HAVE A 6' LONG 125G WITH SCHOOL OF BLACK SKIRT TETRAS AND 8" CHOCOLATE CICHLID. ADDED JUVIE OSCAR RECENTLY. CAN BLACK SKIRT TETRAS BE GOOD DITHER FISH FOR OSCAR?
DITHER FISH FOR OSCAR TANK/WILL BLACK SKIRT TETRAS WORK?
- Thread starter jumpin joe fish
- Start date
jumpin joe fish;5107004; said:
If by Black Skirt, you mean Black Widow, yes! They're fast enough to escape being a meal, and they have no fear.
Just make sure you rehome them after they've done their job, because they don't get large enough to escape being a meal forever. Get at *least* 8, if not 12-14 of them... The largest you can find. I had them to bring a Severum out, with a Dempsey, Convict, Firemouth, etc.They live a life of leisure in a friends community tank now...
Note: when shopping for them, they're usually in several tanks.. Stick your finger in the tank - if they all run *toward* you, get them. If they retreat, don't get them. That's how I chose mine.
group of silver dollars may be a better idea... they get big enough to avoid being eaten by oscars. I want to say maybe giant danios... certainly fast enough, though, even though they get a nice size, their body shape may not be tough for a large oscar to swallow. A bit of an unorthodox choice could be something like some larger boesemani rainbows. Those things actually hold their own really well, have very nice color, and have a bit of a deeper body-style compared to the giant danios.
Just a few suggestions.... good luck.
-Rich
Just a few suggestions.... good luck.
-Rich
JanC;5107110; said:
4 months is far too long to leave them in there.. They're usually ready to come out of your tank in about a month (maybe less) - depends on how long it takes your shy fish to move freely about.. They're dither fish - not target fish, and not feeder fish. Using them as such is irresponsible.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with big fish eating small fish... so long as you are not using diseased feeder goldfish, and of course, you don't mind your smaller fish turning into food. My monsters keep the population in check of heavy breeding fish all the time.
-Rich
-Rich
