Black pacu
Colossoma macropomum
advancedpeacefulmiddle swimmerSerrasalmidae
- Tank length
- 400 cmabout 13 ft (157 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C73–82 °F
- pH
- 4.8–6.8
- Adult size
- 60 cm24 in
- Lifespan
- 15–25 yrs
Sold as small 'vegetarian piranhas' but grows to giant size and eats plants; unsuitable for home aquaria.Sold as small 'vegetarian piranhas' but grows to giant size and eats plants; unsuitable for home aquaria.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Angfa rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Arfak rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Assassin snailNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Batanta rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brevis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Butterfly splitfin
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Caudopunctatus
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Chinese mystery snail
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Corona rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 23–28 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 4.8–6.8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Amazon and Orinoco basins, South America | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | peaceful | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | omnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 15–25 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 36 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 400 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |