Silver Dollars Or Tinfoil Barbs?

[fish-r-fancy]

Hi I'm currently in the process of setting up a 180 gallon tank and would like to either have a school of tinfoil barbs or silver dollars, but not both. The tank will have almost no decorations except a homeade background that goes in the tank like the one dabolox has (check for pictures in the picture setting to see what I'm talking about) and will have a sand substrate. Please vote in the poll as to what you would reccomend and please state why. thanks in advance

 

[Gatorbait]

I'd go for silver dollars.

I think they are better looking and they don't get as big. SD's get to about 6" and Tinfoils get twice as big. You could put quite a few in a 180g tank. It would look great!!!

I can't wait to see pics no matter what you choose.

 

[fish-r-fancy]

I'd go for silver dollars.

I think they are better looking and they don't get as big. SD's get to about 6" and Tinfoils get twice as big. You could put quite a few in a 180g tank. It would look great!!!

I can't wait to see pics no matter what you choose.

Thanks. pics will come soon I have to cycle the tank first and everything though. I'm kinda leaning towards silver dollars because of their price and size. This is what I was thinking of stocking my tank with so far (I will not have all of these fish just thinking about them)

-a teacup stingray
-a tyre track eel
-a school of balas
-a clown knife fish
-a black ghost knife fish
-an arowana
-and either a school of silver dollars or tinfoil barbs

 

[OohFeeshy]

Definately silver dollars, tinfoil barbs are massive when fully grown. Although a 180 is too small for the ray, and most arowana species.

 

[CFC]

There is no such thing as a tea cup ray, this is just a generic name used by wholesalers and fish stores to name small unidentified rays which later can usually be identified as P.orbygini, P.hysterix or P.laticeps. All these fish grow to have a disc size of at least 16" and require a tank with a width of at least 30".

Only 2 commonly available arowana species can be kept in a 180g and these are Asian and jardini arowana's. Asian arowana are illegal in the US and jardini are very very aggressive and in most cases cannot be kept with any tankmates once they are above 12", there is the odd exception but ask 10 people who have owned jardini's and 9 will tell you that they couldnt keep theirs with fish.

Clown knives grow to at least 24" long so will require a much larger tank than a 180g eventually, unless you know you will be getting a bigger tank then dont buy a clown knife as they are very difficult to re home once they are too large.


As for the tinfoils or SDs id recomend the silver dollars, tinfoil barbs are a menace which will eat every bit of food you put in the tank which will starve your other fish, i know this from experience.

 

[fish-r-fancy]

Thanks to everybody who helped sorry I made a mistake I was not looking into a clown knife fish, but a brown knife fish(or something like that). Looks like the arowna is out of the question then. I will be getting a school of silver dollars for this tank, thanks to everybody who has helped me with this decision.

 

[The-Wolf]

tinfoil barbs are a menace which will eat every bit of food you put in the tank which will starve your other fish, i know this from experience.

as do I.
I voted silver dollars too
but if you can find them any of the tetragonopterus species are far better looking IMHO.

 

[fish-r-fancy]

tinfoil barbs are a menace which will eat every bit of food you put in the tank which will starve your other fish, i know this from experience.

as do I.
I voted silver dollars too
but if you can find them any of the tetragonopterus species are far better looking IMHO.

Thanks. I will keep my eyes out for the tetragonopterus species. I forgot to add that I'm also hoping to have a sengal bichir in this tank.

 

[edgun88]

Do the silvers. They are beautiful fish and hardy! I have three and they love my 55 gal tank. Just make sure they get a balanced diet of flakes and veggies.