[ncith]

Saw a show today on the discovery channel, and the guy was holding a spilo and red belly in each hand, and he said the red ate meat, and the gold was a fin nipper. Just wondering what exactly he meant by this, and if my spilo is only going to eat the fins of other fish (Goldfish). He has only eaten the back halves of goldfish, but I thought this was due to his small size

Thanks for any thought you guys and gals have!

 

[rosecityrhom]

Most serrasalmus species at juvenile state are fin nippers...meaning they prey on the fins of fish rather than try to take down the whole fish...I believe this is due to serras not shoaling like a typical pygo shoal and it would take a lot of energy to take out the whole fish...but once they start to get bigger and stronger they will become better hunters with the ability to take down a whole fish.

 

[InSinUAsian]

I do not fully understand the term fin nipper, but I can assure you spilos will take down feeders much like any pygo. They will also eat meat products much like any pygo. I know. I have 10

To answer RCR'S point. Mine have been able to take down small goldfish when I got them at 1.25 inches.

~Dj

 

[ncith]

Thanks to both of you

 

[rosecityrhom]

I know from experience my gold spilo and other serras when small would simply bite off the tail portion of the feeder some of the times rather then kill and eat the entire fish...depending on the size of the feeder.

 

[rosecityrhom]

I do not fully understand the term fin nipper, but I can assure you spilos will take down feeders much like any pygo. They will also eat meat products much like any pygo. I know. I have 10

To answer RCR'S point. Mine have been able to take down small goldfish when I got them at 1.25 inches.

~Dj

Did you have 10 when they were 1.25" DJ??

 

[piranha 13]

Yeah. My spilo will also take down whole SMALL feeders. Like RCR said most piranhas are fin nippers when small. When I gave mine a 4" goldfish he ate all of the fins so it couldn't swim and then ate the body portion.

 

[hastatus]

SinUAsian Posted on May 27 2003, 12:51 AM
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I do not fully understand the term fin nipper

They graze on fins like cattle is to grass. Renewable resource, carries on to adulthood. Spilopleura are the wolf in sheeps clothing by mimicing P. nattereri in appearance, thereby getting a free meal whenever nattereri hunts and when nattereri is at rest by biting their hosts fins.

 

[InSinUAsian]

I see. I do see them cause massive damage to goldfish's fins and even thier own. I just had to hospitalize one because his fins injuries were extending into the fleash.

RCR - Yeah I got all 10 together @ 1.25 inches.

~Dj

 

[Honda99_300ex]

At first, mine only ate the fins too,but now he's graduated

 

[GIR]

my spilos are still only able to take down guppies. If I throw goldfish in there, they only eat the back half of the fish and part anterior of the eye, leaving the middle behind. It is really wierd.

 

[Mr. Hannibal]

Don't worry some Spilos born little fin nippers while others born real killers but with time both like to eat the whole meat!