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No federal permit to keepPirapitinga
Piaractus brachypomus
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Serrasalmidae (Piranhas and pacus)
Piaractus brachypomus also known as the red-bellied Pacu or pirapitinga, is a large species of pacu, a close relative of piranhas and silver dollars, in the serrasalmid family.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 210 in long and 69 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 34.6 in / 88 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 4.8–6.8.
- Hardness: 0–15 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a herbivore.
- Safety: Can injure people (sharp spines, teeth or electric shock): use nets and care when working in the tank.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 118 × 35 in (roughly 642 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 73–82 °F, pH 4.8–7.5, 0–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “The size of the tank and filtration used are much more important than the choice of decor.”
- Diet: “Stomach analyses of wild specimens show it to be primarily a herbivorous species, feeding on fruits, nuts and seeds.”
- Tankmates: “Small fish will likely be eaten but in general it's quite peaceful with bigger species.”
- Breeding: “Not achieved in the hobby, although it's being bred in some numbers for food in both South America and various Far Eastern countries.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Piranhas, pacus and silver dollars
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American rivers. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Large tanks with strong filtration; pacus grow to over 2 ft and outgrow almost every home aquarium.
Diet
- Silver dollars: plant-based foods. Piranhas: fish, shrimp and pellets.
Health watch
- Piranhas are banned in many states. Never release pacus.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
As with a number of other closely related species, P. brachypomus is often referred to as the red-bellied pacu in reference to the appearance of the juveniles. This has resulted in a great deal of confusion about the nature and needs of all the species involved, with the reputation and requirements of one frequently being wrongly attributed to the others.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Piaractus brachypomus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Juveniles mimic Serrasalmus nattereri. Feeds on insects and decaying plants. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–82 °F (23–28 °C), pH 4.8–6.8, hardness 15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Other. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: brood hiders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 94°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 69°F (down to 60°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 75–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 77–84% on average (driest month about 75%) |
| Rainfall | about 2217 mm a year |
Measured at 207 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Piaractus brachypomus also known as the red-bellied Pacu or pirapitinga, is a large species of pacu, a close relative of piranhas and silver dollars, in the serrasalmid family. As with a number of other closely related species, P. brachypomus is often referred to as the red-bellied pacu in reference to the appearance of the juveniles. This has resulted in a great deal of confusion about the nature and needs of all the species involved, with the reputation and requirements of one frequently being wrongly attributed to the others. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Social life and communication | Pacu, like other characins, can be very sensitive to environmental disturbances. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Wild diet | The dietary composition of red-bellied pacu (and a number of closely related species) shifts depending on the season. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Behavior | In native environments, red-bellied pacu are shoaling fish that may become more independent with age. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | Assuming standard charicid mode of reproduction. — FishBase |
| Lifespan | Red-bellied pacu are long-lived fish, with popular aquarium sites quoting life spans of 25 years and beyond. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 88.0 cm tl male/unsexed; maximum published weight 25.0 kg; maximum reported age 28 years. — FishBase |
| Biology | Juveniles mimic Serrasalmus nattereri. Adults feed on insects and decaying plants. They possess powerful dentition that can cause serious bites. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 118 × 35 in (about 642 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Identification and Counting of Pirapitinga Piaractus brachypomus Fingerlings Fish Using Machine Learning Souza AS et al., Animals: an open access journal from MDPI 2024
- Mercury Levels in Human Hair and Farmed Fish near Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities in the Madre de Dios River Basin, Peru Langeland AL et al., International journal of environmental research and public health 2017
- Outbreak of hirudiniasis in aquarium-reared albino red-bellied pacu Piaractus brachypomus Praveenraj J et al., Diseases of aquatic organisms 2021
- Genetic Characterization of the Fish Piaractus brachypomus by Microsatellites Derived from Transcriptome Sequencing Jorge PH et al., Frontiers in genetics 2018
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 24 on PubMed → 170
Sources for this sheet
- AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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