Can anyone help diagnose my silver dollar problem?

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wills916

Registered Member
Feb 20, 2005
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Hi, I've had my 29gal tank setup for close to 2 years, and I've had my silver dollar almost as long. Its gotten large, about 7". I also have a tiger barb (the last survivor :), a large Dinosaur Eel, and a blue Guarami. They've all been in the tank together for well over a year with no problems. However I recently added a couple of "neon puffers" (about 1"), which I knew could possibly be a problem but I love puffers so I wanted to try, and sure enough when I put em' in the tank they were very aggressive fin-nippers for the first couple weeks. However they seem to have calmed down alot in the last 2 weeks (had them almost a month now) and I no longer see them nipping at the others.

However in the last few days my silver dollar is looking bad. I havn't seem him eat in a few days, and its been just sitting at the bottom of the tank most of the time. It also seems to have rubbed up hard against one of the rocks in the tank a few days ago as its got about a 1/2" x 1/4" raw spot on one of its sides. I admit I'm pretty lazy on the water changes and stuff, but my tank has a pretty low population, has BIO wheel type filtration, and they have all seemed very hearty (except for the occasional dead tiger barb missing a large chunk (the dinosaur eel I'm sure). Whenever I've noticed a fish going downhill in the past, its ended up dead fairly soon after. So is there anything I can do to save my SD?? Its a great fish and I dont want to see him floating on the surface.
 
If i didn't know any better, i'd say your tank is overstocked.

Silver dollars are schooling fish and do best in groups as do Tiger Barbs (what do you mean by "last survivor"). Also, the tankmates are not compatible if you didn't know by now.

Weekly water changes are always to be done, at least 25-40% of the water is to be changed, or else deadly ammonia and nitrItes will build up.

Just because your filter has a Bio-Wheel, does mean you skimp on the water changes. i always do at least a 30% weekly water change and in fact im about to go do mine.

Your silver dollar seems to be stressed by the many changes. adding puffers, which are NOT good community fish, just adds to the problem. if you "love" your fish, i suggest you start returning the problem ones and keeping the others in company and in a healthy and LARGE habitat.
 
Well I've only got the 6-7" silver dollar, about a 6-7" dino eel, a 2 1/2" tiger barb, a 4" gourami, and now 2 1" neon puffers. They all got along great until I put the puffers in, but now even they seem to be mixing OK. So I dont think I'm overstocked. I'm pretty sure its related to the gash / sore on the SD's side. I just did about a 35% water change and changed the filter. Any other suggestions? I've been keeping a close eye on the tank and the puffers havn't been harassing the other fish for at least several days now...
 
I'm not trying to be rude, but why come to a help forum and then refute help? I'm sorry, once again, I'm not trying to be rude. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood tonight, but try listening to what people have to say.

You are indeed overstocked and have a lot of compatability issues that need to be taken care of. What are your water params?
 
wills916 said:
Well I've only got the 6-7" silver dollar, about a 6-7" dino eel, a 2 1/2" tiger barb, a 4" gourami, and now 2 1" neon puffers.
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Only?
So I dont think I'm overstocked.
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I hate to be the disagreeable sort, but I'm afraid I must beg to differ. Rather emphatically, actually.
Any other suggestions?
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You mean other than to point out that the biomass in that tank is probably on the order of 3 to 5 times what a tank of that size can reasonably be expected to support?
Well, it is rather hard to say, beyond the obvious, of course.
Do you test your water? And what, pray tell, are the water parameters in this little cube of ichthyological paradise?
Lack of proper information aside, it is possible that this fish is beginning to succumb to the stresses of too many changes in environment, along with the fact that it is a schooling fish kept alone, exacerbated by the history of poor water conditions, re: your stated lack of water changing.
 
