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Silver dollar, photographed on a transparent background

FreshwaterComing soon180 coinsUncommon

Silver dollar

Metynnis argenteus

A body flat as a coin; when spooked the whole shoal bolts at once.

The Silver dollar (Metynnis argenteus) is a tropical freshwater fish of the family Serrasalmidae. Adults grow to about 15 cm. In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 180 cm long and water at 23–28 °C.

Size
15 cm
Smallest tank
180 cm
Temperature
23–28 °C
Care
Moderate

In the aquarium

Temperature23–28 °C
pH5.5–7.5
Hardness2–12 °dGH
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Herbivore
Activity
Moderate
Water layer
Mid water
Group
Happiest in a group of 5 or more
Plants
Eats plants
Drawn to scale in a 180 cm tank

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

  • Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litresToo small
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres32 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres60 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres72 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Freshwater
Climate zone
Tropical
Aquarium trade
Traded commercially

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderCharaciformes
  2. FamilySerrasalmidae
  3. GenusMetynnis
  4. SpeciesMetynnis argenteus
  5. Described byAhl, 1923

In other languages

Russian
Метиннис серебристый

Quick answers

Silver dollar size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 15 cm. The smallest of the 4 Metynnis species on LumaReef (Plain Metynnis is the largest, 18 cm).
Silver dollar tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 180 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Living room tank or larger.
Silver dollar water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 23–28 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, hardness 2–12 °dGH. Close to what most Metynnis on LumaReef need (23–28 °C).
Silver dollar tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 80 of the 99 freshwater species in the catalogue, such as Freshwater angelfish, Bristlenose pleco, and Swordtail.
Silver dollar: alone or in a group?
Keep at least 5 together.
Silver dollar and plants: is it plant safe?
No, it may eat or uproot plants.

All Serrasalmidae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Silver dollar: compiled from these references.