pirahna are over rated.

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This post is long and drawn out, so please bear with me:

When they are small, piranhas are the feeders of the Amazon. That doesn't do too much for your "badas$" personality, or so I wouldn't think. As they get larger, they become the eaters of the Amazon. Still, they're most aggressive during the dry season when food is scarce.

I know you are talking about Pygos, but even with the serra species (I'm saying species of the serrasalmus genus, not that serra IS a species.) they look similar to baby pygos when young.....You know why? Because they will shoal with pygos for the safety that comes in large numbers. As they mature, they prefer to live in smaller groups (yes, I say GROUPS) than their gregarious cousins. They aren't completely solitary. BUT, you have to have a very large tank to house more than one (500+ gallons) I've read that on one of the Piranha go-to sites, I'm thinking it was www.opefe.com

So, if you did some decent research before purchasing, you would've found out that a LOT of piranha keepers will say that they are a skittish animal. I knew this coming into Piranhas, and I'm not disappointed in the least.

As a matter of fact, when I come across someone who has the wrong idea about piranhas (bloodthirsty psychotic killers) I usually inform them that piranhas with that personality are few and far between, and are actually conditioned to act that way.

We started out with a single red belly. This guy has a bad eye, that I'm thinking he's partially, if not completely, blind in. Unfortunately, because of his handicap, group aggression, and my large attachment to this particular fish, he will never be in a shoal. BUT, after starting him off, from a cute lil’ 2-incher to now 4, my fiancé, who is learning about them as I go, has decided that HE wants one.

Answer me this, if they are indeed overrated, with no personality or anything to offer the truly devoted fish keeper, why would someone want a "pointless" fish?

They may be "tetras with teeth" and biologically, they really are, but, that doesn't stop them from being my all-time favorite fish.

Considering the fact that piranhas take chunks out of their prey, this means that they could "take out" a fish that is much larger than they are.

This isn't really the point of keeping fish, if you keep them just to fight them, get bettas, and you should be tossed into a prison cell with all of the other morons who fight animals.

Anyways, even though they can accomplish this if need be, my red belly currently lives with 2 5 inch plecos. Occasionally, he and the pleco he was raised with (my fiancé’s) will squabble. Ya know what, he could RUIN that pleco if he really wanted to, and that pleco only gets his fins nipped.

The moral of this story is;
If you don’t want to end up being disappointed, DO YOUR HOMEWORK first!!

Secondary moral;
Don't believe everything you hear from most petstores (there are exceptions to this rule) and don't believe everything you see on Youtube!
 
I think there way overrated personally.
 
Ruger345;437186; said:
I had a 1 and half inch convict keep a 3-4" piranha in the corner of my tank until i took the convict out. it was the convicts tank and had been for 2months and i added the p, because i had a tank crack. this lasted for a few hours until i could run to the lfs to get a new tank. you have to love the fish to really understand what they are all about. if you think you will see what you have seen in the moives then you will be very pissed.
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Well, convicts are agressive as hell, yes.

But I see your point. Media depicts piranhas as bloodthirsty and evil. Not always the case, however.
 
IMO piranha's are very aggressive fish. at certain times. you will find the occassional one that is absolutely crazy like my manueli. he won't stop attacking his reflection of me when i walk in the room.
If you get piranha's do your research. if you want an aggressive shoal get caribe or piraya. if you want a crazy single fish. go for a manueli or rhom or altuvie. And find a supplier that can find you the one you want. if you want a finger chaser ask for it.
and every fish will be diferent just like every person is a little different.
 
I dont think these fish are over-rated by anyone in the hobby. They may not live up to the reputation they got from Hollywood...but name something that isnt over-rated or exaggerated in Hollywood? I find these treads funny...just because you bought into the hype created by people that know zero about these fish...now you are complaining.

I think people need to take more responsibility for the pets they want to keep...and maybe do a little research about them before making the impulse purchase of a living creature.
 
Grosse Gurke;1290221; said:
I dont think these fish are over-rated by anyone in the hobby. They may not live up to the reputation they got from Hollywood...but name something that isnt over-rated or exaggerated in Hollywood? I find these treads funny...just because you bought into the hype created by people that know zero about these fish...now you are complaining.

I think people need to take more responsibility for the pets they want to keep...and maybe do a little research about them before making the impulse purchase of a living creature.
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x2
 
I dont think they are overrated at all, what do people want them to do.... jump out of the tank grow legs and go on a wild killing spree biting off the ankles of everyone it passes? I think people actually want to see piranha on human aggression, in the wild large Rhom take down prey MUCH larger than themselves and viciously maul it. How aggressive can one rhom or a small shoal of pygo be in a normal size home fish tank, that gets fed food on a silver platter and doesnt even need to use its natural instincts very often. If Piranha v Human is what you want then invest in a swimming pool size pond, stock it with hundreds of piranha that have been starved for the past month, get your mate, slash his/her arm and throw them in... then see whats left after 20 seconds.... This is basically what you are saying you need to see to validate their aggression in the movies. In my eyes all you need to remember is... would you stick your hand in an 18" rhoms home and harass it... no ...... would you have fingers left.... no is that not vicious enough for you?
 
RonTheRHOM;1291233; said:
I dont think they are overrated at all, what do people want them to do.... jump out of the tank grow legs and go on a wild killing spree biting off the ankles of everyone it passes? I think people actually want to see piranha on human aggression, in the wild large Rhom take down prey MUCH larger than themselves and viciously maul it. How aggressive can one rhom or a small shoal of pygo be in a normal size home fish tank, that gets fed food on a silver platter and doesnt even need to use its natural instincts very often. If Piranha v Human is what you want then invest in a swimming pool size pond, stock it with hundreds of piranha that have been starved for the past month, get your mate, slash his/her arm and throw them in... then see whats left after 20 seconds.... This is basically what you are saying you need to see to validate their aggression in the movies. In my eyes all you need to remember is... would you stick your hand in an 18" rhoms home and harass it... no ...... would you have fingers left.... no is that not vicious enough for you?
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:ROFL::iagree::cheers:X2 on this one .
 
I agree also.. they are everything i expected.
 
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