Cosmo (silver Dollar) Needs Friend

Hi

I inherited a tank from work that contained four fish - a six inch silver dollar, a large blood parrot cichlid, and a pleco. I've since added some guppies, cardinal tetras, and rainbow fish.

The silver dollar is super skittish, but would play with the cichlid. A few months ago the cichlid died, and Cosmo hasn't been himself. I bought two more silver dollars, and he's happier, but I'd like to get him another friend.

Do you have any recommendations on fish could be the new Wanda? I'm leaning toward another blood parrot or a Gourami

Thanks!!

 

Not limited to pink fish lol

 

Dimensions and tank size?

Silver dollars are schoolers so require a school of at least 6 rather than a cichlid or the like.

 

I would reccomend more silver dollars, a especially if the tank is big enough to house more.

 

55 gal that has about 50 inches of fish. 4 ft long

 

55 gal that has about 50 inches of fish. 4 ft long

Wooh, that is one overstocked tank. I wouldn’t suggest adding anything until the issues are fixed as it’ll just make things worse.

 

It needs more Silver Dollars. Other fish are irrelevant.

I would rehome the plec and add another 4-5 dollars...

 

It needs more Silver Dollars. Other fish are irrelevant.

I would rehome the plec and add another 4-5 dollars...

Well, I disagree here. The silver dollar needs at least a 125g tank, but a 200 gallon tank would be much better. So adding more silver dollars is just going to put more stress on more fish and cause more fish to be stunted and have reduced life spans. The silver dollar should be given an adequate school and environment, but in a tank like this it really shouldn’t be done as it’ll just make things much worse for everyone.

The other fish are relevant as well, they determine how much room is left in the tank and how it should be stocked. The pleco is likely a common which would make it to where this tank shouldn’t have anything added if the pleco was the only thing in the tank. So I wouldn’t say they are irrelevant since they have to share the same tank with the other fish...

 

Yeah the pleco is common, about a foot long. I thought the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule would put the tank at fully stocked?

Sounds like re homing the silver dollars may be the best move.

 

Yeah the pleco is common, about a foot long. I thought the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule would put the tank at fully stocked?

Sounds like re homing the silver dollars may be the best move.

The inch per gallon rule is honestly one of the worst methods you can use to stock a tank, but unfortunately that’s what most petstores and the like reccomend to use.

It doesn’t take into consideration the necessities like swimming room, school or groups needed, parameters, or anything else you have to consider when stocking.

If you are unable to acquire the larger tank the silver needs, then yes, rehoming would be a good option. I’ll give you a heads up on the common pleco as well, they get around 1’ and require a 125g.

 

The inch per gallon rule is honestly one of the worst methods you can use to stock a tank, but unfortunately that’s what most petstores and the like reccomend to use.

It doesn’t take into consideration the necessities like swimming room, school or groups needed, parameters, or anything else you have to consider when stocking.

If you are unable to acquire the larger tank the silver needs, then yes, rehoming would be a good option. I’ll give you a heads up on the common pleco as well, they get around 1’ and require a 125g.

Thanks. The tank (and fish) were about 5 years old when I acquired it 6 months ago

 

Thanks. The tank (and fish) were about 5 years old when I acquired it 6 months ago

Ah I see, yeah, a lot of the tanks you get secondhand seem to be improperly stocked. At least all the ones I’ve looked at have been this way unfortunately.

 

The pleco can reach over 2 ft long and live many many years as well. I would honestly rehome the plec and silver dollar to start with if possible. Get may be getting along now but he would really be much happier in a group

 

Well, I disagree here. The silver dollar needs at least a 125g tank, but a 200 gallon tank would be much better. So adding more silver dollars is just going to put more stress on more fish and cause more fish to be stunted and have reduced life spans. The silver dollar should be given an adequate school and environment, but in a tank like this it really shouldn’t be done as it’ll just make things much worse for everyone.

The other fish are relevant as well, they determine how much room is left in the tank and how it should be stocked. The pleco is likely a common which would make it to where this tank shouldn’t have anything added if the pleco was the only thing in the tank. So I wouldn’t say they are irrelevant since they have to share the same tank with the other fish...

When I said irrelevant I only meant that other species are not going to provide the group that the dollar needs (Meatwad mentioned getting a blood parrot or a gourami as company for it). Other fish won’t fulfill that need.

I agree a 55 gallon isn’t ideal but it won’t stress half a dozen dollars as much as leaving this one on its own. Rehoming it would be best, as long as it went to a group, preferably in a bigger tank, but I got the impression Meatwad was going to keep it.

Meatwad the inch per gallon rule only works for small, 1-2” fish. A 12” plec is equivalent to approximately 500 x 1.5” plecs. The tank is overcrowded with the plec alone...

 

When I said irrelevant I only meant that other species are not going to provide the group that the dollar needs (Meatwad mentioned getting a blood parrot or a gourami as company for it). Other fish won’t fulfill that need.

I agree a 55 gallon isn’t ideal but it won’t stress half a dozen dollars as much as leaving this one on its own. Rehoming it would be best, as long as it went to a group, preferably in a bigger tank, but I got the impression Meatwad was going to keep it.

Meatwad the inch per gallon rule only works for small, 1-2” fish. A 12” plec is equivalent to approximately 500 x 1.5” plecs. The tank is overcrowded with the plec alone...

Misunderstood what you meant by irrelevant then. Yes, that is accurate that a schooling species requires it one species and not another.

Well... I also disagree with that statement, a dozen 6” fish in a 55 gallon is likely to be very, very stressed and have significant health issues including stunting. It also seems unethical to subject fish to an inhumane environment just because there’s already one fish in that environment.

I’ll leave at that, but I just didn’t want to unintentionally have people encouraged to continue adding fish to an improperly stocked tank.

 

Well... I also disagree with that statement, a dozen 6” fish in a 55 gallon is likely to be very, very stressed and have significant health issues including stunting. It also seems unethical to subject fish to an inhumane environment just because there’s already one fish in that environment.

I’ll leave at that, but I just didn’t want to unintentionally have people encouraged to continue adding fish to an improperly stocked tank.

We wouldn’t be talking about a dozen, just 6. The dollar will shoal with smaller dollars until an upgrade was available. If that was an option soon it would actually be a good way to go. Just 6 dollars (5 smallish) in a 55 gallon temporarily. Remove the plec and the little fish...

 

Meatwad the inch per gallon rule only works for small, 1-2” fish. A 12” plec is equivalent to approximately 500 x 1.5” plecs. The tank is overcrowded with the plec alone...

Is a 1' pleco really too big for a 55 gal, even by itself?

 

Is a 1' pleco really too big for a 55 gal, even by itself?

Yes, as previously stated by another member it gets closer to 2’. I forgot they typically get 18” or more and though it was 12”.

They need room to swim and their bioload is way to high for a 55 gallon long term. A 55 gallon simply can not provide enough space for such a large species.

 

Is a 1' pleco really too big for a 55 gal, even by itself?

What Platylover says.

It’s only 4x the length of the fish, and not even 2x wide. Pretty much a goldfish bowl for a foot long fish. Plus they’re powerful active fish, so they need room to swim and not just sit, like most of them end up doing.