Piranha ID?

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Piranha #2, could be s. sanchezi, but it's not the eyes you want to look at. I can't really tell without a close up of the scutes. If you don't already know; scutes are the fused scales that run along the piranhas belly. In s. sanchezi they are irregular, as opposed to s. rhombeus where they are uniform. Piranha #3 is undoubtably a rhombeus. Couldn't really tell what #1 was, it was doing that defensive tilt thing.
 
Alright thanks, I tried to get a photo of the scutes but it was too far away. The third one I saw the scutes and they were pretty uniform so I pretty much knew it was a rhombeus. I want a sanchezi, not a rhom but I don't wanna spend 60$ on a fish and then just give it back because its not a sanchezi.

They are all listed as rhombeus BTW
 
Restricted- said:
Alright thanks, I tried to get a photo of the scutes but it was too far away. The third one I saw the scutes and they were pretty uniform so I pretty much knew it was a rhombeus. I want a sanchezi, not a rhom but I don't wanna spend 60$ on a fish and then just give it back because its not a sanchezi.

They are all listed as rhombeus BTW
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Yeah, I get that. I once bought a piranha labeled as an Altuvei for $125, only to find that it was a comp. They might just be rhoms then, I personally wouldn't risk it.
 
Only problem is the only piranhas available around here are rhoms and red belly's, so if one of these is a sanchezi I really want it. Not quite sure what to do.
 
Restricted- said:
Only problem is the only piranhas available around here are rhoms and red belly's, so if one of these is a sanchezi I really want it. Not quite sure what to do.
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If you can get a pic of the scutes, then it would pretty much be 98.9% for sure that it's a sanch; I refrain from saying 100% because this genus has many complex's, and nothing aside from possibly elongatus/brandtii are for sure. Right now would be risking rhom, unless you don't mind owning one.
 
Piranha fury gave me a 98% positive ID on one as a sanchezi, but not I can't decide if I want sanchezi or rhom lol..
 
Restricted- said:
Piranha fury gave me a 98% positive ID on one as a sanchezi, but not I can't decide if I want sanchezi or rhom lol..
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lol, speak of the devil; I used to be on that site. Well, the rhom will get substantially larger, but it will take forever for that to happen. The sanch is a nice, smallish serra; that in most cases does fine in smaller aquariums, where as the rhom will eventually need a 120g+. Don't worry though that's hardly ever the case, most get rid of theirs long before. If you do however want to keep one long term, a tank measuring 48" x 24" x 24" is usually adequate, seeing as rhoms hardly ever exceed 15" in captivity; coincidentally specimens of even that size are rare in the hobby.
 
Well my tank is 48x18x18 so that will be able to house it for a long time if I do get one, I think i'm gonna go with the rhom because it just seems awesomer. Thats the only way I can describe it, bigger badder, a better primary fish.
 
Restricted- said:
Well my tank is 48x18x18 so that will be able to house it for a long time if I do get one, I think i'm gonna go with the rhom because it just seems awesomer. Thats the only way I can describe it, bigger badder, a better primary fish.
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That sounds like a 75g, at the size there at now; it might be able to stay in there at least 2 - 3yrs. Rhom growth is very inconsistant, detrimental on conditions and feeding regime. They are pretty cool, but be warned larger ones can get boring..
 
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