Would a school of silver dollars make good dithers for an oscar who wants to attack a smaller EBJD? I don't really want tinfoil barbs.

In general, yes.
You can expect the aggression to be divided under the school of SD's.
I had a green sunfish, that became aggressive, but started to take on the whole school of 6 SD's, so there's no guarantee...
My o's are chasing the SD quite a lot, and seem to enjoy it.

Good. That works perfect because I wanted silver dollars anyway and that will work to keep my big oscar from bullying everyone. I love the way their mouths are shaped, it makes them look so mean when they are realy harmless lol. I guess they remind me of piranhas.

Tony123639 wrote:

Yes, and that is because they are closely ralated.
SD's are even known to kill and eat any schoolmates if they are sick.
Just like Piranha's!
btw mine love feederfish and steal them from the Gar.
They are supposed to be plant eaters but mine eat everything except plants....

Cool. Will they take feeder fish straight from the water or do the fish have to be dead first?

Tony123639 wrote:

I know you don't want Barbs, so I am sure you will like SD's as your dithers. I thought I would chime in though I have "yellow fin" tinfoil barbs. I have fed my O's minnows a couple of times, and my barbs love them too i found out. they are like piranhas too in a way. You would be suprised how fast these guys move in a pack.

Go for the SD's if you can. I didn't have any to purchase quickly where I live, so I went with these barbs and I have enjoyed them so far.

Tony123639 wrote:

it's the dead fish they steal from the gar or that the gar misses. I never seen them chase a live fish for food and i am in doubt if they'd really hunt.
I think they're just extremely opportunistic fish.

Namaste my friend, SDs are great!
i was having trouble in my 30g with an overly aggressive convict and i cant tell you how my school of SDs have calmed her right down
regardless i love watching them and love them more for having "tamed" my fish best of luck

we got SD's yesterday, a school of 5. theyre really good fish. since they have been in my new tank is very happy, chasing them now and then.

very cool ozzie-owner. i bet your new SDs will do great in there. post a vid of the new little fellas when you get a chance.

does anyone know what the growth rate of silver dollars is like?
ive had 3 spotted silver dollars for about a month now, when i got them they were about the size of a 5p coin, 1 was slightly bigger. the slightly bigger one is now 3" and the other 2 are about the same size as i got them. there is a massive diffrence in the growth rates. i think the bigger one is growing faster than the oscar.

females will grow faster and become bigger than the males .
My females got to 5" within a year, the males to 4"in a year.
They indeed grow very fast.