Favorite dithers

[convict360]

Tiger barbs, love how playful they are.

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[aldiaz33]

I am interested in what everyone's favorite dithers are - I am looking for dithers for three different tanks. My personal favorite are some smaller barbs (checker, cherry, odessa), harlequin rasboras, glowlight tetras, and white clouds, but all these are too small, I think, for my needs.

#1 Non aggressive feeding dither (i.e. no danios or rainbows) that gets at least 2-3 inches (big enough to avoid being eaten by 12-15in ropefish)
#2 Dither/target fish big and tough enough to avoid being picked on by acaras, firemouth, sajica, or eaten by them or pictus catfish. Also prefer this dither to be one that swims more toward the top, because the tank is 32" tall.
#3 Dither/target fish that is big enough to avoid being eaten by Oscars, small P-bass species, arowana, Parachromis, Petenia Splendida. (I don't know if there are really any option other than bigger SD species or tinfoil barbs?)

And last question - Have you ever had a dither that you considered to have a real personality? Most seem pretty mindless to me (compared to cichlids, some oddballs, catfish, loaches, etc.), but I am curious if anyone has owned a dither that has more personality.

#1) Already mentioned, but I like Denison Barbs.
#2) They aren't very common, but Rasbora Tornieri- "Yellowtail Rasbora" are a cool fish that swim in the upper level of the tank and are always on the move. They aren't very colorful, but they have a cool torpedo shape and in my experience, they are tough. I have a school of 12 that I bought at ~2" about 3 years ago and they are now 6" to 7". IME, Filament barbs are the most gregarious Barbs and typically inhabit the upper half of tank. False Arulius Barbs and Mascara Barbs are other good options. I also really like Apollo Sharks. A school of those would look nice.
#3) A school or XL Clown Loaches look good with any type of fish, but that'll cost ya. +