WHATS SO GREAT?!

[jp80911]

that's not true.
many of us here do not feed them feeders (lfs do because that's easier for them). I feed all mine smelts, fish fillet, shrimp, squid, etc none of them had problem eating those food.
piranhas feed off the wounded, sick or dead in the wild so there's no reason they won't eat a piece of fillet or smelt. some might be a bit hard to go from hunting moving prey to a dead meat but they won't starve themselves and all will eventually eat what you give them.

 

[myles]

piranhas are a amazing fish. there designed very well at doing what there ment to do. you really have to have a proper setup to really enjoy them though if u half ass it u might aswell not do it. u need a large tank and pactiance, to grow them out. they are very shy at first but once they grow they look great and becoem quite bold. you aslo need to have a decent sized group, then thye will act more normal and be bolder and generaly more active, and out on a better feeding show. there are alot of neat species aswell, and if u can get ur hand one some of the more uncommon ones they are deffitrly worht the money. mixed pygo shoal would be best id say get some cariba or piraya, makes a very nice tank.

 

[EJKC]

Could I put different species together?

 

[I<3fish]

Could I put different species together?

This usually ends bad for one or the other.
But as others have said, piranha's are really just scavengers and not as predatorial as everyone thinks. They are more or less our version of the shad in that they are a forage/bait fish for most fish in the amazon.

 

[Armand]

the appearence mainly and the behaviour.also the unpredictable nature.
most piranhas are not aggressive in the 'cichlid' sense of the term.they are just efficient as predators.there is no harassment of the tankmates unlike cichilds,its just goin ok..ok..till one day the tankmate disappears.
plus they are great looking.
but if you want an active and interacting fish,you should avoid piranha and stick to cichlids

Couldn't agree more.

 

[JoeDizzleMPLS]

This usually ends bad for one or the other.
But as others have said, piranha's are really just scavengers and not as predatorial as everyone thinks. They are more or less our version of the shad in that they are a forage/bait fish for most fish in the amazon.

that's pretty far off base... i definitely wouldn't just call them scavengers. piranhas will sometimes scavenge just because they will eat almost anything, but that is just taking advantage of an easy meal, many predatory fish exhibit the same behavior.

 

[LBathory]

If piranhas are done right they are awesome fish. IE dark, heavily planted species tank. Look at JP80911's tanks, perfect way to keep p's. It's when you put too many babies in one tank and they end up just killing each other and being skiddish all the time that it's no fun.

 

[jp80911]

If piranhas are done right they are awesome fish. IE dark, heavily planted species tank. Look at JP80911's tanks, perfect way to keep p's. It's when you put too many babies in one tank and they end up just killing each other and being skiddish all the time that it's no fun.

thanks bro, for advertising my tanks
and I'll take this chance to show off my tanks and p's as I always do (couldn't like it, so deal with it )
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276265
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=278792
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=278858

 

[Killabeas]

So you're pretty much lookin to be sold on them? Most people get them for the wrong reason and end up disappointed. I say get them because you like the look of one of the species (same reason you'd get any other fish) or because you want to see for yourself what the fish that the media has portrayed as a monster acts like. Forget everything you've ever heard from the media and go into it with an open mind.

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

There's a few people here with mixed shoals but they also have very large tanks. I'd just get whatever you have access to unless you're planning on ordering them. If you're going that route there's a ton of people here that can help you design a mixed shoal. You'll definetely need to do more research though as you're already scaring me with the tankmate and feeder questions. lol