Are You a Badfish Too?
Exploring the toothy side of freshwater aquarium-dwellers
M
Piranhas prefer live food such as feeder fi sh or small
mice, but frozen foods in the form of bloodworms, shrimp or
even chunks of lean beef heart are a good alternative. Ideally,
your piranhas should be fed a mix of live and frozen foods.
You may have to wait a while for your piranhas to get used
to you, as they can be shy about people watching them eat.
In shoals, piranhas swarm their food, tearing it to shreds,
but they won’t eat the debris left afterwards — so, like a bad
breakup or an ugly party foul, you will inevitably be left to
pick up the pieces.
If you want to branch out beyond piranhas, you can also
get an Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, aka the silver arowana.
Arowana are capable of retracting their entire bodies into
an S-curve before launching themselves through the water
(or air) at very high speeds. Another cool thing is that they
actually wield teeth on their tongues.
The Hydrocynus vittatus or African tiger fi sh looks like
something from a nightmare.
“You don’t come across a fi sh that can squash a goldfi sh’s
head as fl at as paper very often,” says Aaron Cundiff, fi sh-
keeper at Pet Time in Eugene. The African tiger fi sh will
eat anything you put in the tank and does not play well with
others. They are extremely fast swimming and not a good
choice for the fi rst-time keeper of predatory fi sh.
ew
‘You can learn a lot
watching things eat.’
—
PHOTOGRAPH BY TODD COOPER
any partake in the hobby of owning carnivorous
fi sh. Whether you personally identify with fast-
swimming, meat-chomping predators or you
love Animal Planet so much that you want to see it every
day, live, in your living room, there are many rewarding
and exciting aspects to having your own tank of aggressive
fi sh.
Commonly known as the red-belly piranha, Pygocentrus
nattereri are sometimes referred to as “the wolf of the
water.” These little guys can be found in your local pet store.
States such as California and Colorado require permits to
own any species of piranha, while some such as Hawaii or
Kentucky completely prohibit all species. Oregon has no
such regulations, and this is due mostly to the fact that if
released into the wild (which one should NEVER do with
any fi sh), the fi sh wouldn’t survive our cold winter waters.
Though piranhas hold a fearsome reputation in most
psyches, they make relatively docile pets. Exceptionally
large tanks with big shoals of underfed fi sh could be
potentially dangerous for a human, but said human would
also have to decide to stick his/her hand into the tank or
go for a swim. “I’ve never in my fi fty years of keeping
piranhas heard of a fi sh biting its owner,” says Irving
Weiner of Eugene’s Aqua Serene fi sh supply and pet store.
Of course, agitating piranhas for fun is a bad idea and could
actually get you (deservedly) bitten.
Smaller tanks of three or four piranhas are ideal for
the home aquarium. A good rule of thumb is to get a tank
allowing twenty gallons of water per fi sh and a serious
fi lter, capable of processing more water than your tank
holds because piranhas are messy eaters. Water temperature
should be between 80 F and 85 F, and your tank décor
should replicate the natural environment of piranhas: think
Amazon River.
BY DANTE ZUÑIGA-WEST
Jack Nicholson, The Departed
A RED-BELLIED PIRANHA AT PET TIME
Smudge and Spitfire, This pair of snow white
beauties are ready to go! Smudge is a cuddly
lover, while Spitfire earns her name with a
fiesty, independent “cattitude”. Together they
make the purrrfect ying-yang duo.
#1106-1925. 1926
Adopt a Pet
from Lane County Animal Services
Pickles and Kimchee°Looking for confident,
outgoing girls? These ebony twins are very
used to kids, other cats and even big and
small dogs. Nothing bothers them! You won’t
find a sweeter, more snuggly pair of babies!
# 1106-1784, 1786
3970 WEST 1ST AVE. | EUGENE, OR 97402
(541) 682-3647
www.lanecounty.org/Animals
Bear I’m an older
chubby farm dog,
and I’m just getting
used to the sights
and sounds of the
big city.° I love other
dogs and cats, and
am dreaming of a
second chance at
life, where I can be
someone’s devoted
pal for my golden
years. # 1207-0010
Thor, WOW!° I am
112 pounds of
handsome hunk! I’m
a fabulous Rottie
that gets along with
other dogs and
cats, and I have
GREAT manners.°
I’d like to be your
guardian and lifelong
companion.
# 1207-0029
Mitzi, Meet Mitzi!
This gem is a
medium sized
gal with perfect
manners!° She likes
other dogs, cats
and kids, and would
be a great family
dog.°This cutie is all
smiles, and wants
a new home today!
#1207-0090
Ingrid, Poor Ingrid was
terribly neglected, and
was lucky to find her
way to LCAS.° After
removing a painful
eye and placing her
in foster care, she is
in great health now!
Ingrid is an older Lhasa
who needs a loving
home that will treat her
like the princess she is.
#1104-1518
Waldo Where’s
Waldo’s perfect
home? If the sing-
song sound of a Blue
Tick Hound is music
to your ears, come
meet this loveable
goofball.° He is just
a pup, looking for
a home that loves
hounds and their
unique charms.
# 1207-0005
Duvall Worried
about your furniture
getting clawed? My
name is Duvall, and
I will be the perfect
indoor kitty for you,
as I am declawed.
I’d love to be your
ultra-affectionate
housecat, please!
#1207-0063
Baby Girl, I’m Baby
Girl, an adorable,
plump Boxer mix.° I
LOVE to play, but am
not a very active gal.°
I’d be a great easy
going companion
in the house, while
still knowing how to
have a good time
with a game of fetch
or tug. #1207-0094
Make a diff erence to a dog or
cat that needs a loving home
Remember to Love, License and
Spay/Neuter Your Pet!
Did you know that Lane County Animal Services saves all of the adoptable animals we receive, as well as providing training and giving medical treatment
to our residents that are not-so-adoptable so they can become ready for new homes.° You can support our lifesaving mission by donating towards our
medical fund (online or in person), or donate much needed supplies.° Check out the Wishlist on our website, or at Amazon.Com. LCAS is currently in need
of: kitten food, polar fleece (in bolts or blanket size pieces), gently used or new leashes, collars and harnesses and Red Barn semi-moist dog food logs.
12 JULY 28, 2011
EUGENE WEEKLY
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