Ainjil Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Hi, I have two new silver dollars that I have introduced to my tank. They are both about 7cm and I think they're great (she says like a proud mum). They are beautiful fish and while shy, at least they are not harassing my little tetras like my Angels did. These silver dollars do seem to be a little bit slow though... I can't seem to get them to feed when I add flakes to the tank - they don't really feed from the bottom so the most they are getting is the odd flake that just happens to fall past their faces! Any feeding ideas (or general care as I am new to this species) would be appreciated! Thanks. Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Here is one of my new dollars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Silver dollars are generally not shy. Give them time to settle in. If you have any live plants in the tank then say goodbye to them now. SDs will eat them. They love lettuce leaves too. I hope you realise how big they get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Yes, I was warned not to add live plants which I had been looking into so I have steered clear of that. How big do they get? I have a 190L tank - hope this is okay I have no other really big fish, only clown loaches, tetras, guppies and a baby fighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 They should get to about double that size. 15cm or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 I would not put 2 silver dollars in anything smaller than a 4ft tank. Of course they can start in a smaller tank but will outgrow it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplez Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 How do they get along with other tank mates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazza Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Hi Staplez. I have 4 of them and their eating habbits apart from eating plants and lettuce they are a top feeder. I use floating pallets that they eat from the surface of the water. They are so peacefull that they get alone and schole with other big fish, mine are with Tinfoils and Silver sharks and all swim together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Wazza, my silver dollars won't eat from the top of the tank and I can't understand why! I have tried floating lettuce, spirulina flakes etc and they just don't get it! We have named our two silver dollars Paris and Nicole because I swear they seem to have left their brains behind - love em dearly though. Staplez, they have so far been great with our other small fish - we have clown loaches, tetras, a fighter and some guppies and they pretty much leave them alone which is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staplez Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Oh ok to me they look like they are armed with a set of teeth for biting the back end of anything smaller then them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazza Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Ainjil perhapes they are too new and have not fully settled in, or are just not hungy, they do seam to be small eaters and I feed mine 3 times a day with a little at a time. Try attaching a cloths peg to a bunch of lettuce so it floats half way down the tank. The lettuce leaf should be fresh with no dressing and see if they nibble at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazza Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Sorry just read your 1st post again, I can't seem to get them to feed when I add flakes to the tank - they don't really feed from the bottom so the most they are getting is the odd flake that just happens to fall past their faces! Try a little crumble as well. They are herbivore and only have small mouths and perfer to eat small quantites several times a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Thanks for the advice Wazza, will definitely try the pegged lettuce! Cheers. Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Wazza now has my three Silver Dollars, they were the biggest gutses in the tank! They absolutely loved Cichlid pellets especially if they floated down the tank so they could grab them although they did get food from the top also. They used to bounce the round pellets like basketballs in their mouths, funny to watch. I would have to feed them with larger food like the pellets down one end of the tank while I was feeding the rest of the fish at the other end to make sure they all had something to eat! I picked up a clip on a sucker pad at my LFS the other day - it holds the lettuce leaves - put the lettuce into the freezer for about half an hour first, that softens the membranes and makes it easier for them to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainjil Posted January 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Thanks Dawn, I tried the lettuce again last night sinking it to the bottom but they actually avoided it as if they were scared of it! I don't think they know that they are silver dollars and vegetarians! So far no luck but I will keep trying all your suggestions! Cheers, Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammos Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 I have 8 of them all about 15cm each. They only seem to like pleco tablets and a veggie mix i get from the local shop. I have also found they are very shy eaters and find that I try to fead them as quick as possible then if I sit down a couple of metres away to watch they will wait til everything is on the bottom then push everyone out of the way to get at them. So try this reverse idea as I think they must be one of the dumbist fish I own (even though I love them dearly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 Aingil How's it going with your silver dollars? Hopefully you've got them eating, otherwise they'd be more than a bit sad by now. try dropping broken-off bits of algae pellets in for them, my two find the ones I put in for my catfish. The SD's nibble around the edge like a spiral until it's all gone. They love them! I've had my SD's for about a month and haven't had a problem with them eating plants - I think if you feed them enough they don't need to eat the plants. Also there are certain types of plant they wont eat, not sure what they are tho. I have read they are 'voracious eaters' but mine don't seem to be that hungry (I feed my fish once every day or two). Mine are about 5-6cm incl. tail. Silver Dollars grow to the size of a dinner plate. Woohoo - I can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 Most plant-eating fish don't like the taste of Java Fern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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