Can silver dollars live with pencilfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Silver dollars and pencilfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Silver dollars grow to 6 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pencilfish.

Silver dollar75–82°F · pH 5–7

Pencilfish75–82°F · pH 5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outSilver dollars grow to 6 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pencilfish.

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.
pH 5–7 suits both.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Silver dollar	Pencilfish
Temperature	75–82 °F	75–82 °F
pH	5–7	5–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	2.0 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Groups of 5+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for silver dollars

All silver dollar tank mates

Better tank mates for pencilfish

All pencilfish tank mates

Questions

Can silver dollars live with pencilfish?

Yes, with care. Silver dollars and pencilfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Silver dollars grow to 6 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pencilfish.

What temperature suits both silver dollars and pencilfish?

75–82 °F. Silver dollars need 75–82 °F, pencilfish need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do silver dollars and pencilfish need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the silver dollar. Add space for each extra fish.