Question about Pacu's, anyone that knows about them please read.

[Chicklette]

Sorry to bum you out but they get massive and fast. You won't be able to keep them in a 55 gallon for a year.

 

[pacu mom]

People that read this, I plan on saving money and getting a much bigger tank in the future I am just wondering if the 55 tank was going to be good enough for roughly a year

In a year, the pacu will be at least 15". They will be smashing their faces into the tank walls when turning around in a 12" wide tank. Have you priced a 600 gallon tank yet? New tanks that can adequately house pacu are NOT cheap. Many landlords will have a problem with a very large tank. Are you planning to build a tank?

Keep in mind that things seldom go according to plan. When we purchased our 300 gallon tank five years ago, we knew that we had about 3 years to see if the tank would be adequate for our fish. The tank is only 24" tall. Poor fish have about 6 inches of water above and below them when they swim. When we put the pacu in the 300 gallon tank, we could dump out 2/3s of the water when doing water changes. Now, if we dump out 50% of the water, the poor fish have to swim on their sides to keep their dorsal fins in the water. Over a year ago, I purchased a new tank for our pacu. There is no way the new tank can go in our old house, so the garage was torn down so a fishroom could be built. It is a major major DIY project for us that is costing $$$$$$ We're already over a year into upgrading our pacu housing, and we are not there yet.

If you're dead set on keeping your pacu and are not going to build a tank for them, there are some less costly alternatives to housing your pacu instead of a traditional acrylic tank. A 600 or 720 gallon fiberglass aquaculture tank with a window would work and would be a fraction of what an acrylic tank of similar size would cost. (I paid $3000+ for my 300 gallon tank five years ago)

http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/945/Fiberglass-Tanks-With-Window


I belonged to a pacu forum that is now defunct. People were able to keep single pacus in 75 gallon tanks for about 2 years before their pacus suddenly died. This happened to two of the moderators of the forum. Forum died after the moderators' pacu died. It is extremely hard to maintain good water parameters for pacu when they are housed in small tanks. In good conditions, pacu can live 30+ years, but in small tanks with poor water qualilty they live about 2 years.

My advice to you is don't even bother with a 300 gallon tank. It will buy you a few years, but you will have to go bigger.

*While the prices on the fiberglass tanks are great, there are additional shipping and handling charges. I'm getting a 405 gallon tank to use as a sump for my new system. While the tank is only $951, I also will be paying an additional $494.11 for shipping and handling. (Ship with the backordered tank should have arrived this week. Tanks have to clear Customs before the vendor gets them.)

 

[MN_Rebel]

PS: True that's a WC Pacu but WC Pacu get over 30" FR get to 22"-24"+

The Pacu do get over 30" in tanks if properly housed.

 

[amerino456]

i own 3 pacu, started out as 1 inch babies and soon they were in a 20 gallon then a 55 gallon in 4 motnhs then after 5 months a 240 now they are 2 years old at around 15 inches each and slowly gorwing all the bs rumors about getting ft long are fake

 

[Juxtaroberto]

thats a pic of a pacu caught in the wild, fish grow differently in captivity but I am fully aware of the size they can get to, I just wanted to see if a 50 gallon tank was good enough for a little while I plan on getting a much bigger tank in the future when I move just signed a year lease I dont live that big of a place now im in a studio apt in chicago, thanks for the comment

Fish will only grow to smaller sizes in captivity because of poor husbandry. With proper care, they may even become slightly bigger than their wild counterparts, (since we pamper and protect them and buy them good food and they keep growing as long as they live).

i own 3 pacu, started out as 1 inch babies and soon they were in a 20 gallon then a 55 gallon in 4 motnhs then after 5 months a 240 now they are 2 years old at around 15 inches each and slowly gorwing all the bs rumors about getting ft long are fake

So they were in a 20 gallon for four months, and then a 55 for five months (If I'm reading correctly...)? They're probably stunted. It's not that they don't grow fast, it's just that you didn't let them grow.

 

[brcacti]

I would call the public aquariums in your area, if no luck try bringing them to a local pet shop, (call first) hehehe 30 and 55 way to small for even one, mine is 15 inches in my 300 gal and Im taking it to a public aquarium very soon, its all arranged.

 

[Turbotad]

i hear how fast these pacu grow but i have a red belly pacu in my 180 with a Rtc and a clown loach with plenty of room to grow and he gets plenty of massivore delite by hikari and even some leafs of lettuce from time to time and shrimp that he steals from my catfish and i want to know what gives i bought him at 8 inches and its been 2 months and still 8 inches why is this my water conditions are just fine and i had my lfs re check them any ideas?

 

[Sik.10a]

55gal is still too small, theyl out grow it in no time, I wouldn't bother unless ur gonna dedicate a big tank to them

 

[faded]

eat it....

 

[Kyle_91]

i've had 3 red-belly pacu. They outgrew my tank in just a couple months within having them. i know the exact situation your in and i know it sucks because i, as well, got attached to my pacu...
Fortunately i know the lady at my LFS and she took my 2 smaller ones out of the 3 that i had, and my friend currently has my other one. Yeah, i know its hard, but look at the brightside... more fish.