Piranha fish is belong to the Animalia Kingdom and serrasalmidae family. The name comes from the Tupi language by the Tupi people.
The Piranha is a fish with big teeth. The true Piranha category contains Genera pristobrycon, PygoCentrus, Pygopristis, and Serrasalmus.
According to Fishbase, the size of piranha piranha and red-bellied piranha is about 51cm long, the black spot piranha’s size is about 28cm.
The largest size of piranha usually is no bigger than 60cm long. Compared with a same-sized alligator and a piranha, piranha’s bite is three times stronger than the alligator bite. The biggest species of piranha is Megapiranha, which grew about 71cm long, and probably even 100cm, and it existed 20 million years ago approximately.
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How Much Does A Piranha Cost?
The cost of piranha depends upon their size. If you want to buy a piranha for the aquarium, then you should buy a piranha between 2-2.5 inches. The average cost of a 2-2.5inch piranha is around $30. If you buy a piranha smaller than 2inch, then it will cost you around $5.
According to their age, size, area-wise legal issues, and species, the cost may be varied.
In certain areas, the Government is not allowed to keep piranhas as pets. Piranha has an organ called a swim bladder.
By using this organ, the red-bellied piranha species can bark like dogs. They cost around $10 each. The 3 to 3.5inch piranha costs around $130. Some rare categorized piranha-like gold piranha cost from $300 to $400 each. They are about 5inch long. The blue diamond room piranha-sized 10inch costs around $800. There is a bargaining chance when you buy them in groups.
Both jaws with a single row of precisely sharp teeth are the identity of piranha. The teeth are tightly filled up and interconnected with each other and used for quick piercing and shearing.
The individual teeth are flat, pointed, and triangular. This fish is mainly known for its aggressive behaviour.
Are piranhas easy pets?
As per their behaviour and specific and unique requirements, they are not very friendly pets to own. Before you buy a piranha, you should research their market cost and how to take care of them.
Their life cycle is about 5-15 years. Piranhas become dangerous and attack people and bite them when they are hungry. They can’t survive without fresh water. There are almost 30 to 60 different types of species that exist in the world.
Factors Affecting the Purchasing Cost of Piranha
In every state, there are no legal permissions to own a piranha fish. This is the biggest reason that can influence the cost.
Can i buy a piranha?
Buying a piranha is banned in some states completely, and in some states, the Government allows to buy only for educational purposes or to only display.
In some states, only some specific categories of piranhas are banned. There is legal permission to keep piranha as pets in Rhode Island, Delaware, Missouri, Kansas, Maryland, North and South Dakota, and a few states.
If you want to buy a piranha, then this is the first check that your state allows it or not. Otherwise, you may charge a fine of $500 and more.
The cost of piranha also depends upon where you buy- directly from the dealer or the pet store.
Piranha Cost By Size
During their maturity period, the piranhas grow up to 24 iches long, and their weight reaches up to 8pounds.
How long do piranhas live in a fish tank?
Their average life span is 10-15 years but can attain a maximum age of 20 years. They gain length about 1inch per month, and an increase of a noticeable weight in their early months from birth is seen.
After reaching of 7inchs, their growth deteriorates to a range of 1-2 inches every year. As they acquire a durable lifespan, it takes a long time to grow a piranha from hatching fish or fry as an adult.
Even though a hatching fish is comparatively cheaper, Aquarists prefer grown-up piranha as they can be a material for display and even raise money by hundred dollars.
Piranha Cost By Species
Some species of piranha are displayable in schools. But, remarkably, interspecies piranhas are not considered to be kept in a single space as some of them may be eaten others as their food. Some species are quite popular and common, while some of them are rare. But, unfortunately, some of them are dangerous too.
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Piranha Cost of Maintenance
The health and life span can be determined by setting up a pleasant environment and habit. The preference of a wild piranha is just a replica of warm river water throughout South America. While captured, piranha relies on the very same environment in an aquarium. Their environment should be consist of :
● Low and natural light
● Warm water temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the PH should be slightly acidic to slightly basic ( 5.5-8.0 ).
