We are going to talk about Piranha care in this article. We will briefly explain everything that you need to know about Piranha care. We will talk about everything that is related to Piranha care such as the habitat, water conditions, tank size, health conditions, etc.
Why is Piranha care essential?
Piranha fish are as delicate and sensitive as the other fish of the aquatic system. Therefore it is needed to take good care of them. It is also against the rights of animal welfare to not take care of properly, proper care and management of the fish is the responsibility of the owner once he/she buys it.
Proper feeding conditions and water conditions are required for the Piranha care. Protecting the Piranha fish from stress and disease conditions is also very important in taking care of a piranha. Stress conditions can make the fish susceptible to various kinds of diseases and life-threatening situations such as shock or trauma. The shock in most cases leads to the death of the fish.
Various rumors about piranhas are there, that they can eat humans and cause certain harm to them. You should know that these rumors are not true. No such cases of piranhas are seen yet. Though some conditions can cause a change in the behavior of the fish. Which can happen to almost every fish, even the calm ones such as goldfish and guppies.
To better understand the Piranha care you need to know everything about them. The basic things such as water conditions and feeding should be kept in mind while buying a piranha. Let’s know about piranhas in detail.
Piranha Fish
The basic important things about the Piranha fish should be kept in mind for better Piranha care. Following are some basic points about piranha fish:
- The scientific name of piranha is Pygocentrus nattereri
- A typical piranha eat insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish or dead mammals
- Piranhas are aggressive in nature and can cause potential damage to other fish when angry.
- They are found in the freshwaters of the South American bank and nearby regions
- They require water temperatures between 74 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- The pH of water they require is 6.5 to 8.5
- Piranhas can live up to 10 years
- They require 100 gallons of water to survive and live freely
- They can grow up to 2 feet almost given proper water, food, and health conditions.
Let’s talk about these important points one by one to better understand the Piranha care.
Piranha fish Habitat
Piranhas are freshwater fish and are found in the freshwater bodies of the South American bank and freshwater bodies. That is why the salt levels should be maintained in the fish tank. The imbalance in the salts level can cause dramatic osmotic changes in the fish that can affect the normal functioning of their bodies.
Proper feeding along with the balanced slats in the tank are important points in Piranha care. The water should be properly cleaned and hygienic measures should be adopted so the quality of life and lifespan can be sustained for the proper survival of the fish.
The natural environment should be provided so the fish can live freely. It is one of the main freedom points in animal welfare rights. The freedom states that the fish should be allowed to exhibit the proper natural behavior, which is only possible when you provide the Piranha with clean freshwater with proper pH.
Piranha Fish appearance
They have large blunt heads with saw-edged bellies. The body of the piranhas has silver to orange coloration and can also be completely black. They can grow up to 2 ft. They have sharp teeth for the proper chopping of the food into smaller pieces so they can properly digest it.
They should be protected from various skin diseases such as ich or mouth fungus, which can take place due to the unhygienic measures and irregular cleaning of the tank. Therefore it is very important to save the fish from various pathological conditions.
Improper feeding can cause the bellies the bulge out, this can be a sign of constipation. The retention of the feces due to constipation can cause swim bladder disorders in the piranhas. The digestive lining of the piranhas is delicate that is why proper feeding conditions should be adopted while keeping the piranhas as pets.
Piranhas Water conditions
Piranhas require freshwater conditions to grow and survive. The balance of salts should be strictly maintained, as the disturbance in the water salts may cause drastic life-threatening effects on the piranha. The metabolism of the fish might get disturbed along with other osmotic problems, such as low blood pressure and low oxygen to the brain.
The temperature of the water should be maintained between 74 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit along with pH levels of 6.5 to 8.5. The water should be cleaned regularly to avoid any kind of wastes to accumulate in the tank. The accumulation of wastes in the tank can alter the salts, pH, and temperature of the water.
Therefore, preventing wastes accumulation prevents the fish from catching different types of diseases. It is one of the most important steps in Piranha care.
Piranhas Lifespan
The lifespan of piranhas is up to 10 years in captivity. The life span of the piranhas can only reach up to 10 or more years when proper feeding conditions and hygiene is maintained. Diseases of various sorts and stressful conditions can lessen the lifespan of the fish.
The quality of the life is also the main point that is why it should be kept in mind that the life of the piranhas depends upon three main factors: Proper feeding, Hygienic water conditions, and protecting fish from different diseases and stressful conditions.
