little_mermaid
New member
my teacher is looking for a little phiranna in the arizona metro area. are they still illegal?
where can i find phirannas?
- Thread starter little_mermaid
- Start date
frontosa_man80
PROP member
i use to buy them from this site years ago, http://www.aquascapeonline.com/prodList.asp?item=Piranhas&idCategory=22
here is a site with all the legal rules as of June, 2009
http://www.opefe.com/state_stat_prohibit.html
HTH
-jesse
here is a site with all the legal rules as of June, 2009
http://www.opefe.com/state_stat_prohibit.html
HTH
-jesse
frontosa_man80
PROP member
ARIZONA:
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission regulations prohibit the possession of the following "restricted live wildlife" fish species without a special license or exemption:
1. American graling, the species Thymallus arctius.
2. Bass, all species of the family Serranidae.
3. Bighead carp, the species Aristichthys nobilis.
4. Bony tongue, the species Arapaima gigas.
5. Bowfin, the species Amia calva.
6. Catfish, all species of the family Ictaluridae.
7. Crucian carp, the species Carassius carassius.
8. Electric catfish, the species Malapterus electricus.
9. Electric eel, the species Electrophorus electricus.
10. European whitefish or ide, the species Leuciscus idus and Idus idus.
11. Freshwater drum, the species Aplodinotus grunniens.
12. Freshwater stingray, all species of the family Potamotrygonidae.
13. Gars, all species of the family Lepisosteidae.
14. Goldeye, all species of the family Hiodontidae.
15. Herring, all species of the family Clupeidae.
16. Indian carp, all of the species Catla catla, Cirrhina mrigala, and Labeo rohita.
17. Lampreys, all speice sof the family Petromyzontidae.
18. Mooneye, all species of the family Hiodontidae.
19. Nile perch, all species of the genus Lates.
20. Pike, all species of the family Esocidae.
21. Pike topminnow, the species Belonesox belizanus.
22. Piranha, all species of the genera Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Phygocentrus, Teddyella, Rooseveltiella, and Pygopristis.
23. Shad, all species of the family Clupeidae except threadfin shad, species Dorosoma petenense.
24. Sharks, all species, both marine and freshwater, of the orders Hexanchiformes, Heterodontiformes, Squaliformes, Pristiophoriformes, Squatiniformes, Orectolobiformes, Lamniformes, and Carcharhiniformes.
25. Silver carp, the species Hypopthalmicthys molitrix.
26. Snakehead, all species of the family Ophicephalidae.
27. South American parasitic catfish, all species of the family Trichomycteridae and Cetopsidae.
28. Sunfish, all species of the family Centrarchidae.
29. Tetras, all species of the genus Astyanyx.
30. Tiger fish, the species Hoplias malabaricus.
31. Trout, all species of the family Salmonidae.
32. White amur, the species Ctenopharyngodon idellus.
33. Walking catfish, all species of the family Clariidae.
34. Walleye, the species Stizostedion vitreum.
35. White perch, the species Morone americanus.
36. Yellow perch, the species Perca flavescens.
37. Rudd, the species Scardinius erythropthalmus.
Source: Arizona Game and Fish Commission Regulations R12-4-406(F). The relevant text can be found on page 111 of the following pdf document:
http://www.azgfd.com/pdfs/inside_azg...azgfd_laws.pdf
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission regulations prohibit the possession of the following "restricted live wildlife" fish species without a special license or exemption:
1. American graling, the species Thymallus arctius.
2. Bass, all species of the family Serranidae.
3. Bighead carp, the species Aristichthys nobilis.
4. Bony tongue, the species Arapaima gigas.
5. Bowfin, the species Amia calva.
6. Catfish, all species of the family Ictaluridae.
7. Crucian carp, the species Carassius carassius.
8. Electric catfish, the species Malapterus electricus.
9. Electric eel, the species Electrophorus electricus.
10. European whitefish or ide, the species Leuciscus idus and Idus idus.
11. Freshwater drum, the species Aplodinotus grunniens.
12. Freshwater stingray, all species of the family Potamotrygonidae.
13. Gars, all species of the family Lepisosteidae.
14. Goldeye, all species of the family Hiodontidae.
15. Herring, all species of the family Clupeidae.
16. Indian carp, all of the species Catla catla, Cirrhina mrigala, and Labeo rohita.
17. Lampreys, all speice sof the family Petromyzontidae.
18. Mooneye, all species of the family Hiodontidae.
19. Nile perch, all species of the genus Lates.
20. Pike, all species of the family Esocidae.
21. Pike topminnow, the species Belonesox belizanus.
22. Piranha, all species of the genera Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Phygocentrus, Teddyella, Rooseveltiella, and Pygopristis.
23. Shad, all species of the family Clupeidae except threadfin shad, species Dorosoma petenense.
24. Sharks, all species, both marine and freshwater, of the orders Hexanchiformes, Heterodontiformes, Squaliformes, Pristiophoriformes, Squatiniformes, Orectolobiformes, Lamniformes, and Carcharhiniformes.
