Bringing the hand net sharply up beneath the floating 'grasses' and quickly bringing it out into open water revealed many different species: small tetras, small sucker mouth catfish of the genus Hypoptopoma and the odd silver dollar.

Silver Dollars have not really interested me to this point in my fishkeeping. But in one net full I caught what was the smallest Silver Dollar that I had seen on this trip (Peru 1998). I had been throwing many back during the week, all around two inches in diameter, but this one was no bigger than a 10 pence piece and it had a small grey mark beneath the dorsal towards the head.

The photograph in Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol. 1 page 357 is a very fair representation of my fish as it is today. It is now about 6 inches total length and 5 inches deep. It has lived most of its life with a group of Corydoras arcuatus and C. loretoensis in a 24 x 12 x 15 tank.

While described as a vegetarian, my fish loves its earthworms. It's not in a rush, the worm is wriggling across the gravel and the Mylossoma sees it and begins the slow cruise from under the floating plants (a mixture of Hygrophlia and Riccia with the inevitable duckweed thrown in for good measure). Out into open water where the worm awaits. A quick look and back to the refuge of the floating plants. Then back again to pick up the worm. I have seen this behaviour time and time again.

When doing the weekly water change, I use a watering can, without a rose, to refill the tank. The force of the returning water starts the floating plant spinning and as it circles the Mylossoma goes with the flow, circling with the plant, bringing the fish out into view. It makes no effort to hide itself. It just plays dead, another piece of flotsam in the water.

My Mylossoma is a very shy fish (You can ask Ian. He did not see it at all last time he came round.) and I only see it fully when it's feeding time. It swims forward towards the food, takes a piece and turns sharply back towards the protection of its floating plant. The turn causes such a current as to lift food from the gravel (most of the food in this tank is intended for the Cory's) exciting the Mylossoma to return and grab some more.

In December I put Mylossoma into a new tank in the fish house 80 x 24 x 24. It was a fight getting the fish to come out of its small tank but once in the new tank it seemed to take a good stretch and flex it's muscles as it quickly explored the freedom of it's new domain. After a good swim round Mylossoma reverted to it's usual hiding under the floating plant (put in specially for the purpose) preferring to move around the tank when the main lights were out.

Having seen this fish grow, I have taken more notice of the Silver Dollars in the shops and when I have more room I'll be adding to my collection. And next year, if things go to plan, I'll be going back to Peru in July this year and one thing's for sure I will not be throwing so many Silver Dollars back.