What do Piranha Fish Eat? Piranha Fish Food & Diet
Here is an actual true fact: piranhas are not the human killers which we thought for many years they were. Moreover, there have been just a few reported cases of packs of piranhas actually managing to kill a living person around our world so far.
Therefore, they make better pets than an actual threat. So, what do piranha fish eat?
Well, these outstanding aquatic creatures are omnivorous, meaning that they will happily accept both meaty treats as well as fresh greens. And thanks to their large size and potent teeth, they can feed on basically anything.
When held as pets, young piranhas can accept appositely designed commercial flakes. However, as they grow to their adult size, they prefer feeding on substantially larger pellets. One of such great solutions is the Aqueon Monster Fish Medley Food.
They are based on a protein intake and consist mainly of dehydrated shrimps as well as mealworms. Your piranhas should really enjoy these, and you should have less issues in cleaning their tanks, as food like this is especially crafted to minimize the waste particles.
What to Piranhas Eat in the Wild?
Piranhas are incredible fish that inhabit freshwater areas with dense vegetation, and they often forage river bottoms in order to find suitable food, but they can also migrate in the research for the best nutritive sources.
They can eat basically anything that fits into their mouth- from insects and crustaceans to plant seeds and carrion.
Can Piranhas Eat Meat?
In theory, piranhas can eat some meat without any negative consequence to their overall wellbeing. However, such meaty treats should consist of low-fat options such as chicken or turkey.
And, more importantly, such meals should only be offered to them as occasional treats rather than part of their staple diet. It is vitally important to re-create the food which they use to eat in their natural habitats as much as possible.
Choices like chicken are quite similar to the protein consistency of birds, on which piranhas tend to sometimes feed in their wild homes, so this should be more than acceptable in small amounts.
Beef is also considered as an acceptable protein source. However, meaty meals consisting of higher fat intakes such as pork are much better to be avoided at all times.
Can Piranhas Eat Vegetables?
These spectacular fish are omnivorous, so they will greatly appreciate receiving some healthy veggie choices from their human keepers.
Zucchini, peas, potatoes, and spinach are all amazing choices with greatly natural enrichments. You may serve them raw, but make sure first that all food is free from any pesticide or similar matter.
To be completely certain that you will not compromise the stability of your tank water, you may previously cut your vegetables and briefly freeze them before offering them to your hungry fish pets.
Can Piranhas Eat Fruits?
They can, and these are all part of their naturally accepted diet plan. However, fruits are extremely rich in sugar contents, so it is perhaps better to either avoid them or to offer them as an extremely rare treat.
If you really wish to check if your fish pets like eating fruits, you may try with small amounts of apples or pears. But again, be sure that these are super-minute meals and that they are free from any potentially dangerous chemical.
Will Piranhas Eat Aquarium Plants?
Yes, piranhas will definitely decide to eat your precious aquarium plants sooner or later. But that does not have to mean that you should only use plastic decorations among their tank. Rather than that, choose your plants wisely.
Hardy plants which do not require tons of light to grow are great choices, so java ferns or similar options may actually be a suitable yet durable solution for your piranha tank.
Avoid Feeder Fish
Seeing a live fish swimming around their tank will certainly make your piranhas happy, as such meals greatly re-create what they eat in their wild habitats.
However, feeder fish can bring more harmful consequences for such captivity aquariums rather than joyful moments. Therefore, it is better to avoid them as much as you can.
Feeder fish are usually bred just for feeding, as their name implies itself. That means that such fish are commonly housed into overcrowded tanks, as the purpose of these is not to provide the best conditions possible, but rather to simply keep them alive until they become a meal of a larger fish.
This could cause serious complications to your quite sensitive piranhas, as feeder fish often carry infections or diseases, or simply some extra waste which you surely wish to avoid.
Also, if the feeder fish you use to feed your piranhas are a bit larger, this can cause too many food leftovers across their tank and bring to quick ammonia and nitrite spikes. Better being safe than sorry!
How Often to Feed Piranhas?
While they are young and still developing, it is recommendable to feed your piranha pets at least twice each day, as this will ensure they can grow as supposed to.
Once they reach they fully grown size, however, feeding them once per day or even once every other day is more than enough. And remember, you should only offer such amounts of food which can be completely eaten in 3 minutes or less.
How Long Can Piranhas Go Without Food?
If you are worried about your super-busy schedule, piranhas are then the ideal pets for your home. These magnificent creatures can go up to 3 or 4 months without any food around. However, this is certainly not something to try on purpose.
Not feeding your healthy adults for a week or so is fine if you have to leave for a trip, although they sometimes refuse food for 2 weeks once settled into a new aquarium.
Wrapping Up
Piranhas are simply fascinating creatures and they make one of the most unique pet choices in the world. And do not worry, you will not have to feed them with human flesh. Instead, you can use a healthy dose of greens as well as meaty treats.
