Piranha Fish

It may seem hard to believe that piranhas should be related to the gentle little fishes that make up the majority of the characin group, but it is true. At up to 30cm (12in) long, piranhas are very much larger than tetras, but do not deserve the nasty reputation they have acquired over the years. In the aquarium, at least, the piranha is a relatively shy, retiring creature. Stories of piranhas in the dark Amazonian rainforests reducing cattle to skeletons in minutes are true, but this occurs in a river system where piranhas live in great shoals of 300 fishes or more and become very hungry. Many people keep piranhas with a sort of morbid fascination for what might happen, and give the impression that they would be quite pleased if the fish bit them as evidence of their macho capabilities! Keep young piranhas in a tank at least 120cm (48in) long, but provide a larger aquarium as they grow. Similar in shape to piranhas and also from northern South America, the Pac us can also be kept in a large tank.