Caribito Parguasero

About

Known in its native range as the Caribito Parguasero, this hefty piranha relative, Serrasalmus manueli, comes from the river systems of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. In the trade it occasionally appears under the name "green tiger piranha," a nod to the greenish body sheen that helps separate it from similar species like S. gouldingi, which carries a blue tint instead. Juveniles also show a prominent humeral spot and reddish markings on the gill cover and lower jaw. Adults can grow impressively large, and despite being listed here as beginner-accessible in terms of basic husbandry, the reality is that this fish belongs with dedicated specialists only. It is a strict loner. Keeping two together almost invariably ends in serious injury or worse, and it is completely incompatible with other tankmates. The species is rarely available, expensive when it does appear, and notoriously fragile during transport, with high mortality rates among imported fish. The fact that fully grown specimens are seldom seen in hobbyist tanks strongly suggests most are not being kept under adequate conditions. Captive breeding has not been achieved. These fish are not the aggressive maulers popular media implies, but they do live well over a decade, grow very large, and have needs that most setups simply cannot meet.