Silver Dollar Questions, lots of pics.

A

ado124

AC Members
Jan 5, 2006
14
0
0
Alexandria,VA
I have a few silver dollars and had a few questions about them
1) i've started to notice that two of my Silver dollars are exhibiting mating behavior, swimming alongside each other and shaking what their momma gave them. Should i just seperate these two from the rest of the fish or should i move all my silver dollars? What should be in the quarantine tank to help encourage breeding?

2) I always thought that i had 3 males and 3 females. when i saw the mating behavior i thought it was between two females! but then i remembered that they could be different types of silver dollars and so i wanted to know if anyone could identify my fish! Did i get two different types even though i bought them on the same day from the same petsmart?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

Andrew

Here are the pictures to help! Sorry i'm not a photographer.
DSC02447.jpg

DSC02444.jpg

DSC02443.jpg

DSC02440.jpg

DSC02437.jpg
 
To me it looks like you have two different types. One looks like red hooks and the other looks like the more common type you find in stores. How big is your tank because if you didn't know yet red hooks get to about 12 inches.
 
You're right, they're not the same species. They're not even the same genus.

The ones with the long red anal fins are called Redhooks, Myleus rubripinnis, and they grow over 12+ inches. Redhooks, from what I've read, have never been bred in captivity. Dunno if that is correct or not. They are not silver dollars, but are often sold as thus.

The others look like Metynnis hypsauchen, one of the more common types of silver dollars.

They are of two different genus -- which sometimes means something and sometimes does not :rolleyes: -- but in this case I think it does and I doubt they will interbreed with each other.

Roan
 
ooo thats what i thought! I didn't think petsmart would do that. I guess i have to stick the hooks in my other tank. i kinda didn't want to cuz its planted!!!

I guess the commons are trying to mate. any suggestions on how i should set up the tank for them to mate?

They're currently in a 75g but if i have to i'll move them to my 120g
 
Dang, man! What Petsmart did you get them at? I've been looking all over for Redhooks and you're just in Alexandria. I'm in Herndon. Sheesh!

I wouldn't move them out of the 75g unless you want to lose your plants. They will eat, IME, anything but anubias and onions. Those are pretty well the only plants left of the "herbivore" plants I had in my tank :D

As for the others, I honestly have no idea. I'd do a search on Yahoo! or Google for silver dollar breeding. I've got enough on my hands breeding rainbowfish and Goo obo gudgeons :)

Roan
 
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