Freshwater

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Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Once again, the piranha is dangerous and often illegal to buy, sell, or own
in many states. It is a large predator! If you temporarily lose your mind and
think about buying this fish, seek professional help immediately. They have
been known to bite fingers and hands that have been submerged into an
aquarium, especially if they have not been fed enough, and this could be
tragic, especially if you have young children in the home. Piranha should be
left in the hands of experienced aquarists only!
Silver dollar (Mylossoma pluriventre)
This neat fish resembles a silver dollar in form and color. The silver dollar is
herbivorous and may destroy aquarium plants if you have them. These fish
are generally peaceful, but a few bad apples can become quite aggressive
when larger. For best results, keep silver dollars in a school of five to eight in
a species tank.
These fish require lots of swimming space, with a water temperature between
78–82 degrees F, and should be kept in tanks larger than 55 gallons because
they can grow up to 6 inches in length. Silver dollars are vegetarians by
nature and should be fed floating flake food.
Good tankmates for the silver dollar include angelfish, mollies, giant danios,
and larger catfish such as the pleco who won’t easily be bullied.
Three-lined pencilfish (Nannostomus trifasciatus)
This South American species is probably the world’s coolest fish. It looks like
a swimming number-two pencil due to the dark band that runs from the nose
to the base of the caudal fin. You may not find it in stock at pet stores, but
you can usually order it.
The three-lined pencilfish is omnivorous, peaceful, and requires thick vegetation.
Add floating plants and dark gravel to diffuse the light so it will feel
secure. The temperature should be between 72–81 degrees F with a pH that
falls between 6.5–6.9 for best results.
The males become darker as they age than do females and will often battle
with other males, although not to usually to the point of injury or death.
Loaches
Loaches are an interesting group of species from Asia and India. Loaches
resemble streamlined catfish and, like catfish, are bottom dwellers that use
barbels to search for food. These fish can also extract oxygen from the air by
gulping it. Most species are nocturnal, so unless you up late at night, you may
not see them too often. Loaches are carnivorous, swim in the lower levels of
the tank, and are often shy by nature.