Fahaka Dither Options

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jstevenz

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 25, 2010
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chicago il
I searched for this and couldnt get the right answer so looking for some insight.

Currently in my 180 I have a 6" Fahaka, 2x raphael cats, and feeder guppies. The feeder guppies have been in the tank since inception. I used them to test the new tank to make sure it was fully cycled and ready for its inhabitants.

The fahaka doesnt touch the guppies or the cats for different reasons. The cats are purely nocturnal and unless the lights were out on the tank, you wouldnt even know they were in there. The guppies are too small and quick for him so he doesnt pay them any attention.

Now here is where things get tricky and im looking for some help. I would like some dithers that would be okay with the fahaka but would also take out the guppies. The guppies are of course breeding and luckily enough for me, the males are eating the babies quick enough where it hasn't become an issue where the tank is overrun with them. I've thought about tiger barbs but I know they can be fin nippers at time and don't want them messing with the fahaka as he comes first and foremost in this tank. Essentially my ideal dither would be a colorful, active schooling fish that doesn't fin nip and also stays small enough where the fahaka wouldn't pay them attention just like he does witht he guppies.
 
You might try Rosy Barbs. I keep a group of them in my Asian tank.
Very colorful, actively shoal and quite durable.
Rosys aren't fin nippers. I keep a group of them with a Betta. They also graze on algae.
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Congo Tetras are slightly larger than the average Tetra & swim quite fast. Like the Fahaka, they also come from Africa and grow some lovely fins. If your Fahaka cannot catch the Guppies, I doubt he could do any damage to their finnage.
 
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My thought is that the guppies are too small to be on its radar as a meal, same way a bear (usually) wouldn’t waste its time with a mouse.
Something larger may become an attractive lunch.
The dithers mentioned are an option, but may wind up being good.
I’ll throw Buenos Aires tetras into the mix - they get a good size and are really fast, not super colorful though.
 
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I searched for this and couldnt get the right answer so looking for some insight.

Currently in my 180 I have a 6" Fahaka, 2x raphael cats, and feeder guppies. The feeder guppies have been in the tank since inception. I used them to test the new tank to make sure it was fully cycled and ready for its inhabitants.

The fahaka doesnt touch the guppies or the cats for different reasons. The cats are purely nocturnal and unless the lights were out on the tank, you wouldnt even know they were in there. The guppies are too small and quick for him so he doesnt pay them any attention.

Now here is where things get tricky and im looking for some help. I would like some dithers that would be okay with the fahaka but would also take out the guppies. The guppies are of course breeding and luckily enough for me, the males are eating the babies quick enough where it hasn't become an issue where the tank is overrun with them. I've thought about tiger barbs but I know they can be fin nippers at time and don't want them messing with the fahaka as he comes first and foremost in this tank. Essentially my ideal dither would be a colorful, active schooling fish that doesn't fin nip and also stays small enough where the fahaka wouldn't pay them attention just like he does witht he guppies.
I had a large fahaka for while and it would kill just about anything I put in with it. I had a bunch of hybrid mbuna from my rift tank that I threw in with the fahaka that were intended as food and he left them alone for the most part which surprised me. He did kill a couple on occasion though. Basically I guess I’m saying anything you put in has a high likelihood of being killed or eaten
 
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