[imachode]

i read somewhere on pfish.net that p's growth can be permanently stunted by keeping them in a small tank.

my two rbp's (my first) are from a friends friend who didn't know crap about fish and bought them b/c he wanted to see them tear something up. he stuck them in as babies in a 25g, no water changes or a filter for 8 months. i think at one time he didn't feed them for 5 weeks.

needless to say they never ate in front of him and he got bored with them. anyway, i've had them for a month now in my 25gal. hopefully within a few weeks they'll be in a 40 and as soon as i can gather funds, they'll be in my 100gal that's sitting in my garage. so i've tried my best to take care of them and even in 4 weeks i can tell a huge diff. they seem much happier and one of them had a REALLY jacked up tail fin, but has now healed back perfectly. i have been trying to find another method of telling them apart. oh, and they're about 4-5.. maaaybe 6 inches right now.

so if that stunted growth statement is true, i would assume that it would apply to my fish. from your knowledge or experience, please debunk or confirm this rumor so that i know what to expect. :smile: thanks

 

[InSinUAsian]

There is a chance that they will not grow as big as they would have, if given proper conditions from the start. However, if you now give them the proper conditions you should see some growth. How much? Well that will be determined by how much of a factor that small tank for that time period proves to be.

~Dj

 

[Dissident]

my two rbp's (my first) are from a friends friend who didn't know crap about fish and bought them b/c he wanted to see them tear something up. he stuck them in as babies in a 25g, no water changes or a filter for 8 months. i think at one time he didn't feed them for 5 weeks.

That is some of the worst sh*t I've ever heard

Tell your friend to never, ever get another pet in his lifetime or for that matter have a baby. I can't believe these piranhas are even alive, I would think that if he didn't have a filter and never did water changes they would be dead in two weeks. Sorry, I don't know anything about the possiblity of stunted growth.

 

[GARGOYLE]

damn glad to hear to have them now instead of that dipshit you call a friend. And hopefully the affects of being in thoses conditions didnt stunt their growth or cause any other problems. Good looking out.

 

[o snap its eric]

Well if you kept them in a small tank they wouldnt grow as big but i think you would just end up with one RB since the general notion that if youo have 2 they will fight to the death to be a dominate one.

 

[GARGOYLE]

yes and a 40 aint to much better, but they would manage. Better to get a big tank to watch the shoal, of course not with two tho. not exciting unless you have 4-5 in a 100 or so.

 

[Raptor]

As insinuasion stated, They may never reach full potential size. But as you can see piranhas are a hearty resilliant fish if a species could beat these odds, it would be them. My suggestions is to take good care as you have been doing. And give them weekly 20-30 percent waterchanges, and a bigger tank to help them meet their potential in health and size. Try a varied diet of shrimp, fish fillets, And an occaisional treat of lean stewed beef. You can use feeder fish, but in moderation. They aren't very nutritious, but the p's love em. If you can use that small tank for a feeder quarintine. To keep the spread of disease in the feeder tank they sometime carry.
Good luck, and welcome