and sometimes ask me why I find them amusing...
Hmm, my profiles out of date...
Four Pacu will need over 600gal of water within 8 months build now then get them OR get Red Hook Silver Dollars
I'd say minimum 100 gallons per adult pacu but don't keep them in something smaller than 3 feet front to back because you will need to make sure they have plenty of swimming space and room to turn around. Pacu grow huge
Wow.
I need to upgrade fast then. Responded to an adoption notice in a FB group and picked up a 4" Black Pacu that was in a 30" tank.
Didn't read about how big they got until after I got it home.