25. Silver carp, the species Hypopthalmicthys molitrix.
26. Snakehead, all species of the family Ophicephalidae.
27. South American parasitic catfish, all species of the family Trichomycteridae and Cetopsidae.
28. Sunfish, all species of the family Centrarchidae.
29. Tetras, all species of the genus Astyanyx.
30. Tiger fish, the species Hoplias malabaricus.
31. Trout, all species of the family Salmonidae.
32. White amur, the species Ctenopharyngodon idellus.
33. Walking catfish, all species of the family Clariidae.
34. Walleye, the species Stizostedion vitreum.
35. White perch, the species Morone americanus.
36. Yellow perch, the species Perca flavescens.
37. Rudd, the species Scardinius erythropthalmus.
Source: Arizona Game and Fish Commission Regulations R12-4-406(F). The relevant text can be found on page 111 of the following pdf document:
http://www.azgfd.com/pdfs/inside_azg...azgfd_laws.pdf
bluelair
New member
You're not going to find them here. If your teacher wants to study them, the Wildlife World Zoo aquarium has an excellent tank with a quite a few nice specimens.
I used to keep them legally years ago in New York (I had a state issued permit). They're not all that aggressive. They're of the Family Characin, which includes tetras, hatchetfish, silver dollars, and they exhibit largely tetra-like behavior, except while feeding.
Most cichlids, Oscars for example, are way more aggressive than the piranhas. I found that they only killed when hungry, they were afraid of my hand, when not feeding they were docile, even boring. Cichlids will kill out of aggression, Piranhas only out of hunger. Otherwise, they conserve their energy.
Back when we fed feeder goldfish, the goldfish could survive in the Piranha tank for more than a week if they weren't hungry, then one day he'd disappear. Later, I kept my Piranhas with Dovii (Wolf) cichlids and they held their own.
I'd be happy to speak to your teacher friend if there's any information I can provide their class about Piranhas, their behavior and habits. I studied them for 6 years. There are some great videos on YouTube of them feeding they could show the children. I agree with the laws in temperate climates, since people are curious and irresponsible sometimes, however this is one species that has gotten an undeserved bad rap for danger and aggression by the media and over their appearance. When you see them dried and mounted, with the mouth wide open, you almost never see their mouths open like that in nature, and I'd love to help educate children on them. It's quite amazing. In all my time keeping them, I found young children to be the most forgiving and understanding about Piranha. Did you know rural peoples in South America use Piranha jaws like clippers to cut hair?
I think it would be cool to keep live Piranha to teach children, but I'd be in the minority. Keeping them in a classroom aquarium is likely to get your friend fined and into the local paper in Arizona. Most southern states without a freezing winter banned them long ago. I think the nearest state where they aren't totally illegal to possess is Colorado.
I used to keep them legally years ago in New York (I had a state issued permit). They're not all that aggressive. They're of the Family Characin, which includes tetras, hatchetfish, silver dollars, and they exhibit largely tetra-like behavior, except while feeding.
Most cichlids, Oscars for example, are way more aggressive than the piranhas. I found that they only killed when hungry, they were afraid of my hand, when not feeding they were docile, even boring. Cichlids will kill out of aggression, Piranhas only out of hunger. Otherwise, they conserve their energy.
Back when we fed feeder goldfish, the goldfish could survive in the Piranha tank for more than a week if they weren't hungry, then one day he'd disappear. Later, I kept my Piranhas with Dovii (Wolf) cichlids and they held their own.
I'd be happy to speak to your teacher friend if there's any information I can provide their class about Piranhas, their behavior and habits. I studied them for 6 years. There are some great videos on YouTube of them feeding they could show the children. I agree with the laws in temperate climates, since people are curious and irresponsible sometimes, however this is one species that has gotten an undeserved bad rap for danger and aggression by the media and over their appearance. When you see them dried and mounted, with the mouth wide open, you almost never see their mouths open like that in nature, and I'd love to help educate children on them. It's quite amazing. In all my time keeping them, I found young children to be the most forgiving and understanding about Piranha. Did you know rural peoples in South America use Piranha jaws like clippers to cut hair?
I think it would be cool to keep live Piranha to teach children, but I'd be in the minority. Keeping them in a classroom aquarium is likely to get your friend fined and into the local paper in Arizona. Most southern states without a freezing winter banned them long ago. I think the nearest state where they aren't totally illegal to possess is Colorado.
OwenInAZ
New member
The ones they carry in store are of the genus Paracheirodon, not the genus Astyanax.
The problem with piranhas is not that they're aggressive to humans, but that as an invasive species have no natural predators here. So they become like the zebra mussel, or the python, or kudzu, or any number of other invasive species and take crap over. In the process they push out the native biodiversity. We have enough problems in Arizona in terms of fish populations without the added pressure of more invasives.
bluelair
New member
For you and I that's no problem, but getting everyone to not do it is a big problem, that's why they're banned (and also why we have thousands of other laws, people just aren't responsible.)
little_mermaid
New member
my teacher wanted it for her own personal tank at her house, she thinks they are cute.
ScrubberOTanky
New member
The piranhas I have seen are nowhere near aggressive enough to actually rip flesh from your hand... In fact they were some of the most skittish fish I have ever seen unless they are hunting. Then it's like they are velociraptors from Jurassic Park lol
when I was a kid in Long Beach California I was in a tropical fish store on Pacific Coast Hwy when the Fish & Game officers came in, they went in the back to a tank just next to me where I was standing, took out a net and quickly netted a couple piranhas, put them on the ground and stomped on them with their boots, the press was there and it was in the paper the next day, I'll never forget that momment
Similar threads
