Brachychalcinus orbicularis is also known in the hobby under the name “Silver Dollar Tetra”, which might lead, however, to confusion with tetras of the genus Metynnis, which are also called “Silver Dollars”. Ephippicharax orbicularis is a well known synonym for our fish, which is quite popular in the hobby despite the fact that it displays not much coloration. The reason for its popularity is probably the unusual shape of the body which forms almost a disc when the fish are fully grown. This and their schooling behaviour is a nice contrast to all the colorful fish in a community tank.
Silver Dollars are omnivorous and might feed on waterplants if they are not fed regularly with plant material by the keeper. Breeding is not complicated. They spawn free and take no care of their brood in any way. Males develop minute hooks on the rays of the anal fin, which can be observed by using a magnification glass. When the fish are catched by using a very fine meshed net, these hooks attach for a short time to the net and this enables also to recognice the males.
The fish are completely undemanding regarding the water chemistry. Temperature should be between 20 and 28°C. The higher temperatures are used for breeding.
The natural distribution of this species are the costal drainages of Suriname and Guyana. We offer bred ones.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
| Angaben zum Tier | |
|---|---|
| Herkunft | Nachzucht / bred |
| Verfügbare Größe in cm | 4-5 |