Piranhas Tank size
They require at least 100 gallons to live freely and exhibit natural conditions. Keeping piranhas or any other kind of fish in small closed spaces is strictly against animal welfare rights. Therefore proper space and volume should be provided to the fish.
It has also been seen that fish kept in closed spaces against their requirements die quickly as Compared to those that are provided with proper space and volume of water. The hygiene of the tank should be maintained as well.
The fish survive completely on water. That is why the water conditions should not be compromised at any cost, just as we can’t survive well in short and polluted air. The fish cannot survive in short and unhygienic spaces. Providing a sufficient size water tank is one of the most important points in Piranha care.
Piranhas Health
Proper feeding and proper water conditions are the main important factors contributing to the health of the Piranha Fish. Different diseases such as ich, swim bladder diseases, or microbial attacks seriously affect the quality of the fish’s life as well as the lifespan.
Popper feeding, Hygienic measures along with sufficient water, and prevention of diseases in the Piranhas are the main points in Piranha care. Therefore, any condition that does not meet the requirements of these main points, should be avoided and completely fixed.
Piranhas feeding requirements
These fish are mainly carnivores but can also eat some tropical foods such as vegetables and fruits of different kinds. Even though the piranhas can eat anything, they should be fed with high energy and a protein-rich diet. The continuous water movements in the water require more calorie intake.
Piranhas are hunters in the wild they feed on shirt fish, shrimps, mollusks, and any kind of dead animal in the water. Various rumors about piranhas eating humans are there but it should be kept in mind that they are false.
Some cases of piranhas attacking humans have been observed, but that just because all of them were injured and had blood oozing out. Piranhas are carnivores and aggressive in nature that is why as soon as they eat something they voraciously hop on it and tear it into pieces.
Therefore proper feeding conditions should be maintained for better Piranha care. Overfeeding can lead to the conditions like bloating and constipation, these conditions can cause the swim bladder to work improperly. The swim bladder disorder is common in fish, which is why it should be prevented from happening.
Freedom from hunger is one of the famous Five freedom points of the animals. Therefore the piranhas should not be underfed as well, because it can lead to many undesirable conditions that affect the quality of the life of the piranha fish.
Conclusion
We talked about Piranha care in this article. We briefly explained everything that you need to know about Piranha care. We talked about everything that is related to Piranha care such as the habitat, water conditions, tank size, health conditions, etc. We came to know Popper feeding, Hygienic measures along with sufficient water, and prevention of diseases in the Piranhas are the main points in Piranha care.
Therefore, any condition that does not meet the requirements of these main points, should be avoided and completely fixed. Feel free to ask anything about Piranha care in the comment section below.
FAQs Piranha care
Frequently asked questions Piranha care are:
How do you take care of piranhas?
Popper feeding, Hygienic measures along with sufficient water, and prevention of diseases in the Piranhas are the main points in Piranha care. Therefore, any condition that does not meet the requirements of these main points, should be avoided and completely fixed.
What can I feed my piranha?
You can give them frozen meat, or any kind of animal source diet. These fish are mainly carnivores but can also eat some tropical foods such as vegetables and fruits of different kinds. Piranhas are hunters in the wild they feed on shirt fish, shrimps, mollusks, and any kind of dead animal in the water.
Are piranhas illegal to have?
Yes, it is illegal to have piranhas in most of the states of the USA such as colorado, Arizona, California, etc.
Can you feed piranhas raw chicken?
Yes, you can feed raw chicken to piranhas. You can also give them frozen meat, or any kind of animal source diet. These fish are mainly carnivores but can also eat some tropical foods such as vegetables and fruits of different kinds. Piranhas are hunters in the wild they feed on shirt fish, shrimps, mollusks, and any kind of dead animal in the water.
Can piranhas eat steak?
Yes, piranhas can eat steak. They are carnivores and they can eat steaks, but it is full of fat and can compromise the health of the fish. Proper feeding conditions are required for the piranhas. Therefore, you should only feed them organic beef and meat. These fish are mainly carnivores but can also eat some tropical foods such as vegetables and fruits of different kinds
References:
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Piranhas
https://www.firsttankguide.net/piranha.php
https://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-Piranha.htm
https://meethepet.com/red-bellied-piranha-pygocentrus-nattereri/