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I'm not an aquarium expert, but I'm not stupid either. If my fish have been doing just fine with very infrequent water changes and little maintenance whatsoever, how can I be overstocked? They'd be dead in 2 weeks if I was really overstocked. The only compatability issues I have are the puffers. I knew they could be a problem, but like I stated before, they have been mixing fine the last couple weeks. No more fin nipping whatsoever that I've seen.

As for the other fish, the only incomatability problem I've had was that my blind assed dino eel has mistaken my tiger barbs for its tubifex worm chunks. Meaning that over a year period, several of them have been spotted floating on the water surface with a large chunk missing. The gurami, SD, and eel will all hang out in the same corner sometimes and never mess with each other. So, besides the puffers, whats the incompatability problem?

I thought I might be able to get some help on my actual problem, the silver dollar with a gash in its side thats hangin around the bottom of the tank since it got the gash. But people here seem to be more rude with the know-it-all attitude than helpful. I've got a 30gal tank with 6 fish, totalling a tad over 20". and they've all got plenty of room and good filtration, even plenty of green algae all over since I only clean the front of the tank. so I dont get why you two are saying its overstocked.
 
You have posted a description of a tank that has been chronically neglected, by your own admission, and asked "What's wrong with my fish?" The only information you provided was that the fish in question is injured. How the fish sustained the injury is, of course, irrelevant. The injury should be treated, as the fish could also be suffering from an infection. A salt dip could prove beneficial.

You have been asked by two members to inform us as to the water parameters in your tank. You may feel this is irrelevant. We don't. This information may seem useless to you. We disagree. It can be key in determining what is actually going on with this fish. The parameters may mean nothing to you, but they speak volumes to us, which is why we are each in our respective positions in this question and answer interchange.

I'm very sorry, but the crystal ball is in the shop. I cannot get a clear picture of what is going on in that tank without input from you, nor can anyone else here.

You want useful and accurate information, and you will find that here. You have, in fact, received accurate information thus far, but it isn't what you wanted to hear. I'm sorry for that. The fact that you do not like, or do not understand the basis for that information does not make it any less accurate.

Please post the current levels of Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and the pH of your tank so that the membership here can attempt to give you the advice that may help you save your fish.
 
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Just cause a book somewhere says 1" of fish per gallon of tank, doesn't mean so true - that tank has about 26" of fish in it and it's only 29gal. My personal rule is 50% of that old adage if you have bigger than 2-3" fish in the tank. And for small - mollies, tetras, etc you may push 20" of fish in a 29gal. Maybe the tank is too lit for the SD - lower indirect lighting and maybe more plants.
 
wills916 said:
Well I've only got the 6-7" silver dollar, about a 6-7" dino eel, a 2 1/2" tiger barb, a 4" gourami, and now 2 1" neon puffers. They all got along great until I put the puffers in, but now even they seem to be mixing OK. So I dont think I'm overstocked. I'm pretty sure its related to the gash / sore on the SD's side. I just did about a 35% water change and changed the filter. Any other suggestions? I've been keeping a close eye on the tank and the puffers havn't been harassing the other fish for at least several days now...
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Oh well if you ONLY have those...... that has to be one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read, you are severely overstocked. If you 'love' your fish, from the looks of things you don't, then you would do the right thing, swallow your pride and ask for help ( and accept that help ) and fix your tank.

wills916 said:
I'm not an aquarium expert, but I'm not stupid either. If my fish have been doing just fine with very infrequent water changes and little maintenance whatsoever, how can I be overstocked? They'd be dead in 2 weeks if I was really overstocked.
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this is how you are over stocked......
recommended tank size for ONE silver dollar - 20 gallon or larger. Recommended tank size for ONE dino eel Minimum Tank Size: 50 Gallons breeder. Recommended tank size for ONE groumi Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallon ........Do I need to go on? I will if this still doesn't get through your thick skull.

Interesting though how you don't have compatibility issues and your "beloved" silver dollar is being timid and is wounded....it's a love bite right?

I can diagnose the silver dollar problem.... it's YOU!
 
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