PIRANHA - Pygocentrus nattereri

Piranha - Pygocentrus nattereri

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Fact Sheet: PIRANHAS - Pygocentrus (Serrasalmus) nattereri

Piranhas

Photo  by        Joybot 

BASIC PIRANHA FACTS

Piranhas have red throats, razor-sharp teeth to rip flesh with ease, and silvery gold flesh (red-bellies have red bellies, of course). Piranhas are native to South America and Guyana and it's against the law to bring them in and out of most countries. They are quite dangerous and aggressive fish since they reside in schools, which has a tendency to promote a competitive environment.

When planning a piranha aquarium, fish size should be regarded first. Grown piranhas have been known to develop to two feet long in a big enough tank. Piranhas are in addition group swimmers, which means they'll need room to roam. Strive to provide two gallons per each inch of piranha fish. An aquarium six feet long by two feet by two should allow ample hideouts. A minimum fifty-gallon aquarium is recommended.

Red-bellied piranha or Red piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri - Photo  by     warriorwoman531  (cc)

TANK UPKEEP AND CONDITIONS

Piranhas (Pygocentrus (Serrasalmus) nattereri) are very sloppy eaters. Ten to fifteen percent water switch-outs every seven days will ensure waste not trapped by the filter system is taken away. Regarding filter systems, almost all piranha aquariums will need at least two devices to manage the process, especially if the aquarium is fifty or more gallons. Nitrate concentrations, which have harmful effects on piranhas particularly, should be monitored directly. PH levels ought to stay between six and one half and 6.9 to copy those of the Amazon where piranhas came from.

Water degrees in a piranha enclosure should be about eighty degrees to encourage piranha movements. Many piranha owners employ additional water pump devices to prod piranhas to swim in opposition to the waves as in the River of the Amazon. The practice additionally promotes metabolism levels, stimulating eating habits.

For decoration, it's preferable to keep the fish tank low lighted to encourage piranhas to venture into open water. Man-made fauna is recommended. Any rocks and synthetic centerpieces will need to be tightly fastened, seeing as strong piranhas will hurl pieces around, potentially breaking the glass.

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DIET

Piranhas' diet consists completely of proteins. Living meaty rations such as non-fatty poultry or beef and fillets of fish may be administered daily or bidaily. Feeder comet fish are a non-expensive choice, but piranhas will dine on practically any variety of meat. Experiment to find what yours favor. Whatever you do, don't leave your fingers in the water too long!

TANK MATES

Obviously, piranhas are aggressive fish, which makes your choice of tank mates relatively slim. However, some other aggressive fish can co-exist with them. For example, tetras, cichlids, Oscars, pleco catfish and pacus. These fish are by and large excellent defensive fish, while the plecos have tough outer shells and can grow to larger, intimidating sizes. Pacus resemble piranhas and will fight back. Tetras are quick and small with sensory instincts which allow them to stay clear of piranhas. Piranhas also aren't likely to give chase to such speedy, small cohabitants. Cichlids may or may not coexist with piranhas; they have simply been known to team up against them to survive. Oscars are large and in charge and inexpensive to replace if they're slurped by a fat red-belly.

As a rule of thumb, don't introduce too many new experimental tank mates into your piranha tank. Add them one by one to see how they adapt. Whatever you do, don't get too attached to them until you know they're going to make it!

SUMMARY

We hope you've benefited from this informational piece regarding piranhas. Feel free to visit AquariumUniverse.com for more piranha aquarium information including photos and videos, additional guides and aquarium resources.

By Pathen Pros - Article Source: EzineArticles

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How Do You Properly Maintain a Pet PIRANHA Tank?

Aquarium of Lyon in France - Piranhas
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Owning a pet piranha is not just about setting up their home once and then forgetting about it. There is a little bit more involved in maintaining a piranha tank and I'm hoping that this article will provide you with the necessary steps and guidance.

