Just got a red belly

[BazookaFish]

I think this is where I should post this....

Just bought a tank from a guy, and he gave me a red belly piranha with it. I feel really bad for him (he just threw him in the tank with about 4 inches of water) and want to give him a nice place to live. I've never really read up on piranhas until now, but I am wondering from you fish experts out there. What can I do for this guy? I've learned they:

-need to be kept single, or in large groups
-like LOTS of room and hiding places
-(?) Like a high pH(?)
-Can get up to 12"
-Prefer live food
-Make quite a mess, need frequent water changes
-Cannot live with other fish, he will eat them

Is all that correct? Please add your imput, I would like to keep this little guy happy.

(Oh, and I DID move him to a full tank that has been set up, he's not still in 4" of stale water)

Dave

[Aeonflame]

Firstly, whats the size of the tank?

Piranhas need sufficient swimming room, and I would not recommend anything smaller than a 75 gallon tank. They should be kept in acidic water, a blackwater biotrope is ideal. If you intend to keep a school of them, they should be well fed, even so.. cannibalism is common. Wounded piranhas recover well if you manage to get them out in time.

[BazookaFish]

Firstly, whats the size of the tank?

Piranhas need sufficient swimming room, and I would not recommend anything smaller than a 75 gallon tank. They should be kept in acidic water, a blackwater biotrope is ideal. If you intend to keep a school of them, they should be well fed, even so.. cannibalism is common. Wounded piranhas recover well if you manage to get them out in time.

I haven't fixed him up a final tank yet, I just moved him to a smaller tan kthat has a filter, clean water, etc.

I was thinking a 55 gallon would be okay for just him? I don't think I'll be getting any more... Maybe put some other fish that could coexist with him (if any)? I think a 55 with just one fish would be kinda boring.

I'll have to look into a backwater Biotrope...

[BazookaFish]

OR I could use a 30 gal I have, and put just him in it...

[Aeonflame]

You could manage with that I suppose, if its only that one. Just remember your water changes

[saints4]

I would recomment a bigger tank then a 30, Piranhas grow very quickly in the first year so a 30 will become real small quick. As for tank mates, there arent too many that work, anything you put in there will be viewed as a possible meal. Read up as much as you can so that you can provide a good home like you said.

[annageckos]

A 30 is too small even for one fish. They are big messy fish. In my expirance they will eat almost everything, but for the best chances of other tankmates they need to

*be in the tank first and settled before the piranah

*be small, very small. Piranah seem to leave very small fish alone, most of the time. But if they are hungy and can catch the little fish, well....:jaws:

*Fast, which kinda goes with the above

Good luck

[30gallongal]

pretty saddened by the fact that the pirahnas just sat around in one area until feeding time, and he couldnt find a fish that could survive. Most of the fish we get are eaten in 5 minutes. They can easily go through 20 minnows. Whenever there is a fish for a dollar at Petsmart, we get it. Tiger barbs have been able to survive for a few months, just because they are so fast i think, and can hide in the crevaces. But i wouldnt suggest them when the p's are young, as the barbs are fin nippers.