What's your favorite dither fish?

[geeks_15]

Just looking for ideas to keep with my apistos, but I think dithers to keep with other dwarf cichlids would be interesting as well. I'll throw out a couple of my favorites:

cardinal tetra
ember tetra

 

[jose_vogel]

I prefer fishes from Nannostomus genus.

I´ve N. eques, N. marginatus and N. mortenthaleri but prefer N. eques because they´re very surface oriented.

Usually, I use Pyrrhulina rachoviana (because it´s easy to find here).

 

[Erik82]

N. beckfordi and N. marginatus

Both surface orientated never seen them eating any fry.

 

[Mike Wise]

+3
Nannostomus species don't need schools like many small tetras, so 1 or 2 is good in a breeding tank.

 

[hapaluku]

Thats not mutch Mike wise.
Good to now...thanks

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Pencils, probably N. eques or N. marginatus for choice. If people live in remoter areas and struggle to find Pencil fish, the Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) is a good "easy to find" option, they are surface orientated and they colour up really well when they are kept in clean, soft water. They are a shoaling fish, so ideally you need at least 5. They also have the advantage of being fairly hardy. I kept them with A. cacatuoides and that was a very good combination.

If you don't mind having a dither from a different continent, the Threadfin Rainbow (Iriatherina werneri) is a good dither, you can keep them as a pair(s) or trio(s), or you can keep all males or you can just have them as a mixed shoal. Even the adult fish really like very small food items, I've noticed when I feed mixed Grindal and Microworms, the Threadfins ignore the Grindal worms and eat the Microworms.

Another "wrong continent" option is the Rocket Killi (Pseudepiplatys annulatus), they are fairly sensitive fish and like a planted tank and soft, acid water.

Other easier options are a couple of live bearers - Endlers or Poecilia caucana, you'll need to keep the population under control.

cheers Darrel

 

[fischman]

I'm hoping to get some N. marginatus for my tank soon! Very interesting fish.

 

[indyplanted]

I like the looks of my chopari danios. fast, pretty, hardy.

 

[strohl71]

Mix of cardinal tetras and red phantom tetras...

 

[Mike Wise]

Mix of cardinal tetras and red phantom tetras...

... but a school of cardinal is very efficient at eating apist fry. I never tried red phantoms.

 

[geeks_15]

... but a school of cardinal is very efficient at eating apist fry.

I counter this problem by using a large tank with lots of cover and a small school of cardinals. My cacatuoides have raised many fry in my 75gallon planted tank with a small school of 10-12 cardinals.

That is my display tank. In my smaller breeding tanks I don't have long term dithers, though I may get some for my shy apistos. Croaking gourami fry are my dithers for now, but I think they'll get too big and aggressive.

 

[strohl71]

... but a school of cardinal is very efficient at eating apist fry. I never tried red phantoms.

The red phantoms are even more greedy than the cardinals, if that is possible....

 

[fredmir1]

I haven`t try them yet as dither fishes,but what about Glo fishes???
The one that grow in the dark
I`m breeding them,that why I mention them

George

 

[Mike Wise]

I doubt that the danios ("Glo fish") will harm the fry, but I always found they bother the female by their hyper-active swimming.

 

[ste12000]

Im another fan of the pencilfish group..I have a interest in breeding these little fellas as well as using them as very good dither fish. Ive got a nice collection now and am spawning several species.
Ive never had a pencilfish eat a Apisto fry or even look at them when they are freeswimming, they are completely placid and non confrontational.

 

[RustedKnight]

I was thinking of using Scarlet Badis as dithers.. Or is that a bad idea? lol.

 

[tjudy]

I have not tried them yet, but I suspect some of the soft-water blue-eye rainbows would be good dithers. Pseudomugil gertrudeae is available commercially bred on fish farms now, and I have seen the price as low as $3 each for them.

 

[Mike Wise]

I was thinking of using Scarlet Badis as dithers.. Or is that a bad idea? lol.

I suspect that Badis species are too close in body form, habits, and habitat requirements to apisto to be good dithers. The apistos would look at them more as competitors.

 

[ed seeley]

I have not tried them yet, but I suspect some of the soft-water blue-eye rainbows would be good dithers. Pseudomugil gertrudeae is available commercially bred on fish farms now, and I have seen the price as low as $3 each for them.

I had a large group (28) of these in a metre long tank that looked superb. They didn't form a tight shoal but loose aggregations. I had Biotoecus in there that certainly seemed ok with them as dithers. They never bred, but as the blue eyes didn't eat too many of the baby shrimp in the tank I think fry would be fine.

 

[geeks_15]

I suspect that Badis species are too close in body form, habits, and habitat requirements to apisto to be good dithers. The apistos would look at them more as competitors.

I have a scarlet badis in my 20 gallon grow out tank with apisto baenschi fry. The apisto fry and the badis are about the same size now and they do treat each other like competition. They actually treat each other like the apisto fry treat each other with some displaying and mild aggression toward each other.