Is there any certain tank size is should buy. I currently have an empty 75 Gallon tank. How fast do they grow? I know they grow to about 24" but how long does that take? What fish can I put with these fish? I would like a Pleco also, but will it be o.k. with the Pacu? Any information on this matter is appreciated. What do they eat? I have seen vegetarian, but I have seen them eat feeders. What kind of tank decorations can I put in the tank?
2007-04-24 05:39:17 · 9 answers · asked by mdsmith9372 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Pacus, a relative of the pirahna, are vegetarians but will, like all fish, eat whatever is available and will fit into their mouths. They need a vegetarian diet to thrive and stay healthy.
A standard pleco would be fine with the pacus as he will grow with them. He also will reach around 24".
These fish will reach adult sizes in about two years time. A 75 g tank is OK for now, but in a year or two, you will need to have at least a 125 for two of them. Also, remember, they don't call them "tank busters" for nothing.
Plants are a no-no as both the pacus and the pleco will eat them. I would consider plastic plants and large rock formations as decorations.
2007-04-24 06:13:28 · answer #1 · answered by 8 In the corner 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They can actually reach 3 feet in length, even though it does take a long time to get there. It's best to keep them in groups of 4 or more if you want to see the best out of them, and whether you go with 2 or 4 you are looking at about 180 gallons (2' x 6'), which would give them decent room to grow into and more room to actually move and live then an 18" deep tank, even though they will even outgrow this tank if you keep them long enough and would eventually need 300-500 gallons.
Pleco's are fine with Pacu's, as are any large sized fish that are fairly calm on non-territorial. Some large cichlids are ok with them, but a tank with cichlids should really be setup around the cichlids, while this one is being set up around the pacus. Set up the tank with lots of open space, and decorate with wood, rocks, and hardy, tough leaved plants, as you wish.
Pacu's are omnivores, not herbivores, and so can be fed a variety of veggies and aquatic based meats. Like any fish they really should have a staple pellet as the main diet, to ensure they get well balanced nutrition.
2007-04-24 06:17:11 · answer #2 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My fist recommendation would be to get a much larger tank. I purchased a 5" long pacu which then took just over a year to outgrow a 135 gallon tank. So yes, they grow big and they do it quickly.
As to what they eat, that woul dbe anythjing that hits the tank small enough to fit in thier mouths. Feeders, fruit, veggies, pellets, stick style foods.... floating, sinking, they really don;t see to care at all.
As for decor in the tank... unles you use large heavy rocks, they will trash it, don't plan on it being a pretty tank.
Tank mates... that's usually a problem simply because of the size of the tank required to house two pacu plus anything else. But yes, a pleco would be fine with them until they all outgrew the tank.
MM
2007-04-24 06:53:31 · answer #3 · answered by magicman116 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Through all my experiences with dealing with fishes, pacus were the worst i ever had. They were the fastest fish that outgrew my 20 gallon in a matter of months. I had two with an arowana and even the arowana was having a hard time eating because the pacus were to fast at reacting. They will eat any foods that you put in the tank. Decorations are okay, just as long as you dont put live plants.
2007-04-24 14:29:30 · answer #4 · answered by flipnotik 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as a pleco goes it is good that you have a $75 gallon tank because I had bought a pleco, but only had a ten gallon tank which eventually grew out of it. I hear the bigger the tank the bigger the pleco gets. Sorry can't answer your question about the pacus.
2007-04-24 06:10:33 · answer #5 · answered by honeydipboo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a lot of brilliant advice here so I won't go on and on....
be aware, they really do become ENORMOUS. It's hard to appreciate just how big they get and the sheer size of the tank required until they start getting to adult size!!
75 gal will probably be fine for the first year with the Pleco. Get some good plastic/fabric plants and large rocks for the tank, they eat anything they can and will strip the plants.
2007-04-24 06:55:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pacu is a relative of the pirhana but it is not aggressive like one. It will be fine in your 75 gallon tank and it can grow about 1 inch a month. Your pleco will be fine in your tank and for decorations, i would recommend a few plastic plants or else the pacu will eat them. When buying pacu look for Red Bellied ones
They eat sinking pellets or just normal pellets. I think they are called carnivore pellets. You can also give them cichlid pellets. They are omnivorous meaning they will eat both vegetables and live food but it is best to give them a mixed diet of blood worms, shrimp, veggetables, goldfish, and pellets
2007-04-24 07:18:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
DON"T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!
75 gallons isn't enough for 1. What are you going to do 6 months from now when the tank is severely outgrown? There's many better ideas than that for a 75.
2007-04-24 08:11:54 · answer #8 · answered by something_fishy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suggest you go to a store that specialize in fish. They can probably give you all the answers your looking for.
2007-04-24 05:55:18 · answer #9 · answered by paulp3009 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