I have what I think is a black pacu. But then I hear they are rare and what I could have is a hybrid pacu which I never heard of before. Please let me know cause it will help determine what size tank I will get next. Thank you.
Is this a black pacu?
- Thread starter Mfkjr75
- Start date
Thank you, over the years of google searches on questions I’ve had with the hobby and always seeing “Monsterfishkeepers” website come up i finally decided to join. Figured it would be nice to be able to talk with people who have the same passion I do for the fish hobby.
Nice to have you hopefully someone will chime in with an ID of the Pacu. Possibly a Redbelly Pacu but I'm not sure.
Got him at a local fish store. Definitely gonna need a bigger tank. Planning on building a 1000 gallon. But hoping to have 2 years before I get to that point.
I believe black pacu are actually brown and have yellow markings. Your fish looks like a regular red belly.
Piaractus brachypomus--red belly pacu. As they mature, red bellies usually lose what little red they might have. Males generally have more red coloring than females. They also have longer dorsal fins and their anal fins are concave as opposed to convex. I would say you have a male red belly pacu....a handsome one.
Keep in mind that pacu are long lived fish and can live 30+ years, but can die in 2 years with poor water parameters. They are more sensitive to nitrogen products, so keep up with the water changes. While red belly pacu do not get as long as black pacu, they can still get to 3 feet in length. Their shape is more rhomboidal than the elliptical black pacu, so red belly pacu can get quite "tall" and can have tremendous girth. I would say a minimum tank height would be 3 feet, but 4 feet would be better.
Our pacu were 15" when they came into our lives. They had no red, so I assumed they were black pacu. WRONG.
Mature black pacu can actually have more red coloring than adult red belly pacu. This pic was taken off the internet. Note the different shape (elliptical) of the body and the elongated head, and the larger operculum, and the green/red not ever seen on red belly pacu.
John PTC's black pacu:
My rotund red belly pacu
Keep in mind that pacu are long lived fish and can live 30+ years, but can die in 2 years with poor water parameters. They are more sensitive to nitrogen products, so keep up with the water changes. While red belly pacu do not get as long as black pacu, they can still get to 3 feet in length. Their shape is more rhomboidal than the elliptical black pacu, so red belly pacu can get quite "tall" and can have tremendous girth. I would say a minimum tank height would be 3 feet, but 4 feet would be better.
Our pacu were 15" when they came into our lives. They had no red, so I assumed they were black pacu. WRONG.
Mature black pacu can actually have more red coloring than adult red belly pacu. This pic was taken off the internet. Note the different shape (elliptical) of the body and the elongated head, and the larger operculum, and the green/red not ever seen on red belly pacu.
John PTC's black pacu:
My rotund red belly pacu
