What to feed silver dollar?

[kevfiz]

Hi will silver dollars eat new life spectrum flakes? I added two to my tank and have noticed they are nibbling on my plants and need a way to stop that happening

 

[utahfish]

One can try providing vegetables like peas spinach lettuce but silver dollars require some sort of plant based food and in my experience even when provided with these foods will still eat plants.
Id suggest getting hardy plants like java ferns which have tougher leaves or not keeping silver dollars with live plants.

 

[Munroco]

Yeah, they love plants. I doubt there is any way to stop them other than what Utahfish said,

 

[kevfiz]

Can you recommend a plant based food? How can i be sure the other fish wont gobble it up before they get any?

 

[utahfish]

Can you recommend a plant based food? How can i be sure the other fish wont gobble it up before they get any?

Any green flakes, omega one makes a good green flake but as you said the other fish will eat it to, silver dollars are pretty voracious eaters so i wouldnt worry too much about them not getting the food but like i said i doubt it keeps them from eating your plants. Fish are opportunity feeders and when the opportunity is presented for them to eat they will and having live plants in the tank are an opportunity to eat. Its like giving a dog hamburgers to keep him from eating the steak lying in his food dish. No matter how many burgers you feed that dog when the opportunity presents it self thats dogs gonna eat the steak.

 

[Metalhead88]

They will eat everything and are even known to eat fish poo.
If they are eating your plants, chances are they will not stop.

 

[kevfiz]

Since I posted this thread they have not been back near the plants. But that's not to say they won't go on a plant frenzy

 

[Metalhead88]

Fingers crossed! But sometimes it's just not meant to be.
I've only had luck with plants in community tanks. I've found that bigger fish uproot plants in days or chow down like it's salad.

 

[Colin_T]

Silver Dollars are vegetarian and need plant matter in their diet. If you have another tank, you can grow plants in that and transfer them to the silver dollar tank. Alternatively, set up a couple of plastic storage containers outside and grow duckweed and other plants in them to feed the silver dollars.