Companions?

[Pondgirl]

If I get red belly piranha, can I have any other fishes in the tank as well, or will they become food?

Any suggestions on possible species? Do you think it will work out better if I put the other fish in the tank while the piranhas are still young and small?

[William]

Piranhas isn’t as ferrous as the myth tells you. You can keep other larger fish with piranhas. For example pacu species, big catfishes, and larger not to aggressive cichlids.

Regarding that it would be better letting fish grown up together. Fish that grow up together are more likely to get along when their bigger how ever there is no guaranty that it will work. The fish might get along for years and one day all that changes and the piranha eats its companions. You might try and you might succeed but no the risks.

[Pondgirl]

Okay.

Do you have any personal experience with pirhanas?

[William]

Very little.

[DiXoN]

the only fish i have ever kept with any success with the 5 different piranha specie i kept was common plecos.
all others ended up dead or injured this included large cichlids who tend to try and mouth lock with other fish and is not exactly the thing to do with fish with sharp teeth.
the neons i thought would be too small to catch ended up as food.
it is not worth it but if you do try get a much bigger pleco at least 4'' bogger than the piranha.
dixon

[Pondgirl]

How many pirhanas have you kept in the same tank?

[Anonymous]

I'm keeping 11 red belly piranha with 11 silver dolars & also with 7 silver shark. Seem like everything is ok... but some of my siler dollar & silver shark got attack by the fin, not a big deal... everything still undercontrol with a 4feets x 1/2 feet tank...