Caring for Dangerous Fish
Part of the Ostariophysi species, the Characidae have either fins or tissues that are connective or adipose. This fish has teeth and jaws with a body structure that is small and connects the inner part of the fish ear to the bladder. In most cases these fish will be brought from Central or South America. In some cases, you will also find them in other places, like Central Africa.
There are two main fish types here: omnivorous and carnivores. The omnivorous kind will eat animals or vegetables, while the carnivores will only eat meat. There are also some Characidae fish that are herbivorous. If you pick this type of fish for your aquarium, expect your plants to be nibbled completely.
When you use a Characidae fish in your aquarium, you shouldn’t put them together with other small fish, like Fighters or Angelfish. If you do, you risk the Characidae gnawing at them, as they tend to do that with small objects. They are similar in this regard with Piranhas.
You can find piranhas in freshwater, in South America. They have extremely sharp teeth and strong jaws, which are just as dangerous as those of the Characidae fish. This species is a predatory one, that likes to attack when they’re in big groups. The Characidae will attack both in groups and on their own. As a beginner, you shouldn’t buy piranhas or Characidae fish.
Characidae will eat meat mostly, like worms and the like.
This species should be kept in swampy and soft water, which makes it easier for them to breed. The eggs of the fish will go to the aquarium’s bottom and stick there. Since the adults will eat their eggs or young, you should remove them from the tank once the eggs are laid.
The White or the Spotted Piranha can be found in South America, in the Amazon Basins. Their size can get up to 25cm (10 inches). When kept in an aquarium, they will get to a length of 15cm (6 inches). If you want fish for your aquarium, this species isn’t ideal for this purpose. Keep any passive fish away from aquariums where piranhas reside.
The body of the piranha is deeply pressed, with a silver or green color. Their teeth are quite strong and can easily tear and devour other creatures. In many regards, the piranha looks like a bulldog, their lower jaw line being one of the reasons why they resemble them. They are quite aggressive and will eat fish both small and big.
If you use a net to get them out of the tank, be extremely careful, as they will gnaw on the hand if they get it.
Their food is mainly of the carnivorous nature, eating both fish and lean meat. This is the main reason why they are more suited as a showpiece, and not as a real pet. You can keep them in any kind of water, but they will not breed in an aquarium. Chances are that if you try to breed them they will eat each other.
