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
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Origin: Guiana Shield and lower Amazon rivers
Family: Serrasalmidae

Overview

A large serrasalmid that needs a school and a very large tank, so this is a fish for keepers with pond-class volume. Keep six or more in 600 liters or more with strong current and open swimming length. It is a herbivore: feed vegetable-based pellets, spirulina and blanched vegetables, and accept that plants are food. Peaceful with fish, but a small group is nervous and prone to crashing into the glass.

In the wild

Myleus setiger lives in the rivers of the Guiana Shield and lower Amazon, in warm, flowing, soft to neutral water. Keep it at 23 to 28 degrees Celsius and pH 5.5 to 7.2, with real current and heavy filtration.

Good to know

Myleus setiger reaches about 28 centimeters. Mature males develop a deeply lobed, hooked anal fin, which is what the red hook name refers to and is the clearest way to sex the fish. Like other pacu relatives it has grinding dentition for seeds and plant material rather than the shearing teeth of piranhas.

Did you know

Setiger means bristle-bearer: spawning males grow stiff little bristles most keepers never see.

Tank mates

Sailfin red hook is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.