
- Feed your piranhas once a day. Feeding them more often can lead to overfeeding and increases the amount of waste in the tank. Good live foods are guppies and minnows. ...
- Give your piranhas processed, frozen, and freeze dried foods including fish, crabs, prawns, rainworms and shed snakeskin. Occasionally feed them green vegetables such as raw zucchini, spinach, or potato. ...
- Avoid feeding piranhas live animals. Not only can they introduce disease to your piranhas, but can contribute significantly to waste in the tank.
What do Piranhas eat in an aquarium?
In the wild, piranhas live on an omnivorous diet, and you need to provide varied foods in the aquarium. Meat should be the base of their diet, and you can offer live or frozen tubifex worms, daphnia, blood worms, or shrimp. You can provide feeder fish or even whole dead fish like lancetfish or silversides.
What kind of substrate do Piranhas need?
A darker substrate will provide an excellent contrast to the body colorations of the piranha fish. Live plants complement a piranha tank well, but there is a chance that the fish will destroy them. You can use hardy plants as well as low-light varieties.
How do you take care of a piranha?
Keep the young piranhas on a diet of live feed. Female piranhas lay hundreds of thousands of eggs at one time. The eggs are laid in the sand just below the source of water where they live. This behavior is common among the red-bellied female piranhas which lay in nests dug by their mates.
How to breed Piranhas?
Piranhas can breed in a community tank as well as in a separate spawning tank. In the latter case a tank of 40 gallons capacity should be used (60 gallons is even better). The water is purified by means of powerful external filter and some small pebbles are put on the tank bottom as a substrate.

What can I feed my piranha?
Give your piranhas processed, frozen, and freeze dried foods including fish, crabs, prawns, rainworms and shed snakeskin. Occasionally feed them green vegetables such as raw zucchini, spinach, or potato. Avoid giving piranhas dry market feed, flakes or granules. Avoid feeding piranhas live animals.
What do captive piranhas eat?
In captivity, Piranhas will consume fish pellets and flakes, especially those rich in animal components. They can also be fed with mealworms, Earthworms, krill, and some other feeder fishes.
How do you keep piranhas alive?
To keep your Piranha healthy, first provide them with plenty of clean, warm water. Your Piranha's temperature should be about 80° Fahrenheit (about 26.5° Celsius), and ideally should remain between 76° and 83° F (24.5° and 28.5° C) so you need a heater and a thermometer.
How long can piranhas go without food?
three to four monthsPiranhas by nature are very shy and resistant to new changes in the aquarium home. They usually fast for a few days until they become accustomed to their new surroundings. Experiments conducted at OPEFE (unpublished 1994-96) demonstrate that piranhas can survive up to three to four months without eating.
Do piranhas eat bananas?
Piranhas don't eat bananas -- their sharp teeth are for eating meat! And there's a scrumptious pair of feet dangling in the water nearby...
Can you feed piranhas mice?
14:2022:44PIRANHA FEEDING on a MOUSE (VIEWERS DISCRETION IS ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt all vanish as they realize it's food. So probably five individuals have fed on the mouse whereasMoreIt all vanish as they realize it's food. So probably five individuals have fed on the mouse whereas the other bunch are still hiding.
Do piranhas need a light?
You can either keep your aquarium using only the room light, without artificial light, or use low output fluorescents and floating plants to filter the light further. If you have live plants, choose species that don't require a lot of lights: a dimly light aquarium is the best environment for pet piranhas.
What can you put in a tank with piranhas?
Tank Mates for Piranha FishOther Red Belly Piranhas.Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive Community Fish (Cichlids, many Catfish, large Barbs, etc)Guppies, Danios, and other small Community Fish.Armored Catfish.
Can I have a pet piranha?
Can you legally own a piranha? As a result of the danger, they pose, not only in an aquarium, but to other wildlife and also to people, the importation, sale, purchase and keeping of piranhas are legally banned in a number of states in the United States.
Can a piranha bite off a finger?
Undeterred Argentineans returned to the beach today where as many as 70 people were injured Wednesday after a pack of piranha attacked dozens of swimmers in a river, even biting off one girl's fingers.
What size tank do I need for piranhas?
Baby piranhas can be kept temporarily in aquariums as small as 20 gallons, but in the long run, adults will need at least 100 gallons or more depending on how many you have. They will be less stressed and show their best colors in a well-decorated aquarium with a dark substrate and subdued lighting.
Do piranhas bark?
Piranhas can make different sounds, especially when they're feeling afraid or defensive. They may bark, grunt or make thudding or drumming sounds. To do this, they use their swimbladder, an organ most fish have that helps them float in water.
What fish can go in a tank with piranhas?
Well-fed Red Belly Piranhas are fairly tame towards their tank mates and can be kept alongside other fish their size or larger. Large Cichlids like Peacock Bass, armored Catfish, and related fish from South America like Pacus and Silver Dollars are your safest choices.
Do piranhas eat live things?
Piranhas: Cheat Sheet Piranhas only occasionally kill live prey. More often, they take small, non-fatal nibbles out of passing fish or devour food that's already dead. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was a wilderness adventurer!
Why do piranhas eat meat?
A school of piranhas are not bound together because they wish to consume meat in record time. They do so as a means of defense against predators. An interesting note to add is that some species of piranha are actually vegetarian! Some piranha are omnivorous, eating more seeds than meat.
How to care for a piranha?
To care for piranhas, feed them once a day with a varied diet of freeze-dried fish, rainworms, and green vegetables to keep them healthy. Then, remove any food that’s left in the tank after a few minutes so that it doesn’t pollute the water. Each week, replace 20 percent of the water in the tank to keep it fresh and check the filters so you can replace them when they get dirty. Also, test the tank water after each cleaning to make sure the pH and oxygenation levels are safe and healthy for your piranhas. For tips on how to know if your piranhas are sick, read on.
How to keep a piranha alive?
Fill the tank with water. Piranhas are surprisingly hearty fish and can adapt to different water conditions. In general, they live in warm, fresh water between 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They also thrive at a pH of 5.5-8.0. You can fill the tank with warm tap water as long as you’re using several filters in the water. In addition, you should keep a temperature in the water to ensure it is optimal for your piranhas to thrive.
What does it mean when a piranha is chomping?
Chomping mouths repeatedly, which is a sign of hunger. Circling the tank repeatedly as a sign of displeasure with something in the tank or controlling the territory. Intensify colors, which are a sign of the piranha being very happy or angry. Turning black, which is a sign that a piranha is ready to breed.
How much coverage should a piranha tank have?
Place as many decorations as you like in the tank, but remember that your piranhas should be able to swim freely without hindrance. A good rule of thumb is 50-75% coverage in the tank to make your piranhas feel comfortable.
What is a piranha?
A piranha is a member of a family of omnivorous and predatory freshwater fish which live in South American rivers. Because these fish often spend their time looking for prey, many people associate piranhas with sharp teeth and an aggressive appetite for meat.
How to save money on a piranha?
If you’re trying to save money, consider a second hand tank. Wash any tanks before introducing your piranhas to them. Consider getting an optional tank screen for the top. Piranhas can jump and injure their owners if they’re hungry. You also want to ensure that pets or small children don’t fall in the tank.
Can you remove a piranha from a fish tank?
Be aware that you shouldn’t remove your piranhas from the tank if at all possible. Remember that piranhas generally attack when they feel threatened or are hungry. Protect your hands with a pair of heavy gloves when cleaning. If you absolutely have to remove your piranha from the water, place a bucket or large fish net in the tank and quickly place your piranha in a separate tank.
