Piranhas turning black..

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iloveyouDIE

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 29, 2010
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Philadelphia
I believe this means they are ready to breed?

I have 3 red bellies in an 85 gallon tank. Two of them (at least) have turned black. Is this a breeding guarantee or does this just show that they are mature?

What should I do, as these guys caretaker, to give them optimal conditions?
 
nothing is guarantee, sometimes mine turn dark as well but no breeding, saying all that how long have you had them look for them to pair off and pick a area to guard then maybe???
 
I've had them for a little over a year (I don't remember exactly). All 3 of them were bought together and remain together now. They are about 6-7" I'd say. This is the first time they've turned black.. hence why I am slightly clueless.
 
Most red bellied piranhas (cariba's too, pirayas are the only exception in pygocentrus) get darker with age it dosen't nessicarily mean they are breeding yet but it ususaly is a sign they have reached sexual maturity and are ready to start breeding if they decide.

when they are full grown (12") they sometimes go entirely black and loose their red bellies.
 
Turning black is a sign that their sexual mature n are on their way to spawning, it doesn't say they will. A lot of factors depend if they do or not, most of which you can control or do to help them out.IMO anyhow. Mine turn black before they spawn.
 
watch breeding videos on youtube, they will start moving there nose/face in the gravel/sand and start guarding that area, if your lucky they will do a little wiggle type thing once or twice. hard to explane. if you want baby get a tank ready and just be ready. Big water changes seem to trigger it to since they breed in the rainy season.
 
I read in another thread about a silver aro turning black and everybody said it was a "fish tan" from the lights.. just another thought for ya.
 
yeah my fish turn all kinds of different colors from like your normal red belly(not alot of red cuz they are 5-7inch) to all silver to like a really pail color and all black i would look for more behavors for signs of breeding. like one chaseing another around all the time and digging around in the gravel i would say IMO
 
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