Should I or shouldnt I ?

[Foster]

pft, don't ask me, i get everything from jp80911, diogenes and bruner247 with a side of foster, zander and whoever else i'm missing

HAH you should of just soaked up all the credit.

I wouldn't worry about the piranha going out of their way to attack you unless your starving them more similar to what they would be in the wild. Water changes they are normally going to be at the other end scared at least for any I've heard of. If your going to be terrfied of sticking your hands in the tank I doubt they will be a good long term pet. I know when I rearrange stuff they normally line up and watch and make sure I put it back right. Especially when its the favorite stick that everyone swims under until it falls over.

 

[Otherone]

I've got a 6ft tank which is 100 gallon'ish and wondering wether to do a piranah set up?
Always been facinated by the things and read that the Red Bellies are maybe easiest to keep? Also how many in my tank?
Sorry if I sound ignorant but ive always wondered about how you go about with putting your hand in the tank for some reason or another, like moving rocks or logs about?

Sorry for being such a noob in advance

Red belly is a term used more specifically for Pygocentrus Nettereri but their are plenty of different P's with "Red Bellies." They are an "easy" large toothed Charciform to keep because they readily accept all types of non-live foods as well as being more adapt then some of their Characin cousins to lower levels of dissolved oxygen associated with aquariums vs. large flowing bodies of water in the wild. P's are just plain adaptable to most safe water conditions. They are in the "Tetra" family meaning shoaling and small scale fish. Not all P's will shoal as adults and being small scale fish not the best fish to cycle a tank with. As for decor - the more natural the fishes surroundings in an aquarium the more comfortable the fish will be the less stress it will go thru. Stress being a leading cause of unhealthy fish. P's do like to hide as well as rest in a comfrotable spot. They also like to swim so don't over do it with the decor make sure they have swimming lanes. When cleaning the tank you may have to move some orniments. Do it a few hours after feeding. A divider isn't really ness. but if your spooked better safe than sorry. When done cleaning put everything back as close to where you found it so as to not encourage then to establish new territories however when adding new fish to the shoal rearrange the tank.
There is more to it and hopfully others will chime in with their helpful hints.
Best of luck!

 

[DaveUK]

How often to feed, and what to feed them? Just recently read a post where someone missed a feed and they attacked another P, is this common?

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

How often to feed, and what to feed them? Just recently read a post where someone missed a feed and they attacked another P, is this common?

Depends on the size

Just a general feel for what people in here do though.

Most feed 2-3 times daily until they reach 6 inches or so and then cut it down to either one feeding a day or 2-3 times a week.

Mine are currently somewhere near 6-8inches and i doubt i even consistently feed them twice a week. Been a long time since i've seen any bites too. When i lost one to cannibalism, i actually feed them that afternoon and by the time i got off work at 6, he was half eaten.

 

[knox_rbp]

I chime in with knowledge from time to time, I'm usually too late so I just end up agreeing with some one. lol.
I will agree with ballin as usual.
I feed my 6" rbps once a day usually and I feed my 2"-4" rbps 3 to 5 times a day. The small ones are part of a mixed shoal of 9 rbp and 6 macs so I feed a little more often to help keep the aggression down.

 

[soul_assassin]

That sanchezi would be mine and they max at 8" in the wild, 6-8" in the aquarium, mine is just over 5".

Also agree with 5-7 nattereri in the tank your size, GL.

 

[fishtician]

That sanchezi would be mine and they max at 8" in the wild, 6-8" in the aquarium, mine is just over 5".

Also agree with 5-7 nattereri in the tank your size, GL.

I've got 6 RBP, in a 180Gal. They're healthy and about 5-7 inches. There's also 3 plecos at 12inches plus, in there. I feed them a mixed bag of food. From pellets,algae discs,fish fillets and feeders on occassion. If your looking for fish to sit and watch, these guy's probally won't do it for you. There skittish, even in a larger tank. Mine will feed in front of me, but put a few people in the room , and forget it. I've been searching for a new home for mine for awhile.

 

[itsthelendon]

I been wanting a piranah set up for awhile, where can you find them for sale?