Red Bellied Piranha XXL (Pygocentrus nattereri)
Care level: Easy
Max Size: 35cm
Temp: 23-27°C
PH: 6-8
Approximate purchase size: 17-25cm
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Species Only
The Red Bellied Piranha is one of the most recognisable fish in the hobby. These flesh eating shoalers have a fearsome reputation for devouring anything that crosses their paths, but their true nature is not well known. Piranhas are not in fact as dangerous as they were made out to be.
As mentioned before, this is a shoaling fish that should be kept in groups of 5 or more specimens to get the best out of them. They are a skittish species and tend to be easily spooked and dart for cover when the aquarium is disturbed. The assumption that they hunt down and attack anything they can is actually not true and it is perfectly safe to put your hands in the water as the fish are more afraid of the hand than they are willing to eat it. In the wild, they don't actually attack healthy fish or anything else that happens to be in the water, but will scavenge on carcasses and attempt to eat sick and smaller fish.
The aquarium must be very large as the fish themselves will grow to enormous proportions. The filtration must be efficient and able to cope with a lot of waste as the fish have a preference towards a meaty diet. Darker gravel or sand helps to keep the fish feel more secure and fixtures like bog wood and caves will be greatly appreciated for cover. Plants are not recommended as the Piranhas will almost certainly shred them. Lighting should be somewhat subdued to replicate the sort of environment they're accustomed to.
This species is best kept in a species only aquarium. This is partly because they are easily spooked by large, belligerent fish, but also because they can be quite nippy with other fish.
Food should be primarily meat based. We feed ours mussels, prawns, krill and lancefish with some offerings of vegetable matter.
If you have any questions about keeping this fish, please contact us and a member of our friendly store team will be more than happy to answer all of your questions.
Why not check out our other photos of some of the best livestock to have graced our tanks!
Additional information
| Quantity | x1, x2, x3, x4 |
|---|---|
| Brands | Shirley Aquatics |
