Silver dollars... specifically Metynnis Fasciatus

[Magnum Man]

I had several regular silver dollars, back when I was into fish before... so, now I have a couple started in a 55 gallon, & this time I also included a few Metynnis Fasciatus ( tiger stripe silver dollars ) mine are pretty small, just big enough, that the Bichir hasn't eaten them... yet... I think they are a pretty cool fish, & despite, being listed as a "plant Piranha" at an inch & a half, they seem content to eat the algae wafers I put in the tank... I've been putting the "fall off" babies from my Java ferns, that break free in my other tank, into this one... & they may be nibbling, but the plants seem OK for now... maybe as adults they will be plant munchers???

anyway, anyone have some more mature fish out there... I'm really liking them so far... any regrets???

 

[Muttsnuts]

Hi
I've got two Tiger stripes amongst my other dollars that are approx 6''.
I've tried plants a couple of times ((Java fern and anubias) and both times the plants have been destroyed within a day or two.
Hope this helps

 

[Magnum Man]

I put some silk plants in the tank expecting that... maybe because the 9" Bichir likes to lay among them, & I had been feeding them pretty heavy, prior to the Bichir moving into the tank, I was hoping they would get too big for the Bichir to eat... they have about doubled in size... came about 1 inch size... if they reach a certain age or size & start munching, that will be fine too...
@Muttsnuts... do you still like them as much as when you bought them, now that yours are mature ( no regrets )???

 

[Muttsnuts]

I put some silk plants in the tank expecting that... maybe because the 9" Bichir likes to lay among them, & I had been feeding them pretty heavy, prior to the Bichir moving into the tank, I was hoping they would get too big for the Bichir to eat... they have about doubled in size... came about 1 inch size... if they reach a certain age or size & start munching, that will be fine too...
@Muttsnuts... do you still like them as much as when you bought them, now that yours are mature ( no regrets )???

Yep had them for years and still like them, great looking fish

 

[Magnum Man]

thought I was going to have a battle last night... new tank mates... my silver dollars are now in with my Bichir, after I took down it's tank outside in the Tilapia set up... I've been feeding, as part of the Silver Dollar diet, some algae wafers... watching them carry around the disk ( about 3/4 of an inch ) eating it like a cookie, & trying to get their bite, before another steals it... the Bichir saw all the commotion, & swam over there... you could tell he knew it was food, watching the silver dollars fighting over it... but it just didn't smell like what he thought was food, so he kept going back over there nosing the wafer... but after several times, decided he didn't want to eat it... I put some whole dried black fly larvae in the tank... I know the bichir has been eating those after dark... but surprisingly I've even seen the biggest silver dollar swimming around, with one of those hanging out of his mouth... but the algae wafers are their favorite...

 

[FranciscoB]

I have a group of 4 tiger dollars, still growing. Currently young adults at about 3.5 inches in length. At the beginning (2 years ago) they will munch some on my plants, but not too bad, and their tank was fully planted with 3 species of plants (Cryptocoryne, Hydrophila, and Microsorum) + floating duckweed. Their minor munching was less than the plants ability to take it and grow, such that constant trimming was needed. (2 photos from previous tank; in the second photo, they are eating nori (seaweed) right in front to the plants).

They are currently in a different planted tank, which is still developing, and which has 7 different plant species, and which are doing very well.
I also have another silver dollar planted tank, containing adults of 3 different species of SDs, and 8 plant species. No issues. (photo)

In my experience, the key to achieve planted silver dollar tanks is in choosing the correct plants to use, and choosing the best items and methods to feed the dollars and their tankmates. I have been able to create planted community tanks with silver dollars in now 5 different opportunities, each spanning years in duration, suggesting that it is not just beginner's luck, or temporary success. It is possible if planned and carefully carried out.