Characins - Part 8 of 9
Silver Dollars and Pacus
Silver Dollars and Pacus
Often mistaken for it's carnivorous cousin the Piranha, Silver Dollars and Pacus are actually among the most peaceful of fish. Preferring to nibble on plants than flesh, they are large but timid and harmless to virtually any tankmate.
The Pacu is occasionally seen in pet shops, but is too large to be kept the home aquarium for very long. Mature Pacu's can attain a length of well over a yard, making them suitable only for large public aquaria. They are indigenous to the South American Guapore River region, where they subsist on a completely vegetarian diet of fruits and plant material.
A member of the Serrasalmide family that is more reasonably sized than the Pacu is the Silver Dollar. Like the Pacu it is a peaceful vegetarian, however it will accept a variety of flake and even live foods in the home aquarium. They tend to be rather timid and will spook at loud noises or sudden movements.
Because they prefer to live in schools, it's wise to purchase 3-5 if you have the room. Although smaller than the Pacu, it is not unusual for Silver Dollars to reach six inches in length. A healthy well cared for Silver Dollar will live for a decade.
Characin features coming up ...
Piranhas
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Silver Dollar/Pacu Links |
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Silver Dollar (P) Silver Dollar (P) Silver Dollar (P) Metynnis Hypsauchen (P) Pacu (P) Silver Dollar |
* Art and photos are the property of Shirlie Sharpe. If you use them please write for permission.
Characins - Part 2
Characins - Part 3
Characins - Part 4
Characins - Part 5
Characins - Part 6
Characins - Part 7
