# Silver dollars



## gogreenpower (Aug 15, 2011)

I'm thinking of getting 4-5 silver dollars for my 6' heavily planted tank. I know their vegetarians but how much will they eat my plants if I feed them with regular food? 

A) will it be a barren post apocalyptic wasteland, or

B) they will just nibble at the finer type plants occasionally?


Thanks in advance


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

My guess is apocalyptic wasteland sooner or later.


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

Silver dollars and related species are notorious plant eaters. If your going to keep them, this is one tank you decorate with plastic plants.


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## devlyyn (Dec 7, 2007)

Silver dollars will pretty much ravage everything in my experience. I love them as fish, but I have had no luck with keeping them with any type of plants.


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## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

Yep, they ill completely destroy your plants over time.


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## BMueller777 (Feb 5, 2008)

+1 for destruction lol... had half a dozen in my 45 at one point, got them when they were like a quarter in size and once they got a little bigger they just kept messing things up lol...


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## gogreenpower (Aug 15, 2011)

I guess not then, thanks guys


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## gogreenpower (Aug 15, 2011)

Ok, I still haven't given up. Does any know if they have a favourite plant or plants they will eat first? 

I was thinking I could keep them busy by stocking alot of their favourite and maybe they'd leave the others alone? 

Or am I being overly optimistic and they will just devour everything in sight?


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

Definitely being over optimistic. That is ok though. A driftwood or rock only scape with silver dollars and or other striking large fish can look fantastic. There's a guy in here who did a very elaborate build of a driftwood only tank for discus and torpedo barbs. It looks about as good as any tank I've seen.


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

I put a very thick anubias nana into a tank with 5 baby silver dollars a few months ago. The next day when I came into work they had completely eaten the leaves down. They are vicious towards plants. Be ready for destruction!


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

gogreenpower said:


> Ok, I still haven't given up. Does any know if they have a favourite plant or plants they will eat first?
> 
> I was thinking I could keep them busy by stocking alot of their favourite and maybe they'd leave the others alone?
> 
> Or am I being overly optimistic and they will just devour everything in sight?


We're not joking.... they'll eat whatever you put in there. It'd prob be cheaper to buy a new tank....


Would you consider keeping a pack of wolves with a flock of sheep? That is essentially the question you are asking, just less bloody.


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## gogreenpower (Aug 15, 2011)

Ok. No silver dollars. Clown loaches it is then.

Thanks for the advice


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## billm90 (Jun 19, 2008)

I keep my 3 silver dollars that are around 7" now in a 180 tank with fake plants.
They only left 1 live plant alone, and I dont know what it is. It had large single leaf per stem.
Started a new tank for plants.


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## PaulG (Oct 10, 2010)

Clown loaches will disturb your substrate.


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## nkambae (Feb 26, 2007)

*somewhat...*



PaulG said:


> Clown loaches will disturb your substrate.


Clown loaches do 'disturb' the substrate but only slightly as they nose around looking for food in much the same way corydoras catfish do. Clown loaches (Chromobotia macracanthus) do get quite large and are a long lived fish. As they become larger it is possible they could uproot some plants as they root for food. They can also be a bit rambunctious and might do some damage to more lightly rooted stems as they gambol about the tank. Clowns also do best in groups so realize that six or so foot long, deep bodied fish can stir up a tank if they get to chasing each other around. Though I have not observed that type of behavior very often with Clown loaches. Good luck.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=10897&AT=clown+loach

stu


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I had a few who'd dig a tank up like crazy- but they were also hunting MTS snails down in the substrate. So it's something to keep in mind if you have any burrowing snails.


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