Pacu

[Lee Crossley]

I was in walmart and was looking at the fish when I saw these big (6")
long fish all silver except there bellies which were red.

The sign sad they are red belly pacu.
They look just like Piranhas!!!

They had them in a tank with some small fish like hatchet fish and
some algae eaters ! so I asked the so called fish expert if the pacu
would eat my small fish like my moleys and my sword fish and he said no
as long as I keep the pacu feed! well that was 2 days and one molly
ago!!!! Any one ever had any pacu? If so what is the best way to keep
them in my community tank. or In there own tank ? any experience in
breeding them ?

They are a very interesting fish ! very kool looking an BIG BIG
BIG !!!!

PS: I paid $6.50 for it is this a fair price for for a 6"
pacu ??

Tanks in advance for any insight on this most interesting
Tropical Fish!!!
Lee

[Cam]

A Pacu is a Piranha is'nt it?
I would watch my hands if I were you, they might become a light snack.
Finger dips :)





"Lee Crossley" > wrote in message
...
> I was in walmart and was looking at the fish when I saw these big (6")
> long fish all silver except there bellies which were red.
>
> The sign sad they are red belly pacu.
> They look just like Piranhas!!!
>
> They had them in a tank with some small fish like hatchet fish and
> some algae eaters ! so I asked the so called fish expert if the pacu
> would eat my small fish like my moleys and my sword fish and he said no
> as long as I keep the pacu feed! well that was 2 days and one molly
> ago!!!! Any one ever had any pacu? If so what is the best way to keep
> them in my community tank. or In there own tank ? any experience in
> breeding them ?
>
> They are a very interesting fish ! very kool looking an BIG BIG
> BIG !!!!
>
> PS: I paid $6.50 for it is this a fair price for for a 6"
> pacu ??
>
> Tanks in advance for any insight on this most interesting
> Tropical Fish!!!
> Lee
>

[Flash Wilson]

On Wed, 6 Aug 2003 10:51:05 +0200, Cam
> wrote:
>A Pacu is a Piranha is'nt it?
>I would watch my hands if I were you, they might become a light snack.
>Finger dips :)

My understanding is a true Pacu is a herbivore, and you can spot
the difference looking at the jaw - but hey, anything hungry with
a big mouth is a risk...


--
Flash Wilson
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bother. Must not drink tequila before midnight on a weeknight.

[bengrimm99]

"Lee Crossley" > wrote in message
...
> I was in walmart and was looking at the fish when I saw these big (6")
> long fish all silver except there bellies which were red.
>
> The sign sad they are red belly pacu.
> They look just like Piranhas!!!
>
> They had them in a tank with some small fish like hatchet fish and
> some algae eaters ! so I asked the so called fish expert if the pacu
> would eat my small fish like my moleys and my sword fish and he said no
> as long as I keep the pacu feed! well that was 2 days and one molly
> ago!!!! Any one ever had any pacu? If so what is the best way to keep
> them in my community tank. or In there own tank ? any experience in
> breeding them ?
>
> They are a very interesting fish ! very kool looking an BIG BIG
> BIG !!!!
>
> PS: I paid $6.50 for it is this a fair price for for a 6"
> pacu ??
>
> Tanks in advance for any insight on this most interesting
> Tropical Fish!!!
> Lee
>

Pacus will get along OK with some cichlids, but same rule of thumb applies
to them as the cichilds: if something will fit in their mouth, they'll eat
it. Make sure whatever you put in with them is at least bigger than the
Pacu's mouth. Also, beware...Pacus get dinnerplate sized.

