The six dollar question

[Aquanero]

I recently bought 6 silver dollars, 3 red hooks and 3 Metynnis maculatus. So here's the thing, they are insane, voracious non stop eating machines. I bought them because my arowana is a little skittish so I was told these would help. The maculatus aren't too bad very active but manageable. The red hooks are totally nuts they eat everything that I put I the tank. So do the maculatus but not with the same same piranha like voracity as the red hooks. They eat sprulina flakes, NLS pellets, earthworms, chunks of shrimp, krill and dispatch superworms in seconds! The knife fish has to bulldoze his way through them to get to its food, the arowana has to chase them like a lion chasing off hyenas and the shovelnose has to wait for a break in activity to rush in and grab a worm or piece of shrimp. These are cool fish and I like them but what the hell! They are still young about 2.5 to 3" so I'm figuring they need more food but do they slow down eventually? In all the research I read about them nowhere did it mention this, over the top constant feeding frenzy.

So tell me about this, I'm a silver dollar noob.

 

[Oddball]

Yeah, they'll eventually slow down as they mature. Here's a tip: frozen peas. Thaw out some frozen peas and feed them out before the rest of the food. The dollars will rip them up and get a bit full giving the other fish a better chance when the rest of the food is fed out. Veggie clips loaded with celery tops, broccoli spears, blanched or thawed frozen spinach leaves, dandelions, etc. will allow the dollars to graze between regular feedings.

 

[Oddball]

BTW, aquarium plants, ...say bye bye to them. All of those characins will rip live and plastic plants apart.

 

[Aquanero]

Thanks for the tips, I have some frozen peas and I'll get some spinach and other veggies too. I figured they might eventually slow down but I didn't expect this. They're nuts, I mean they are big tetras so I guess a tetra is a tetra, just didn't see it coming.

 

[isde02]

Lol if you think red hooks are bad good thing you didn't get wide bar silver dollars they're like pacus. Ime once they fill out and slow down growth wise, there appetite slows down also.

 

[UnstoppableJayD]

Thanks for the tips, I have some frozen peas and I'll get some spinach and other veggies too. I figured they might eventually slow down but I didn't expect this. They're nuts, I mean they are big tetras so I guess a tetra is a tetra, just didn't see it coming.

Yea man eating machines... That's why I sold my wide bars... Tiger dollars are much calmer with the eating ... Oddballs suggestion is good with veggies.. I did the same thing with algae wafers

 

[KNH]

My larger red hooks are about 7" and act the same way, honestly that's what I love about them

 

[Aquanero]

So I got some spinich and mustard greens. Nothing doing..... LOL. They destroy every food item I put in the tank for the other fish and ignored this. I'll give it some time its strange and they don't yet recognized it as food, once the first one gets brave and tastes it the others will join in that's their MO, l just had to laugh at the irony.

 

[framcosco]

Some species of SD'd tend to be more aggressive than others when eating, but regardless of species, they will eat lots & lots WHEN THEY ARE STRESS FREE. I have a 20 plus group at the moment @ about 6"s and they eat more than they did when small...... their eating habits/hunger grow as they get larger...... BUT if there are tank-mates more aggressive than they are, they tend to eat less as they are always looking out for the more aggressive/dangerous tank-mates.

In my case, the SD's are the "alpha" fish in their tank so they eat like no tomorrow. I simply feed them first until they get full & are no longer interested in food..... then feed the rest.

Get some sp. Greens & Tiger silver dollars to the fray!!

 

[CANAMONSTER]

Kinda in the same boat Tom. I bought three Common Tin barbs, holy **** they are bottomless pits! I too added them for ditthers amongst my bass and they are insane more then the Cichla as I now call them my three crack heads! Luckily my Cichla are very accurate and fill up fast.
I was thinking SD too but seems like they in the same boat lol