Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Metynnis lippincottianus
No federal permit to keepMetynnis lippincottianus
Metynnis lippincottianus
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Serrasalmidae (Piranhas and pacus)
Metynnis lippincottianus, commonly known as the spotted silver dollar, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 36 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.5 in / 16.4 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–81°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 5.5–7.5.
- Hardness: 0–22 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 59 × 15 in (roughly 57 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 73–81 °F, pH 6–7, 0–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament predatory; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Difficult (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Inhabits densely planted river tributaries in the wild.”
- Diet: “Provide a large amount of vegetable matter in the diet, including; courgette, cucumber, peas, spring greens and other green vegetables.”
- Tankmates: “Best kept in groups of at least five fish.”
- Breeding: “No report of breeding in the hobby, although assumed to be similar to m.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Piranhas, pacus and silver dollars
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American rivers. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Large tanks with strong filtration; pacus grow to over 2 ft and outgrow almost every home aquarium.
Diet
- Silver dollars: plant-based foods. Piranhas: fish, shrimp and pellets.
Health watch
- Piranhas are banned in many states. Never release pacus.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This fish is found in the Brazilian Amazon and multiple rivers of French Guiana. An average M. lippincottianus can grow to a length of 13 cm.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Metynnis lippincottianus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–81 °F (23–27 °C), pH 5.5–7.5, hardness 22 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–81 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 62°F (down to 52°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 71–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 73–82% on average (driest month about 70%) |
| Rainfall | about 1556 mm a year |
Measured at 198 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Metynnis lippincottianus, commonly known as the spotted silver dollar, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes. This fish is found in the Brazilian Amazon and multiple rivers of French Guiana. An average M. lippincottianus can grow to a length of 13 cm. The fish is named in honor of Cope's friend, James S. Lippincott (1819–1885), who made contributions to Meteorology, Agriculture and other studies. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Assumed to be like Metynnis hypsauchen. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 15 in (about 57 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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