Tag Archives: silver dollar

Metynnis lippincottianus

31. July 2020

Silver Dollars, which are the piranha relatives that eat mainly vegetable food, usually grow quite large, most species grow to over 20 cm, some to 40-60 cm long. The smallest known species is Metynnis lippincottianus, of which we can offer sexually mature specimens. They are currently 8-12 cm long, more than 15 cm total length is not to be expected for this species.

Males and females of sexually mature animals can be easily distinguished by the shape and colouring of the anal fin. Metynnis species are free spawners without brood care.

M. lippincottianus differs from the similar, larger species M. maculatus by its more elongated body, M. maculatus is therefore more highbacked. M. lippincottianus is widespread in South America and occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and French Guyana.

For our customers: the animals have code 267906 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Metynnis maculatus

19. November 2018

There are two rather similar species of the silver dollar genus Metynnis with a pattern of black spots. They differ mainly by the (externally not visible) number of the gill rakes and the number of scales along the long side of the body, but also somewhat in relation to the body shape. We currently call the somewhat more oval animals from Brazil M. lippincottianus (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/metynnis_cf_lippincottianus_en/) and the more disc-shaped ones from the Orinoco entry M. maculatus; but it could also turn out in a scientific investigation that it is exactly the other way around.

Recently we received this very attractive M. maculatus from Colombia again. According to literature, the species becomes 18-20 cm long. Even if the herbivorous silver dollars are often characterized as “peaceful” against the “bloodthirsty” Piranhas: they are tetras and they can also quarrel. In the case of Metynnis, the animals often tatter the tail fin in the course of the ranking-fights. However, this is harmless and heals quickly again.

For our customers: the animals have code 268002 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Myleus cf. torquatus

20. June 2018

Shipments containing juveniles of silver dollars or pacus are always surprise packages. The juvenile coloration of many species is simply unknown and juveniles look totally different than the adults. So we can only guess that in our current case the fish from Venezuela may belong to the species Myleus torquatus.

The smallest babies, about 1.5-2 cm long, are very dark colored and have a light blaze on the forehead. They float through the water without much move and imitate a dead leaf. This can make the keeper pretty nervous, but is the normal behaviour. When the fish are a bit larger, 3-4 cm, they become lighter in basic colour and the blaze vanishes. A diffuse light band over the nape appears and an individually differing pattern of spots and stripes appears. The behaviour differs now, too: the fish become active swimmers and form schools with conspecifics.

If our new arrivals really belong to M. torquatus the adult fish will become about 20-25 cm long with a silvery basic colour, yellow fins and – this is species-specific for M. torquatus – a broad black band that borders the caudal fin. We will keep some specimens to see what will become of them. We are really curious for that!

For our customers: the fish have code 270630 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer