All fish / Serrasalmidae

Silver Dollar

Metynnis argenteus

Also known as silver dollar, common silver dollar, silver dollar fish, metynnis, silver dollar tetra, ปลาเงินดอลลาร์, ikan silver dollar, シルバーダラー, 银板鱼, 银币鱼

The silver dollar is a round, very flat-sided fish with a bright silver body and, in mature males, a reddish edge to the anal fin. It is a hardy, peaceful shoaling fish that brings plenty of movement to large community tanks, and it is a relative of the piranhas and pacus.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

14 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

5.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 5 or more

Diet

Herbivore: vegetable-based flakes and pellets, spirulina, blanched lettuce, peas and courgette, with occasional live or frozen foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

South America: Tapajós and lower Amazon basin, Brazil

Breeding

It scatters eggs among fine-leaved plants, often near the surface, and the parents give no care. Breeding has been done in large, soft, slightly acidic tanks, but it is not often attempted at home.

Good to know

It grows to the size of a hand and needs a long tank with open swimming room. Because it eats soft plants, choose tough or artificial ones. It can be nervous when kept alone or in small groups, and several similar Metynnis and Myloplus species are sold under the same name.