Spotted Silver Dollar (Metynnis maculatus)

This Silver Dollar is most noted for having black spots on the body with one distinct orange spot behind the gill plate. Some specimens can also develop orange around the belly. It is schooling fish found in the Amazon Basin in South America. A relatively peaceful fish, they do best in groups of 5 or more and make an excellent “dither” fish for large cichlids or other predatory fish species. They also add activity to the upper levels larger aquariums with their constant, rapid swimming and close schooling behavior.