[Mark Stone]

(Lee Crossley) wrote in message >...
> I was in walmart and was looking at the fish when I saw these big (6")
> long fish all silver except there bellies which were red.
>
> The sign sad they are red belly pacu.
> They look just like Piranhas!!!
>
> They had them in a tank with some small fish like hatchet fish and
> some algae eaters ! so I asked the so called fish expert if the pacu
> would eat my small fish like my moleys and my sword fish and he said no
> as long as I keep the pacu feed! well that was 2 days and one molly
> ago!!!! Any one ever had any pacu? If so what is the best way to keep
> them in my community tank. or In there own tank ? any experience in
> breeding them ?
>
> They are a very interesting fish ! very kool looking an BIG BIG
> BIG !!!!
>
> PS: I paid $6.50 for it is this a fair price for for a 6"
> pacu ??
>
> Tanks in advance for any insight on this most interesting
> Tropical Fish!!!
> Lee

AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wal-Mart selling
Pacus!!!!!!!AAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

Pacu Keeping:
--A pair requires a 200 gallon tank minimum!
--They grow HUGE, VERY QUICKLY
--They like to eat plants, but in a pinch WILL EAT YOU!!!!
--They are not Piranhas, but look like them when small--
--After they get large, when startled, they may BREAK YOUR AQUARIUM
GLASS!!
--People in South America feast on these bad boys -- FOR DAYS AND
DAYS!!
--Wal-Mart has NO BUSINESS selling Pacus! People with large enough
aquaria DO NOT shop for fish at Wal-Mart.
--Take him to the zoo and set him free in the South American Exhibit
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH HHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--Mark

[spidey_webb]

"Mark Stone"
>
>
> AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wal-Mart selling
> Pacus!!!!!!!AAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
>
> Pacu Keeping:
> --A pair requires a 200 gallon tank minimum!
> --They grow HUGE, VERY QUICKLY
> --They like to eat plants, but in a pinch WILL EAT YOU!!!!
> --They are not Piranhas, but look like them when small--
> --After they get large, when startled, they may BREAK YOUR AQUARIUM
> GLASS!!
> --People in South America feast on these bad boys -- FOR DAYS AND
> DAYS!!
> --Wal-Mart has NO BUSINESS selling Pacus! People with large enough
> aquaria DO NOT shop for fish at Wal-Mart.
> --Take him to the zoo and set him free in the South American Exhibit
> BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!
>
> AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH HHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> --Mark

This is the same store that sells cute little baby oscars with no warnings
of behavior or size potential. Red bellied pacus have become quite popular
Pet smart and both of my LFS are selling them also. Add to that the fact
that there are 4 Wal-marts in the general area and I begin to wonder how
many people are buying these fish unaware of the size potential?

[Mark Stone]

"spidey_webb" > wrote in message >...

> This is the same store that sells cute little baby oscars with no warnings
> of behavior or size potential. Red bellied pacus have become quite popular
> Pet smart and both of my LFS are selling them also. Add to that the fact
> that there are 4 Wal-marts in the general area and I begin to wonder how
> many people are buying these fish unaware of the size potential?

If these stores sold dogs or cats or gerbils under the same logic,
there would be protests and fines and prosecution and boycotts -- what
makes people think that because an animal lives underwater, it is not
deserving of care, or somehow is more "ornamental" than "alive"?
AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, next time you're in Wal-Mart, take a look at the sign on the
Pacu's tank -- it says, and I ain't foolin' here folks, that their
maximum size is SIX INCHES!!! A PACU -- SIX INCHES!!
AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! And PetSmart's not much better
-- they claim 11" for the same species. Their actual full grown adult
size IS ALMOST A WHOLE DAM MILE!!!!!! (Well, not really, but you get
my point --)

--Mark

[Mitch]

Iwent to Wally world as a new fish owner on Father's Day
I had picked up a 10 gal aquarium at a garage sale
with heater and filter for 5 dollars
What a buy huh
I asked the lady how many fish I could put in my new
fantastic aquarium She said 1 fish per gallon
Wow I said I'll take ten and started to pick fish
She said I should pick them from the same tank
as they would get along better
So I picked out 2 oscars cute liitle ugly fish
1- 1 1/2 inch red bellied pacu
1- Black fin shark catfish
2-raphael catfish
2 algae eaters to keep everthing clean YEA RIGHT!
They got along so well the black finned catfish killed himself
trying to stay away from the oscars
I then bought a cave for the two little raphaels to hide in
I then found I needed to do a 20 % water change about every two days
DUH sure lady 10 fish? glad I only bought 8
Then started to educate my self on the internet
Found out I'm in big trouble
Now $600.00 later I'm the proud owner of a
55 gallon Tank ...... Pacu is about 6-7 inches long
Now chasing both Oscars who have also grown
Moved smaller oscar to old 10 gallon aquarium to save his life I hope
Little raphaels stuck there head out of their cave once too often
PACU lunch
I'm sure I will have the right combination soon
Survival of the fittest
I'm so happy to be a fish owner
Thank you wal-mart
That's all
bye
On 8 Aug 2003 13:01:52 -0700, (Mark Stone) wrote:

