How can I introduce dithers without them being eaten?

[Plec123]

I've got a planted 75 with a yellow acara and a chocolate cichlid, both maybe 4.5"-5" TL. Some other juvenile cichlids and plecos too. But these guys run the tank.

I have tried to introduce different species of tetras to add more movement to the tank over the last few months. However, they all get eaten. They killed black neons, costae tetras, even some bleeding hearts that i couldve sworn would be too big to get swallowed. I added 12 buenos aires tetras earlier in the week (anticipated a few being eaten) and I'm down to 10 now.

What can I do to keep these guys from eating their tankmates? Add more plants? Feed more often? I'm really hopeful for the buenos aires tetras if they can just grow a bit in size, but right now theyre all just under 2". My girlfriend suggested feeding more, but i mean, the tank has a ton of cichlids and plecos. I feed a lot as is and they all make a mess.

Any ideas?

 

[kno4te]

How about looking at some barbs like t-barbs or filaments? Think they’ll do better.

 

[Fishnerd360]

Same thing happened to me, I got larger and faster dithers and after a day the fish ignored the dithers.

 

[duanes]

If dithers are nothing but a mouthful, they will be eaten, (and most you list above, are just that) especially if the escape space is limited, and a 75gal really doesn't have enough escape room.
Most cichlids will only break off chase after 4 ft, which is the average length of a standard 75, so any dither is basically corned with no where to go.
I use tetras that are only slightly smaller or the same size as the cichlids, but also offer more space.
The tank below is a 180, and the cichlids top off around 5".
Panamanian Tank

 

[Magnus_Bane]

Personally I would recommend giant danio's. They may not get very tall but they are very fast and flighty, generally I find them sold at roughly (3-4inL ⅔inH) so definitely not as small as the other types of dithers you've tried. Another couple possible dithers could be either black skirt tetras for how tall they get (2.5-3inL 2-2.5inH) or Congo tetras for how large they get (3-4inL 1inH) neither is as fast moving as the giant danio is but they do get a bit bigger in certain aspects.

Also a word of advise, when adding new fish to a tank I always make certain to feed twice, once before I add the new fish and once afterwards. It helps to break the tension in the tank prior to and after the introduction process allowing the new fish to explore a lil bit before the old residents proceed with their "initiation" of the new residents. Another thing that I do is turn the lights off before I've added the new guys to the tank so that it's harder for the old ones to notice them right away as I put them into the tank.

 

[Plec123]

Thanks for the input guys. I guess the small space of the tank isn't helping the tetras any. I would love to do some beefier barbs but im trying to keep this a strictly south american tank. Perhaps if these tetras don't make it I'll get some dusky hatchetfish or red tail hemiodus. Those are both usually around 3"+ when i see them in stores so maybe they'll fare better.

Gonna upgrade to either a 180 or a 240 eventually but not until I've moved out of my current apartment.

 

[SandNukka15]

Try columbian tetras

 

[Chief Tom]

Be careful. My wife is Colombian. They'll cut you, man!

 

[Rob909]

I second trying larger fish, but when I add bite sized fish into an aquarium with predators, I let them sit in a mesh breeder net for a week before putting them into the tank. Gets the other fish used to seeing them in the tank as tankmates rather than food. Also, if the new dithers are releasing any fear pheromones, they’ll get a chance to relax before being eaten, which has increased the chances for success in my experience.
It also helps if the existing tankmates haven’t been conditioned to eating live food. I don’t feed live food other than worms (black worms/nightcrawlers) and I find my fish are less predatory this way.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

Personally I would recommend giant danio's. They may not get very tall but they are very fast and flighty, generally I find them sold at roughly (3-4inL ⅔inH)

Yeah, I really like giant danios. I'd love to have a handful in my tank, but they're sold here at more like 2". Basically bite size. And wife refuses to let me have a grow out tank.

I've considered just getting a dozen and hope some survive, but not at $10 each.