| [an error occurred while processing this directive] |
| Home Link Library: Meds & Vets
|
Q&APiranha Feeding and Care
I bought a red-belly perona about a 3 weeks age and I also bought 10 feeders which are about and inch and a half. The perona hasn't eaten a whole fish yet, all it's done is bit one which died and I took it out 3 days later cuz the perona didn't eat the rest. Now it has bitten another one, but it's still barely alive. Am I supposed to leave it in there? Also how much light do they need? any other info would be greatly appreciated, thanks -Brie
Piranha don't need much light, as a matter of fact, most don't like that much light. In the wild, they live in rivers and they can easily move from bright sunlight to dark shade. A normal fluorescent aquarium light should do the trick. They do need to have some dark places to hide. It makes them feel more comfortable. You can achieve this by making hiding places and densely planting the aquarium or cover the aquarium with tinted glass. You can either cover the whole thing or just half with the tint. Since I'm by no means a piranha expert, here are some excellent sites on the web with lots of information about piranha care and tank setup. Piranha Care (This is the best piranha site I could find! If you only check out one, check this one out |FMA (this is a reprint of an article on care in FMA)|Aquarium Care (More on aquarium setup) | Truth About Piranha (this site gives a little bit about piranha in the wild and in the aquarium and the legalities of keeping them)
Q and AHave a pet question you want answered? Ask me! I'll respond to your question for free.amanda@cybervixen.net Please note that due to the volume of requests I receive and the time it takes to answer some of the more complicated questions, I cannot answer every question received and I will not answer duplicate questions. However, I will try my best to get to all of them in a timely manner. Content on this site is for information purposes only and not meant to replace veterinary care. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet. All info copyright © Amanda Galiano |
Sounds as if the feeder fish are too big for him. Piranha should be fed things they can swallow in one bite. This prevents the tank from getting dirty. Uneaten food should be removed within 10-20 minutes, not days. After 3 days, the fish was already starting to decompose and harming your water chemistry. Piranha are voracious eaters. If it was going to eat it, it would have eaten it. I would suggest trying some brine shrimp or chopped seafood for your fish.