Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Blue tiger piranha
No federal permit to keepBlue tiger piranha
Serrasalmus gouldingi
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Serrasalmidae (Piranhas and pacus)
The blue tiger piranha (Serrasalmus gouldingi), also known as Goulding's piranha, is a species of Serrasalmus fish from the Amazon basin in Brazil.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 54 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 11.0 in / 27.94 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
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 59 × 24 in (roughly 143 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 75–82 °F, pH 4–7, 1–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament species tank; kept alone; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Choice of décor is not as critical as water quality and the amount of open swimming-space provided.”
- Diet: “Serrasalmus species tend to be somewhat opportunistic feeders in the wild, although they display a preference for small fishes, chunks of fish flesh, and fish fins.”
- Tankmates: “Best maintained alone as a single specimen.”
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
This ray-finned fish is only found in South America. This fish only lives in freshwater environments and is able to survive in mineral-poor water.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Blue tiger piranha” (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. Uses both the bottom and open water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 71°F (down to 69°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 79–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 82–85% on average (driest month about 79%) |
| Rainfall | about 2473 mm a year |
Measured at 81 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 | The blue tiger piranha (Serrasalmus gouldingi), also known as Goulding's piranha, is a species of Serrasalmus fish from the Amazon basin in Brazil. This ray-finned fish is only found in South America. This fish only lives in freshwater environments and is able to survive in mineral-poor water. S. gouldingi returns to the Anapu River to reproduce. — 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 |
| Appearance and size | The blue tiger piranha has blue-gray scales, a small rhomboid body, a robust head, large eyes, and a pugnacious lower jaw. These fish are small for piranhas, as their length is usually around 13-15 long, with a maximum length of 30 cm, while other piranhas average around 20 cm and have a maximum length of 40 cm. S. gouldingi has 2 unbranched and 14-16 branched dorsal fin rays with a pre-anal spine. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| History and naming | The subfamily Serrasalminae encompasses 16 genera restricted to the neotropical region, including pacus and piranhas in the Amazon Basin. Serrasalmids are keystone ecological taxa, being major riverine predators and the primary seed dispersers in the flooded forest. Despite their widespread occurrence and notable ecologies, serrasalmid evolutionary history and systematics are controversial. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | The current global conservation status of the blue tiger piranha is least concern. It has low fishing vulnerability, as populations recovers quickly from heavy fishing and no evidence of large commercial sellers (as opposed to small-scale local markets) has been found. This may be because that piranhas may attack humans if approached in the water. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
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.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 24 in (about 143 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- 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.
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