I just moved my 3-1/2 inch red belly from a 10gal to a 55 gal tank. and i was wonderin since i have some extra room if there are any fish that could be compatable with him. I have heard oscars and jack dempsey's, but i am just unsure and would like some more input. please write any suggestions. thanks!
takemates for red bellied piranha
- Thread starter zane1
- Start date
Red belly pacus are known as tankbusters. Check out these profiles for more information:
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_pacu2.php
I'd stick with just one oscar in a 55. If you want to mix aggressive CA and SA cichlids, green terrors and jack dempseys have been known to work on some occasions. All is dependent on the fish. Usually it's best to pick one cichlid, stick a large plec in there, and enjoy getting close to your fish. These cichlids bond with their owner.
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_pacu2.php
I'd stick with just one oscar in a 55. If you want to mix aggressive CA and SA cichlids, green terrors and jack dempseys have been known to work on some occasions. All is dependent on the fish. Usually it's best to pick one cichlid, stick a large plec in there, and enjoy getting close to your fish. These cichlids bond with their owner.
Um....he's not talking about a Red Bellied Pacu....he's talking about a Red Bellied Piranha which is a completely different proposition. I've known people who have kept RBPs with larger fish for long periods of time with no problems....only to come home one day to find their other fish missing large sections of their body. In some cases, tankmates that are much smaller can also be safe in that the pirahna seems unwilling to stoop so low as to eat anything that tiny.
In my limited experience with piranhas (red-bellied) in the days before they were illegal here in Texas, I found that I couldn't keep anything else alive in the tank with them. They went through just about every other fish I tried, larger or smaller, including a rather hefty 'plecostomus' that dwarfed them. I figured its armor would protect it. Well....it protected the head area so the piranhas simply ate everything behind the head.
-Joe
In my limited experience with piranhas (red-bellied) in the days before they were illegal here in Texas, I found that I couldn't keep anything else alive in the tank with them. They went through just about every other fish I tried, larger or smaller, including a rather hefty 'plecostomus' that dwarfed them. I figured its armor would protect it. Well....it protected the head area so the piranhas simply ate everything behind the head.
-Joe
Ok jesse, how did you do it? I know they look very similar, but you had to have put them together when they were juvies....didn't you? I would not think of adding another RBP to my tank unless i got a tank that was 2X the one i have now. The only time i have heard of P's coexisting is in a tank bigger than my house! Very impressive to keep 2 species of such high aggression in the same tank!
I have a 140 gallon.It has two large oscars,and 2 largee african cichlids.we have 4 rb pirhanas(probably about 3 inches in size,give or take a little)a few days ago,we put them in with the oscars,and cichlids,because we dont have room for so many tanks.So far,they seem ok.one cichlid has a little nip outta his tail,but they have been together about 3-4 days.we havent noticed the pirhanas chasing the other fish,but there is also quite a size difference between all of them.as long as you keep them well fed,I dont think there should be any problem.
well there is a freshwater moray, but usually u want to keep them in brackish, they dont do that great in fresh. Also i wouldnt suggest keeping pihranas wiht anything except mybe crayfish, becuae either it /they will pick at the other fish or if the fish is bigge enough it will pick at it. So in conclusion i wouldnt suggest keeping it with anything excpet other rbp. Thats from experience..... also if ur keeping 1 rbp i would suggest not gettin that many more fish or it would be overcrowded anywya... they like being in groups anyway so i would buy a few more around its size.
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i used to have some fake plants for cover, after they started destroying them i removed them. all i keep in the tank now is gravel. i am not sure if they actually ate them or just tore them up. i feed them all kinds of dead stuff. it's safer and much eaiser. stuff my fish have ate-all kinds of frozen fish, shrimp, turkey, chicken, beef, beefheart, hotdogs, lunchmeat, frogs, minnows, goldfish. for some reason they did not like chicken liver, or tadpoles. i dunno but maby they just wernt in the mood.
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RBP will eat not living things if thats what they have been eating since juveniles. if they are used to live feeders and you switch, it might take them a little while, or till theyre hungry, to actually eat the beefheart,brineshrimp, etc.
for the fake plants, try putting live, robust plants and spread the roots out widely under the gravel or sand because at night or feeding time the piranas will easily bump into the plants which eventually causes them to float to the top.
RBP will eat not living things if thats what they have been eating since juveniles. if they are used to live feeders and you switch, it might take them a little while, or till theyre hungry, to actually eat the beefheart,brineshrimp, etc.
for the fake plants, try putting live, robust plants and spread the roots out widely under the gravel or sand because at night or feeding time the piranas will easily bump into the plants which eventually causes them to float to the top.