What kind of target fish for festae?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I've always liked young bluegill as dithers, since I can get and replace them easily, and they r free
 
Targetfish, Midas are good dithers

I'm pretty sure you have the terminology reversed if you are saying that Midas are good dithers for festae.

Dither fish are used to help draw shy cichlids out into the open by letting them know it is safe swim about. Schooling fish make great dithers.

Target fish are used to help spread aggression as they become additional targets for the aggressor. Tilapia, sunfish, and Midas make great target fish for cichlids.
 
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If you shoot for the smaller spotted silver dollars, they won't be the big, bulky, bio-load increasing problem you're thinking of. I have 4 of the smaller ones - they're normally spotted even at a small size and look different than the solid silver ones, so you should be able to pick them out of a group.

They're either Metynnis maculatus or Metynnis lippincottianus, I forget which is which. Either way, if you Google image search either, you'll see what I mean. They stay like 4-4.5" and are very quick swimmers, so they won't get eaten unless you buy them way too small. Plus they don't get 7+" and eat you out of house and home like the others.
 
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