Yup, you heard me right. Piranhas are the same kind of fish that are routinely shown in scary movies and Animal Planet programs as carnivorous fish that live in South American Rivers. These fish are members of the Tetra group of fish and for anyone who has ever seen a Piranha movie, they can be quite dangerous. they are also closely related to Pacu. Piranhas are illegal in a lot of countries and most states in North America. When I was in college, one of my friends had a huge Piranha tank. I remember thinking that it was really cool especially when he would catch insects and just drop them in the tank and watch the Piranha swim up and snatch up the tiny morsel.
Pygocentrus Nattereri or the “Red Bellied” Piranha is the most popular variety of Piranha. Piranhas require at least a 50 gallon tank in which to thrive. They also need temperatures to be around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit as they are warm water fish. Other recommended aquarium accessories include a biowheel and a lot of aquarium gravel.Piranha should be fed flake blood and blood worms when they are young.
If Piranhas are legal in your area, you can probably pick up appropriate food at your local pet store. As they get older, Piranha can be given fish or Beef pieces as well as feeder fish that can also be purchased at your local pet store. Some sources state that Piranha are omnivorous and therefore can also be fed freeze dried or even fresh vegetables. It is important to remember that Piranhas tend to feed in frenzy. So when you offer food to your fish, you should wait for them to eat it for a few minutes. Any food left after that will probably not be eaten and can contaminate your tank. Be sure to remove that food immediately. You should also remember to feed your Piranha about once a day.
Do not try to feed your Piranha Goldfish as these can cause diseases and do not make for a good food source anyway. Because Piranha eat a variety of food including raw meat, it is important to keep your tank clean at all times. A good filtration system will go a long way.
Piranhas have been known to grow up to a foot and half long and can live for several years. Piranha can certainly make for interesting pets but they are carnivores and require special care. Many people have been known to mess around and put their hands inside Piranha tanks only to have their fingers bitten off. It is important to understand that these are wild animals and are illegal in a lot of areas for good reason. Young Piranhas tend to school together where as older Piranhas are more solitary. They love to hide under ornaments and decoration so you should make sure that your aquarium decorations do not have sharp edges. All in all Piranhas make great pets for experienced aquarium enthusiasts and I would highly recommend them for any exotic fish lover.
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