Silver Dollar

Connoisseurs of the silver metal will definitely bond with this fish! The Silver Dollar fish comes from South America and has enjoyed the status of the chosen one among tropical fish hobbyists for many years. The Silver Dollar gets to be about 6 inches or about the size of a saucer. They are brilliant silver in color and in some varieties, the male will have a small amount of red on its anal fin. Although Metynnis argenteus is the most commonly encountered of the sub-family of Myleinae, if you are observant you will definitely see several other varieties at your local pet shops. Look for spotted or even striped specimens, as well as ones with fins of different sizes and shapes. These fish are Charcins, and are sometimes mistaken for Pacus or Piranhas.

Aquarium Care: They do best in schools of 6 or more and can become scared easily if not in a school. However, even in small schools they can are wary with newcomers, especially if you approach the tank too quickly. They would probably end up hurting themselves in their anxiety to dart away. For this reason, make sure that there are no sharp tank decorations in the aquarium. However, silverfish that are kept as single specimens eventually calm down and fraternize quite willingly with their aquarist, even to the extent of allowing hand-feeding! Speaking of schools, it is advisable to keep Silver Dollars in small schools of four to five fish whenever possible. They can be fairly hardy once acclimated, but avoid fluctuating water parameters. When you are doing your water changes try to put in water that is as close to the same temperature as possible and don't keep a watch for the nitrate level.

Food: Though blessed with a gentle disposition, they are unusually voracious eaters. Surely their jaws must ache! Will be a thought that crosses your mind frequently when you watch the silver fish gobble away. Drop an algae wafer into your tank and watch the other silvers chase the one that gets it around the tank. Don’t believe the manuals that often include cautionary remarks about being sure the other fish don't eat the food before the Silver Dollars get to it. .For the plant keepers out there, they are herbivores and notorious for the serious damage that they can do to your live plants.

Though they go by the tag of herbivores, silver fish are quite comfortable consuming large quantities of non-vegetarian food. Obviously, being food lovers, they accept most foods including flakes, pellets, frozen, freeze dried and live foods. Although they'll eat a wider diet than the average herbivore, they still need to eat more frequently than carnivores due to differences in their digestive system. Several feedings a day are recommended to keep them in top condition. A well cared for Silver Dollar will easily reach 5 inch size, or even a bit larger.

Breeding: Water conditions are critical if you are interested in breeding them. To breed Silver Dollars you must use soft water. Although the parents will not eat the eggs other fish will, so they should not be bred in a community tank. The eggs drop to the bottom where they hatch 3 days later.