# Pacu or Pirahna?



## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

I, like many others, have been sold a red belly piranha and have suspicions that it may be a pacu.

It's about 2 inches. 

No teeth to show yet. Jaw line is pretty much in between a pacu and pirahna. 

What are the main differences I should be looking out for at that size? I'm guessing that they are less obvious when small.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Here's a photo.


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## mollies (Mar 27, 2009)

Can you get a full side veiw. It looks like a juvie pirahna to from that pic. But hard to tell.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Here's a link to a few pictures.

ImageShack -

Here's two of the best. The gold sparkles alone make me think piranha. And the fact that it's taken a cherry barb since I introduced them (an hour ago) in pitch darkness..


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## mollies (Mar 27, 2009)

very much a piranha.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Thank christ for that. Thanks for the help.

For future reference. How did you come to that conclusion? Be useful to be able to tell the difference myself.


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## mollies (Mar 27, 2009)

I use to have some. He dont have as much red as the adults do. But looking at his tail fin and the top fin. shaps. color. Once you see them and have some you will never for get what they look like. What size of a tank do you have them in? As they get rather large. up to 12 inch and lager.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

I only have the one actually. I know they should be kept in shoals, but my LFS only had two left and I thought one is better than two. He said more fish are coming on monday so I can only hope he has some more in. 

60 litre (about 15 gallons). It's only a little fish at the moment, it's not a permanent home. 

Picking up 4 footer this week for a bargain price, so that should see him alright till I can bring myself to buy something suitable for the rest of it's days.


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## mollies (Mar 27, 2009)

sounds like you have plans. It will be hard to house any other kind of fish with them ass they will try to eat them. They do like to jump to. just to warn you. good luck.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Aye, I'm not worried about other fish in there. I have other tanks for other fish. 

Thanks for the warning about jumping, wouldn't have thought of that!

Cheers


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## mollies (Mar 27, 2009)

your welcome


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Anybody else got an opinion? Not to disregard you obvious mollies, but I'm of the opinion that it's a pacu. 

Casting vote anyone?

Juvi piranha.










Juvi pacu.


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## okijapan (Aug 28, 2009)

Looking like a pacu to me. Note the longer dorsal and anal fins when you compare your fish to the two other pictures.

***Though that's just an opinion from the pictures, as I have never owned either species.***


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Well whatever it is it's in with the central/south american cichlids now.

Wonder how long that will last (either way..).


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