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Breeding Piranhas
by: William Berg
Piranhas are a unique creature that has won its so popularity,
not only because of its appearance, but also due to the many myths
they are told in. Unfortunately only a few species having been breed,
some of the species that have commonly bred include Serrasalmus
nattereri, S. spilopleura, S. gibbus, S. rhombeus. Another species
that is considered relatively easy to breed is S. maculatus.
Whichever you choose, you should have an aquarium that is at least
100 gallons. A group of 5-6 piranhas is quite appropriate, however
if you want them breeding, the best is to keep them in pairs so
that there are no other fishes to bother them. To find ae mating
pair, you can pick two adult Piranhas, one is thick and the other
is thinner. In most cases, thick piranhas represent females and
thinner Piranhas represent males. Just make sure you are not looking
at them after they have been fed. Though having found males and
females doesn’t automatically mean success, it is however a
step on the way.
The ideal temperature is between 73-83F. Standard fluorescent bulbs
are fine for the lighting. Notice that they also like some protective
cover. You should also make the lighting of half of the aquarium
darker than the other. Piranhas are hardy fish but it iss a good
idea to maintain the water clean and clear. In their original habitat,
Amazon River, rainy season is the time when most fish spawn. Frequent
and bigger water changes seem to have an immense effect on the success
of breeding (as they simulate the rainy season) and most likely
getting the piranhas into breeding condition.
When your piranhas lose all their color and turn almost completely
black, you can expect that they are in breeding condition! Both
of them may start to protect a certain spot and chasing off other
piranha that come too close. If they start picking up gravel in
their mouth like digging for something, it usually means they have
already begun the mating process. Be careful not to disturb your
piranhas during this time! The female will release eggs into the
pit, and then leave the nest but might stay close by it., The male
is usually the one that is responsible of guarding the nest and
eggs. The number of eggs laid is variable from 700-4000. The eggs
hatch in 2-3 days.
If you are lucky enough to have reached this stage, then it’s
time to take care of the fry. Prepare a 10 to 15 gallon tank with
heater and under gravel filter for the fry to be moved into. Water
should be from the parents’ tank. Be very, very careful when
doing this, as the parents can be extremely protective and aggressive.
The fry will quickly absorb their yolk sac and you will have to
start feeding them live baby brine shrimp as food.
One thing you should carefully notice is the legal issues. Some
states do not allow the sell or ownership of Piranhas at all. Other
states require that you obtain a permit to sell or own a Piranha.
Be sure to check to see if any local restrictions apply before purchasing
your piranha.
About The Author
William Berg has over 20 years of aquarium experince and runs the
website http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/
and is also written the texts on http://www.clownloach.info/.
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