What do pencil fish eat?

How many brown pencilfish in a school?

The nice thing about brown pencilfish is that they are relatively cheap compared to other pencilfish species, so it’s easier on the wallet to purchase a healthy school of at least five or six fish. Like most surface dwellers, they have the tendency to jump, so you’ll need a tight aquarium lid to keep them contained.

How to care for piranhas in a pond?

Soak any wood or driftwood in a tub or bin until it turns a brownish color. Many piranhas like the dark color of the water, but it may be difficult to see your fish. Make sure the driftwood fits in the tank and gives your piranhas plenty of space to swim freely. Use smooth rocks and gravel that only barely cover the bottom of the aquarium.

How can I lower the pH in my Aquarium?

1 Peat moss: Adding peat moss in a fish tank can efficiently bring the pH level down. You can add it as a substrate or put it in the filter. 2 Carbon dioxide: As we mentioned earlier, a high concentration of carbon dioxide is the primary cause of low pH. … 3 Driftwood: The tannins in driftwood bring down the pH levels in a fish tank.

How many piranhas in a tank?

The reason is that the big fish, like the black Piranha can grow to an impressive 12 to 14 inches in length, and the much more common Red-Bellied Piranha forms schools, so requires a reasonably big tank to give the fish a stress free environment. Red-Bellied Piranha shouldn’t be put in to a tank either solo or just 2 fish.

What is the most popular piranha species?

There are many species of piranha, but the most popular species in the aquarium trade is the red-bellied piranha. These fish have powerful bodies that are tall and laterally compressed, but they are thick-bodied.

What do Piranhas need to live in an aquarium?

Piranhas are messy feeders, so they need ample filtration and regular water changes to handle the bioload. You will need to change 30 to 50 percent of the tank water every other week. A single specimen requires an aquarium of at least 40 gallons, but a group will require a much bigger tank.

How many piranhas are in a group?

These schooling piranha are generally found in groups of 20 to 30 fish. There are many species of piranha, but the most popular species in the aquarium trade is the red-bellied piranha. These fish have powerful bodies that are tall and laterally compressed, but they are thick-bodied.

Do Piranhas need companionship?

Piranha have odd companionship requirements. As juveniles, piranhas are schooling fish and should be kept in groups. However, as they mature, many varieties of piranhas become more solitary and may attack others of the same species.

How many piranhas can I put in my tank?

Piranhas are naturally schooling fish, so they would feel more comfortable in a group of 3 or 4, but it would be fine to have a loner. if you have a 20 to 25 gallon, only get one. Thanks! Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

What happens if your aquarium has a low pH?

Since it is acidic, a fish pond or a tank with a low pH level may burn the skin of your fish. Pond or aquarium water with a high level of pH, on the other hand, is alkaline or highly basic, and can chemically burn or chap the fish of your fish. What pH Level is Ideal for Your Aquarium?

What is a good pH level for a planted tank?

A pH of 6 to 7 – slightly acidic, is what most planted tanks function well optimally at, and this is also why all aquasoils contain peat which slightly acidifies the tank and lowers KH levels. Common plant species that are not picky can be grown in much more alkaline water pH8+.

How do I lower the pH in my filter system?

Using peat moss in your filter system or substrate is an excellent natural way of lowering the pH. Peat moss releases gallic and tannic acids into the water, dissolving bicarbonates, reducing the kH and thus the pH. The main downside of using peat moss is that it tends to discolor the water.

How do you take a piranha out of the water?

If you absolutely have to remove your piranha from the water, place a bucket or large fish net in the tank and quickly place your piranha in a separate tank. Use a water changing device, or python, from a local pet store for best results. [18] Aquarium Care Professional Expert Interview. 27 August 2019.

What is the best way to keep a piranha fish?

A large and over-sized aquarium filter ( canister filter) will help as well since they can be somewhat messy eaters. See the Piranha Care Sheet on the forum for more details on keeping them.

What is the best temperature for a piranha tank?

The aquarium PH in a piranha tank should be between 6.5-7.8. The fish thrive in a temperature range of 75-80 °F. You may require a heater if the temperature in your house is below 75 °F. Piranhas are sensitive to drastic water changes, and they will develop Ich if the temperatures are too low.

What is a piranha’s ecological niche?

In fact, piranhas are a group made up of approximately twelve different species. Each piranha species occupies its own ecological niche. One type of piranha takes chunks out of the fins of other fish. Another type eats fruit falling from trees into the river. Each piranha species plays a unique role in the ecology of the rainforest floodplains.

Do Piranhas get along with other fish?

A 2005 study found that Red-Bellied Piranha are far less stressed when present with other members of the same species, whereas black Piranha are solo fish, and will attack other black Piranha if kept in the same tank.

Are Piranhas solitary or in groups?

Piranhas are “basically like regular fish with large teeth”. A few other species may also occur in large groups, while the remaining are solitary or found in small groups.

Do piranhas live in the Amazon?

Most of the Piranha fish species are however found in this part of the Amazon. The Orinoco river basins are a known habitat as well. As they are found from Peru to Brazilian coastal waters, and are fished for in blackwater lagoons and hard whitewater rapids, they are thought to be very tolerant of different types of water.

Are Piranhas easy to take care of?

Because of their reputation, piranhas are an easy impulse buy for those who just want to own a ‘cool’ fish. Unfortunately, this often results in improper care and bad housing, as piranhas are actually not too easy to keep and need a lot of space. If you’re interested in keeping piranhas, you’ll have to make room for a very large aquarium.

Is the Piranha a dangerous fish?

This species attracts the attention of many aquarists who like the idea of keeping a dangerous fish species, not realizing that much of the piranha’s reputation is sensationalized.

Do Piranhas Strip Live animals’ bones of flesh?

Situations where they ‘strip live animals’ bones of flesh within minutes’ are almost always the result of human intervention and don’t occur naturally. Because of their reputation, piranhas are an easy impulse buy for those who just want to own a ‘cool’ fish.

How to clean an alkaline fish aquarium?

Start by diluting the aquarium. You can do this by using low-mineral purified water. This is the process of Reverse-Osmosis. This method produces water with nearly no dissolved minerals and will quickly water down the high alkaline levels in the fish aquarium.

What is alkalinity and how does it affect my aquarium?

The pH, alkalinity, and relative hardness of the water are all interrelated. Proper pH levels allow the chemical reactions taking place in the water to proceed as they should. If your freshwater aquarium alkalinity is too high or too low, it impairs these processes. The relative hardness of the water refers to the dissolved minerals in the water.