>"spidey_webb" > wrote in message >...
>
>> This is the same store that sells cute little baby oscars with no warnings
>> of behavior or size potential. Red bellied pacus have become quite popular
>> Pet smart and both of my LFS are selling them also. Add to that the fact
>> that there are 4 Wal-marts in the general area and I begin to wonder how
>> many people are buying these fish unaware of the size potential?
>
>If these stores sold dogs or cats or gerbils under the same logic,
>there would be protests and fines and prosecution and boycotts -- what
>makes people think that because an animal lives underwater, it is not
>deserving of care, or somehow is more "ornamental" than "alive"?
>AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>Also, next time you're in Wal-Mart, take a look at the sign on the
>Pacu's tank -- it says, and I ain't foolin' here folks, that their
>maximum size is SIX INCHES!!! A PACU -- SIX INCHES!!
>AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! And PetSmart's not much better
>-- they claim 11" for the same species. Their actual full grown adult
>size IS ALMOST A WHOLE DAM MILE!!!!!! (Well, not really, but you get
>my point --)
>
>--Mark

[Jeremy Carroll]

> --Take him to the zoo and set him free in the South American Exhibit
> BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!

Don't just take it...You might want ask first :-)
Also, that thing about the glass is true. My head might not be glass but I
have been smacked in the head by a pacu's tail and it hurt almost like a
migraine.

--
Jeremy Carroll
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation and Conservation
http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/index.htm

[Jeremy Carroll]

> --Take him to the zoo and set him free in the South American Exhibit
> BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!

Don't just take it...You might want ask first :-)
Also, that thing about the glass is true. My head might not be glass but I
have been smacked in the head by a pacu's tail and it hurt almost like a
migraine.

--
Jeremy Carroll
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation and Conservation
http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/index.htm

[The Madd Hatter]

how the heck did you get smacked in the head by a pacu...
"Jeremy Carroll" > wrote in message
news:3f347f1f_2@newsfeed...
>
>
>
>
>
> > --Take him to the zoo and set him free in the South American Exhibit
> > BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!
>
> Don't just take it...You might want ask first :-)
> Also, that thing about the glass is true. My head might not be glass but I
> have been smacked in the head by a pacu's tail and it hurt almost like a
> migraine.
>
> --
> Jeremy Carroll
> Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation and Conservation
> http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/index.htm
>
>

[Jeremy Carroll]

> how the heck did you get smacked in the head by a pacu...

Were I work we dive in the exhibit with them and made the mistake of getting
too close to one when checking part of the filter system and it startled and
hit me in the head.

--
Jeremy Carroll
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation and Conservation
http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/index.htm

[Jim Lancaster]

"Jeremy Carroll" > wrote in message
news:3f347f1f_2@newsfeed...
>
>
>
>
>
> > --Take him to the zoo and set him free in the South American Exhibit
> > BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!!!!
>
> Don't just take it...You might want ask first :-)
> Also, that thing about the glass is true. My head might not be glass but I
> have been smacked in the head by a pacu's tail and it hurt almost like a
> migraine.
>
> --
> Jeremy Carroll
> Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation and Conservation
> http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/index.htm
>
>

Be sure to ask first. I went on the behind-the-scenes tour of the Newport
Aquarium at the ACA convention last month. They said they'd stopped taking
pacu and red tail catfish donations.

Jim Lancaster