TankBud

Sailfin red hook

Myleus setiger

Also known as Sailfin red hook silver dollar, Bristled myleus

FreshwaterFish

Sailfin red hook (Myleus setiger)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
11 in
28 cm
Minimum tank
159 gal
600 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Serrasalmidae
Origin
Guiana Shield and lower Amazon rivers

Overview

The sailfin red hook is a large serrasalmid that needs a school and a very large tank. It is a fish for keepers with pond-class volume and a little experience.

Did you know

The sailfin red hook's species name, setiger, means bristle-bearer. Spawning males grow stiff little bristles that most keepers never see.

Caring for the sailfin red hook

Keep sailfin red hooks in a school of six or more, in at least 159 gal (600 L). Give them strong current, open swimming length and heavy filtration.

Keep the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) with a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. The sailfin red hook is a herbivore. Feed vegetable-based pellets, spirulina and blanched vegetables, and accept that plants are food.

It is mostly peaceful with other fish, but a small group is nervous and prone to crashing into the glass. Mature males develop a deeply lobed, hooked anal fin, which is what the red hook name refers to. That fin is the clearest way to sex the fish.

Good to know

The sailfin red hook, Myleus setiger, belongs to the family Serrasalmidae. Like other pacu relatives, it has grinding teeth for seeds and plant material rather than the shearing teeth of piranhas. It also goes by bristled myleus.

In the wild

The sailfin red hook lives in the rivers of the Guiana Shield and the lower Amazon. The water there is warm, flowing and soft to neutral.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The sailfin red hook is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a sailfin red hook need?

A sailfin red hook needs at least 159 gal (600 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a sailfin red hook need?

A sailfin red hook is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does a sailfin red hook eat?

A sailfin red hook is a herbivore. It eats vegetable-based pellets, spirulina and blanched vegetables, and it treats plants as food.

How big does a sailfin red hook get?

An adult sailfin red hook reaches about 11 in (28 cm).

Does a sailfin red hook need a group?

Yes. A sailfin red hook is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male sailfin red hook from a female?

Mature males develop a deeply lobed, hooked anal fin, the clearest way to tell the sexes apart.

Related species