Although it isn't extremely complicated, maintaining an aquarium does require a little bit of effort on your part. Just feeding your pet fish and watching them swim isn't going to be enough. It is important to monitor the state of the aquarium and the state of your piranhas on a daily/weekly basis. Below is a list of steps that will help you properly maintain your pet piranha's home:

1. Check the water chemistry on a weekly basis. At a minimum, make sure the following levels are maintained:

Temperature Range - 73°F - 81°F

pH Range - 5.5 - 7.0

Hardness - 15° - 20°

2. Keep an eye on algae.

Algae is the green mossy substance you sometimes see on the aquarium walls and decorations. One way to prevent algae is by introducing a few algae eaters to your tank. For example, plecos or snails. An alternative is to scrape the algae once it develops, using a simple algae scraper. (In fact, scraping the walls of your aquarium before the algae appears is also a good step.)

3. Clean your filter components.

From time to time you will have to clean the filter and its components. However, it is important to note that not all components should be cleaned at the same time. Over time, bacteria builds up on the filter components and some bacteria is essential for your piranha's health. Most aquarists will recommend cleaning one component per week.

4. General clean-up and water changes.

Replace approximately 20% of the water every week or so. You can do this by using an aquarium vacuum, which allows you to suck debris lying around on the gravel and ornaments while removing some of the water at the same time. Once approximately 20% of the water has been removed, replace it with fresh tap water. Things to note:

a. Use a bucket specifically dedicated for your aquarium (i.e.: do not use any household bucket that you may have used for cleaning the house. Leftover chemicals may harm your piranhas.)

b. Make sure the new water is the same temperature that is already in your aquarium to avoid shocking and stressing your piranhas.

c. Add the new water slowly (i.e.: 4-5 cups every 15 minutes or so).

This may seem complicated at first, however, the more you do it, the faster and easier it becomes!

By Dan S Gordon - Article Source: EzineArticles

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PIRANHA FISH - Feeding Your Pet Piranhas

Contrary to common belief, piranhas do not only eat live food. In fact, they do not only eat meat. Piranhas are omnivores, which means that they can eat just about anything (meat as well as greens.) It is important to keep your piranha's diet varied. Piranhas can be taught to eat dead food. When feeding your piranha dead food, it might be best to splash it around a bit (to mimic live behavior) just long enough to grab your piranha's attention. When feeding your piranhas live food, it's extremely important to understand the risks involved. Many of these feeders are in poor health, and can carry diseases which may pass on to your piranhas. Make sure to quarantine any live feeders before feeding them to your piranhas.

Piranhas
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HERE IS A LIST OF FOOD THAT YOUR PIRANHAS CAN ENJOY:

Beef

Chicken

Crayfish

Cod

Eel

Earthworms

Krill

Pellets

Salmon

Shrimp

shall feeders (minnows, pinkies, frogs, etc...)

Small insects

Squid

Smelt

Sprats

Trout

Tuna

Piranhas are not particularly picky fish when it comes to food. They will eat just about anything edible that is dropped into the tank. If you have just purchased your piranhas and they are not eating, do not worry. It might take your piranhas awhile before they start eating. Piranhas take time before they get comfortable and acquainted to their new environment, so they might not eat much during the first few days or even weeks. There are a couple of things that you can do to help speed up this process. You can:

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

Piranhas do not like the light much. They come from murky waters so turning down the lights will help reduce their stress.

TURN UP THE TEMPERATURE SLIGHTLY.

Doing this will help stimulate your piranha's appetite. Be careful not to over-do it though. 1-2 degrees should be fine.

MAKE SURE TO GIVE YOUR PIRANHAS ENOUGH PLACES TO HIDE IN YOUR TANK.

Not doing so will leave your piranhas feeling exposed, and this will only prolong the settling down period.

The most important thing you can do is to give it time. Piranhas will not starve to death, so try feeding it a bit every once in awhile. After a certain period of time, your piranhas will get used to their new home and begin to feed normally.

By Osbaldo Martinez Article Source: EzineArticles

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