● They should be kept alone or with the same species.
Tank or aquarium information that used for creating a suitable environment for piranha with a cost:-
● Aquarium with heartland LED and stand costs about $200 and more.
● Plenty of real plants should be edible, or some artificial one costs up to $10 and more.
● Pebbles and some smooth rocks cost about $11 and more.
● The filtration system ( wet or dry ) costs about $250 and more.
● The heater for the tank costs about $60 and more.
● Monitor that measures the PH level and temperature of tank cost about $200 and more.
● The aquarium must be at least 4 feet long and 2 feet deep, where you can keep your piranhas. This type of tank costs up to $5,000 and the least price is $500. If you want to customize your aquarium, then it costs more.
● The aquarium should be placed in a calm place because the piranhas become aggressive when heavy noise occurs.
Food cost of piranha fish
The food that needs your piranha is dependent on the species you buy. Piranhas are found in both omnivorous and herbivorous categories.
There is no pure carnivorous piranha that exists. There are some piranhas, which are intake animals and insect protein as their food. The average cost of the food is $25 to $75 every month.
They can be fed with frozen meat and some live foods, i.e. small shrimps and feeder fish.
They can be fed with dry pellet foods too. It is wise to feed your piranha once a day. You should avoid overfeeding them to control the amount of waste in your tank.
Anything from the environment to piranha should also be avoided because they may contain pesticides or chemicals to which piranhas aren’t resistant.
A goldfish mustn’t be kept within reach of the piranhas, and they shouldn’t be used as their feeder too, because they may prove to be toxic for the piranhas.
Although a varied diet containing moderate proportions is most appropriate. If your piranha needs some veterinary care, then it costs about $25 to $90 per single visit.
Cost To Buy A Piranha Online
On online stores, piranhas are also sold $8 is the starting price per fish. An online store named ‘Aqua-Scape online’, sells piranhas as single and as groups also. As per that online store, the cost of piranha as per breeds are:
● Red-bellied piranha costs $8, which is 0.5-1 inch long. But for a heavy discount, you should buy them in bulk. Like, you have to pay $70, if you buy 10 red-bellied piranhas at a time.
● You have to pay $100 for 10 fish of 2- inch red-bellied piranhas, where you have to pay $11 for one.
● You have to pay $45 for 3 inches long red-bellied piranha fish. You have to pay $125 for a 5-6 inched red-bellied piranha of the same breed.
● Serrasaslmus Rhombus is the scientific name of black Peru. It costs around $30 each for a 2- 2.5 inched piranha. You have to pay $100 for each 4.5 inched black Peru.
The most expensive piranhas are 16 inches long and they cost around $1000 each.
● The Pygocentrus or piranha piranha costs around $125 each, which is 2 to 2.5 inches long.
● The very rare breed, Blackberry silver dollar piranha, which is 4inch long, costs around $175.
For the execution of your piranha buying process, you have to pay the shipping charge also. So for the full process, you should have sufficient money.
Another online store called AquariunFish.net sells other breeds of piranha. It sells the premium Wimpel piranha at the cost of $15.99 each. If you purchase over $169.99, then the shipping cost is deducted.
How to save money?
If you are going to buy piranha for the first time, you may feel that the buying and maintenance price is high.
This is normal to think like this. If you are desperate to buy piranha, then the cost should not brothers you. But by know about some points, you can fix an expense and save a bit.
If you want to keep 1 or 2 piranhas, you can buy a bulk of piranha at a discount price and sell the rest at a suitable price.
If you like to collect different kinds of piranha, then the money-saving method is that you have to buy different breeds to avoid the number of shipping costs.
In this way, you can save a bit from the buying cost and invest in their other expenses. Before buying piranha, you have to check the permission to buy piranha in your state.
Otherwise, you have to face loss if the Government does not give permission. Even though some states permit to buy piranhas, some cities banned to buy or sell. So you have to be careful about these facts before buying piranha.
