This beautiful piranha is rarely imported. They are closely resembled to Pygo. Caribe but are in the Serrasalmus family. They are very aggresive and must be kept by them selves, or they will kill each other. In my oppinion this is the most colorful piranha of the Serrasalmus family.
Body Characteristics:
Juvenile have a silverish coloration, with a little red on the gill plates. The body is covered with small black spots, and the head shape is pointed (concave). The dark spots fade with age and are replaced by iredescent, silverish scales. Red coloration expands over the gill plates and belly, sometimes all up to the anal fin area. Other adult specimen have hardly any red coloration, however. The anal and pectoral fins are red, the ventral fins transparant with sometimes a hint of red, and the dorsal and adipose fins transparant grey to more dark tints. The tail fin is lightly colored, with a dark terminal band and base. The eyes are yellow.
Tank:
Juveniles can be raised in a tank as little as 10 gallon. When they reach about 3-4" in length, 25-40 gallons is sufficient. Large adults should be kept in a tank of about 45 or more gallons.
Compatible Species:
This species is very agressive towards tank mates, and should be kept alone in a species tank.
Food:
This species will accept all common food items, like fish (feeders as well as frozen), shrimp and other crustaceans, and insects. It can be very hard to 'learn' this fish to eat non-live food items, and some specimen will refuse non-living foods their entire live.
Comments:
In pet stores, this species is often mislabelled and sold as Serrasalmus spilopleura CF (Complex Form) or Serrasalmus rhombeus, because juveniles of both species look very similar. But in actuality, this species is extremely rare in home aquariums, because Venezuela, where this species is mainly found, prohibited the export of this species.
Information written by: Jonas Hansel
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