Favorite dither fish?

[esoxlucius]

Without actually adding any of my own "dither" choices to this thread, there are simply too many, I would like to add one very important point.

Although there are real benefits of having "dither fish" in your tank to help calm and instill confidence in shyer fish, I just can't help but hate that term, "dither fish".

It's as if these fish are secondary, and are there for a different purpose other than to enjoy them in their own right. They might get eaten by larger fish but so what, they're only "dithers".

It's high time dithers got some god damn respect in this awful world we live in. Power to the dithers, lol.

 

[Midwater]

Although there are real benefits of having "dither fish" in your tank to help calm and instill confidence in shyer fish, I just can't help but hate that term, "dither fish".

+1 for one down on the term dither. I am not even sure that I like the concept of dithering fish.

 

[duanes]

I like to use whatever is geographically correct.
As long as they are large enough to not get eaten, and are evolved to live in similar water parameters.
I also prefer a dither that doesn't distract from the main focus of the tank
For smaller northern Central American cichlids, Xiphorus mayae swordtails, or velifora mollies work well.

For cichlids that hale from cooler waters, high altitude Mexican live bearers like Xenotoca worked well.

For larger Central Americans there are fast Tetras of all sizes.

Above and below Tetras of the genus Roeboides, they reach about 4" found all over Central America.

Above Astyanax (?) found Mexico thru Panama, below Brycon, as you can see, they easily top off large enough for larger cichlids.

In nature where ever I look, the ratio of dither type fish, be they live bearers, tetras, or mullet are usually about 50 dithers for every 1 or 2 cichlids.

Above an Agnostomus species ( mountain mullet,) found from N Carolina into S America, and gets quite large.

Left above is a normal collecting bucket in Panama, right a Cenote in Mexico's Riviera Maya (near Cancun) where Rocio (JDs) come from.
Below a video from the Rio Utive in Panama.
Rio Utive 4 underwater Duane Stuermer Duane Stuermer • • 248 views 2 weeks ago

 

[Chet E.]

Dithers. I would not say a score of goldfish are dithers no matter the comfort they bring to a piranha, but dinner. And while my conscience does not lend well to such a feast, a question remains, “What dither to choose for… for instance, Eugnathichthys macroterolepis?”, a mini-monster I like not just for its name. A dither is really more of a companion. A scale eating, fin eating menace really does need the right sort of companions.
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A tetra, the alpha male of a group of Ctenobrycon spilurus purchased in 2015, became compromised in his perception of the world around him. Senility, poor eyesight, some nervous disorder… I don’t know, but his buddies turned on him forcing his removal from the community. I placed him with a group of catfish which heretofore were nocturnal, reclusive and shy. The simple addition of this one tetra completely changed the nature of these Brachyrhamdia imitator. Now they’re calm, outgoing, and more diurnal. They swim and feed naturally, as fish should and together with the tetra are prospering.
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My favorite dither is then this one old tetra.

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

I found that African knife fish are great at getting cichlids more comfortable. Prior to add the knives my JD would hide and only come out for food but after adding them he was out in the open more and seemed to become part of the “pack”. They also seemed to diffuse some aggression when I added them into my Oscar tank. Not once were they picked on or targeted.

 

[Dolemedes]

Great question!
Buenos Aires tetras are mine - they get a considerable size and are fearless, unlike something like silver dollars or balas. Mine would steal food from my dempsey when it was smaller and even looked like they had damage from lip locking him (though that could equally have been from hitting a wall too hard). That said, they aren’t mean like my Aussie rainbows. As a bonus, they look like mini piranhas.

I wanted to also suggest Buenos Aires tetras - I got mine when I started my cichlid tank and they might not be the flashiest fish to look at, but they’ve been an awesome part of the community! I call them the Piranha-be gang as they go crazy at feeding time. I increased my original group to 13 recently when I upgraded to a bigger tank and it’s mesmerizing to watch them schooling.

They are hardy, fearless, and active but don’t fin-nip the cichlids (at least mine don’t) and are big enough and fast enough not to get eaten unless the other fish are really big or exceptionally predatory.

 

[asian arowana]

My favorite is the vampire tetra.