All fish / Serrasalmidae

Silver dollar

Metynnis hypsauchen

Also known as schreitmuller's metynnis, schreitmuller's silver dollar, plain metynnis, silver dollar, hard-bellied silver dollar, metynnis schreitmuelleri, striped silver dollar, ปลาเงินดอลลาร์, シルバーダラー, ikan silver dollar, 银板鱼, 银板

This is a deep, almost round, silvery fish with a small dark spot behind the gill, and mature males show a reddish front edge to the anal fin. It is a hardy, active schooling fish that makes a striking display in large planted-free or artificial-plant tanks alongside other medium-sized peaceful species.

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

300 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 5 or more

Diet

Herbivore: vegetable-based flakes and pellets, blanched spinach, lettuce, peas and some live or frozen foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon, Orinoco and Paraguay basins and Guianas, South America

Breeding

Egg scatterers that spawn among plants in soft, slightly acidic water. The parents usually ignore the eggs, and the fry hatch in a few days. Captive spawning is achievable in a large, mature tank but is not often tried at home.

Good to know

It will strip most live plants, so use tough or artificial plants. It is skittish when kept alone and grows larger than many buyers expect. It is often confused with Metynnis argenteus and other Metynnis species.