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<div><img src="http://kingsoftheaquarium.com/redbelliedpacuprofiletitle.gif" valign=todiv></div>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="5"><strong><font color="ffffff" size="4" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Place
of Origin:</font></strong></font></div>
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<blockquote><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Brazil,
South America</font></blockquote>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>Average
Cost:</strong></font></div>
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<blockquote><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Pacus
usually cost around $6 for a quarter sized juvenile. Dinner plate
sized individuals should be no more than $30. I have seen stores trying
to sell them for $100. This is outrageous. Large Pacus are generally
easy to find. They should never be offered at a price anywhere near
that high. A store that does so is just trying to rip an unwary person
off.</font></blockquote>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>Size:</strong></font></div>
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<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Pacus supposedly
can grow up to over 3 feet in length but the largest I've ever seen
was about 2 feet. The fish is very round and thick. Wild specimens
have been weighed in at around 70 lbs! A quarter sized baby will
quickly grow to over 6 inches within a year. Because of the eventual
size of this fish I recommend at least a 300 gallon for just one!
Do not buy this fish if you don't plan on following through. They
are a huge investment, but it's worth every penny. It's very sad
when I see an ignorant person buy one because they think it's cute
and then put it in a 10 gallon. The poor fish is doomed to die at
an early age or is cast aside and abandoned in a pet store. We have
to stop this foolish impulse buying. Please, take the time to know
what you are getting into before you buy. Do your research!</font></div><br><br>
<div align="center"><font color="ffffff" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="http://kingsoftheaquarium.com/characins/pacu2.jpg" width="300" height="225"></font></div>
<div align="center"><font color="ffffff" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">One
of my Pacu at about the size of a dinner plate.</font></div>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>Water
Requirements:</strong></font></div>
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<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Since they are
Amazonian fish, Pacus do best in softer, slightly acidic water.
Anything 6.5 to 7 is fine. They tolerate a temperature of 78 to
82 degrees Fahrenheit.</font></div>
<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Pacus are very
messy eaters and make a mess out of any tank. Because of this the
tank must be heavily overfiltered. I recommend strong power filters
such as Emperors to do the job. Canister filters are great for smaller
fish but they jam up too quick and don't move as much water. They
are not very effective when it comes to taking care of large, messy
fish. Water changes must be faithfully performed every few days.
This will ensure that the fish have a clean, clear environment.
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>Feeding
Requirements:</strong></font></div>
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<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Even though
they may look like Pirhanas, Pacu are supposedly herbivores. Aside
from risking disease, owners that feed their Pacu feeder goldfish
are also not giving them a balanced diet. They should get some vegetable
matter as well. As a treat mine get lettuce, peas, chopped carrots,
and raisins. They even like rabbit pellets! As a main diet I use
sinking food pellets. I recommend HBH's Super Cichlid Sinkers. They
contain vegetable and meat matter therefore giving the fish a well-rounded
diet. You might also want to try HBH's Moist Spirulina Pellets as
well.</font></div>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>General
Appearance:</strong></font></div>
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<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Red Bellied
Pacu look very similar to the Red Bellied Pirhana. In fact, to the
unwary eye, they look almost identical. I have seen may pet stores
selling baby Pirhanas as Pacu. The only difference at a young age
is that the Pirhana's lower jaw will jut out much more than that
of the Pacu. As time goes by, however, the differences become more
obvious. </font></div><BR><BR>
<div align="center"><font color="ffffff" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><img src="http://kingsoftheaquarium.com/characins/pacu4.jpg" width="300" height="225"></font></div>
<br><div align="center"><font color="ffffff" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Another
dinner plate sized behemoth.</font></div>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>Temperament:</strong></font></div>
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<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Pacu are not
outright aggressive but they do like to play rough, though juveniles
can be nasty at times. This results in some fin nipping. Since they
are schooling, if you keep more then one together they will usually
play with each other and leave other fish pretty much alone. Still,
because of their playfulness, don't keep them with anything that
may have long fins as targets. </font></div>
<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">As a downside,
Pacus can be easy to freak out. They don't like fast movement around
their tank. If one gets scared it will smash into the side of the
tank and may hurt itself. If it hits the glass hard enough, it could
even break the glass. Pacus have been known to be tank breakers.
</font></div>
<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Remember, even
though they aren't Pirhanas, they are close enough relatives. They
do have some sharp teeth that could cause extensive damage if they
decide to bite. I have never been bitten by one of mine, and I hope
I never am. In fact, they are quite docile when it comes to me handling
them. It is a good idea to get your Pacu used to you moving about
the tank. This will minimize the chances of startling them and you
getting bitten by accident. </font></div>
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<div align="left"><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4"><strong>Breeding:</strong></font></div>
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<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">Pacus are fairly
difficult to breed. Their natural Amazonian water conditions must
be provided to be successful. Peat filtration will help to make
the water more to their liking. A temperature spike of 84 to 86
degrees Fahrenheit is also needed to start the breeding cycle.</font></div>
<div><font color="ffffff" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">The male's red
coloration is much brighter than that of the female and his dorsal
fin has much more of point.</font></div>
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Red Bellied Pacu
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- I'll keel j00 ese!
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- Group: Community Member
- Posts: 8,501
- Joined: 13-June 04
Posted 22 September 2005 - 11:04 AM
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