[barbourshop]

Hey guys just getting started with my adventures in Piranhas

. I recently bought a 30 gallon tank at a garage sale (two years old, dirty but no scratches). I can't afford a big tank yet or a ne tank yet. I have it set up with a Filter (with the 3 steps) and 100w heater. Its been running for 2 days now, still looks somewhat coudy but I got impatient and got a few feeder fish to help get the place ready and a Placo (named Pedro) so he would be established enough that the Ps hopefully won't bother him. How long does it usually take for the water to clear (cycle?)? What should I feed my Placos (I have frozen Brine shrimp), what should I feed my baby P when I get him in a few weeks? Will he eat beef heart straight away? How do I serve the shrimp and beefheart? I read the Ps don't like a lot of light so I put tin foil under the lights (old school lights not flurescent) and poked holes in it, will the live Plants be able to live off this light? Damn Pedro is already eating them. Thanks for any help guys, you guys rule.
Dave

 

[MPower]

Start off by how long are the p's going to be in the 30g. They will grow quite fast. Cycling a tank takes anywhere from 2-4weeks pending on size. In your case it should be cycled in a week. I have never fed my pleco cuz they just eat leftovers. As for light they don't like alot of it. I use lights for only 5-6hrs a day. As for food pending on size. If they are like dime to a quarter size feed them brine shrimp. Once they get larger you can start feeding shrimp and beefheart. I cut up beefheart in cubes and freeze them. I thaw them before feeding. Also check the tutorial section. Most of your questions have been answer there.

 

[GARGOYLE]

It will take roughly a month to cycle your tank. If possible use some gravel and some water from a tank thats already cycled and an established filter or media to help speed up the process.

Good Luck

 

[barbourshop]

K thanks guys that was fast, I never even noticed the Tutorial section way down there

Anyways its great to find a place like this that has all the information I need.
Dave

 

[Innes]

30 gallons is not much space for piranhas, I suggest that you buy a rhom, if you get one that will fit in your tank, it will be OK for quite a while because they grow slowly.
the goldfish and pleco will speed up the cycling process, and you don't have to feed the pleco, it will eat algea and leftovers, but if you want to you can give it algea wafers.
the plants will be fine even if you leave the lights off, but they are also cheap so it doesn't really matter much.

 

[Judazzz]

Another good option is a medinai or a spilo: they do not grow as large as rhoms: those two species usually max out at 10-12", if you're lucky and only after many, many years... Olso, they don't really grow as fast as redbellies.
You could house a spilo or medinai in a 30 gallon tank for quite a while before you have to upgrade: ask the board members that keep those species for more details.

Also, a 30g would be sufficient for 3 or 4 baby reds for a start, but within half a year you'll have to upgrade, because of their high growth rate in their first year. I wouldn't buy 1 redbelly (too skittish/boring, because they're shoaling fish), nor two reds (in most cases, one will eventually kill the other, because they can only vent their agression on each other, and one will quickly dominate the other, because it's bigger, stronger, faster,.......)

Anyways, good luck, and welcome to the board!

 

[barbourshop]

Thanks again guys. So, I decided that I should just get one... and it shouldn't be a red belly. What are the best suggestions? Someone mentioned a Spiro, I want one that is aggressive and not a big poon hiding behind the driftwood. Where can I get a species other than red belly? Thats all my LFS's carry and they won't order them unless its in bulk. Any good reliable online dealers in Canada?
Thanks
Dave

 

[Judazzz]

Buying piranha's is like buying a box of chocolates: you never know what you gonna get...

Serious though, some reds are extremely skittish and will never fully snap out of that, but the same goes for spilo's and other species... It all depends on the individual fish, and you can't know on forehand what character it eventually will have. So I advise you to just buy one you like, based on appearance.
Of course you can 'manipulate' it's behaviour a bit, so only just a bit: for that, check some other threads about skittishness and agression.

Good luck choosing your fish!