Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Serrasalmus manueli
No federal permit to keepSerrasalmus manueli
Serrasalmus manueli
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Serrasalmidae (Piranhas and pacus)
Serrasalmus manueli, the silver piranha or Manuel's piranha, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 72 in long and 27 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 14.2 in / 36 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 83 × 30 in (roughly 312 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Behaviour: temperament species tank.
- Difficulty: Difficult (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Requires a well-oxygenated set-up, ideally furnished with a sandy substrate and some good-sized driftwood roots and branches.”
- Diet: “Wild fish probably consume the fins and scales of other species, smaller fish and insects.”
- Tankmates: “Should only be considered as a specimen fish for the enthusiast.”
- Breeding: “Like most members of the genus it has not yet been spawned in captivity.”
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 species is found in the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in South America.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Serrasalmus manueli” (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 92°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 66°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 78–84% on average (driest month about 75%) |
| Rainfall | about 2444 mm a year |
Measured at 128 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 | Serrasalmus manueli, the silver piranha or Manuel's piranha, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes. This species is found in the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in South America. — 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 | Serrasalmus manueli has a maximum standard length of 36 cm and a maximum published weight of 2.5 kg. The younger fish are very distinctive, having an elongated body, suggesting that they are quick and agile swimmers. The juveniles have a concave dorsal profile to the head, with a long and sharp lower jaw and outsized eyes. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| History and naming | Serrasalmus manueli was first formally described as Pygocentrus manueli in 1967 by the Venezuelan ichthyologists Agustín Fernández Yépez and Manuel Vicente Ramírez, with its type locality given as the Río Paraguaza in the middle Orinoco River system, Venezuela. In 2002, it was reclassified in the genus Serrasalmus, which is classified in the subfamily Serrasalminae of the family Serrasalmidae. — 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.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
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 hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 83 × 30 in (about 312 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.
More piranhas and pacus
Black spot piranha
Pygocentrus cariba
Aquarium hobby
Cachama
Colossoma macropomum
Aquarium hobby
Gery's Piranha
Serrasalmus geryi
Aquarium hobby
Metynnis argenteus
Metynnis argenteus
Aquarium hobby
Metynnis lippincottianus
Metynnis lippincottianus
Aquarium hobby
Pirapitinga
Piaractus brachypomus
Aquarium hobby