

Browser out-of-date!

Remove Advertising

Animals >>

Silver Dollar

 Add to Phobia Filter  Contribute  Print  Listen
Silver Dollar
Silver Dollar
The silver dollar is a medium-sized species of freshwater fish, natively found in the slow-moving rivers of South America. The silver dollar is a very distinctive and easily-recognised species of tropical fish due to it's rounded disk-like body which is a glimmering silver in colour.

The silver dollar is one of the most popular fish today for tropical fish enthusiasts and is therefore found in artificial aquariums all around the world. The silver dollar originated from the Tapajas River basin, a 12,000 miles long river that runs through Brazil feeding into the great Amazon River.

The silver dollar is known to be a relatively peaceful species of tropical fish, but they are also known to have an aggressively dominant nature particularly towards smaller fish. These rounded fish are thought to be closely related to the infamous piranha, also found in the rivers of South America, and also not as ferocious, the silver dollar definitely shares some of the piranha's bullying instinct.

Silver dollar are generally quite sociable find, spending their lives amongst the weeds in the well-vegetated parts of the river where there is a good supply of food and protection from passing predators. Silver dollar gather together in groups known as shoals. which are able to work together to catch larger prey or to try and intimate hungry predators.

Although omnivorous animals, the silver dollar has a mainly vegetarian diet primarily eating grasses and other aquatic plants in the surrounding water. In the wild, silver dollar also supplement their diet with small invertebrates including insects, worms and spiders.

Despite their naturally aggressive nature, the small size of the silver dollar coupled with it's glimmering scales means that these fish are preyed upon by numerous species within their natural environment. Birds, large fish and reptiles are the most common predators of the silver dollar in South America.

The silver dollar is a peaceful schooling species that spends most of its time in the mid- to upper-level of the water and has a maximum lifespan that can be more than 10 years. The female adult silver dollar will spawn around 2,000 eggs. They tend to breed most commonly in soft, warm water in low light.

Silver dollar are one of the most popular tropical fish to be kept in the globally found fish tanks, however, it is advisable not to keep silver dollar with smaller fish. They are said to live quite happily though in tanks that contain larger fish species such as oscars and catfish.

Post Comment

Your Name:

Article Rating:

Your Comment:

Article Tools

Print Article
View printer friendly version of Silver Dollar article.
Listen to Article
Listen to audio version of Silver Dollar article. Hot key: CTRL key + Shift key + Z key

Silver Dollar Facts

Five groups that classify all living things...
A group of animals within the animal kingdom...
A group of animals within a pylum...
A group of animals within a class...
A group of animals within an order...
A group of animals within a family...
Common Name:
Most widely used name for the species...
Silver Dollar
Scientific Name:
Comprised of the genus followed by the species...
Metynnis Argenteus
The area where the animal first came from...
South America
What kind of foods the animal eats...
Size (L):
5cm - 14cm (2in - 5.5in)
Water Type:
Either freshwater, brakish or salt...
Optimum pH Level:
The perfect acidity conditions for the animal...
5 - 7
Life Span:
How long the animal lives for...
2 - 10 years
Conservation Status:
The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct...
Least Concern
The colour of the animal's coat or markings...
Silver, Grey
Skin Type:
The protective layer of the animal...
Favourite Food:Bloodworm
The specific area where the animal lives...
Tropical well-vegetated rivers
Average Litter Size:
The average number of babies born at once...
Main Prey:
The food that the animal gains energy from...
Bloodworm, Insects, Plants
Other animals that hunt and eat the animal...
Large fish, Birds, Reptiles
Distinctive Features:
Characteristics unique to the animal...
Disk-like body and short fins

Related Animals

Generally found in fast-flowing streams!