If a tank is too small, dithers won't survive, they have no where to go.
In the Cenotes, I have observed JDs to chase about 4 ft in any direction, but always seem to break off a chase at that 4 ft point. And in the Cenotes, JDs miss 9 out of 10 times, in the restricted space of a tank, they seldom miss.
I have also noticed they suffer when combined with other cichlids, in nature, and in many cases in tanks, so I kept them in species only cichlid tanks.
I kept JDs and the late 1950s (in too small tanks), and again in the 80s, they worked out best in the 80s or later when I used 6 ft tanks.
In 6 ft tanks with a male and a group of 4 or more females, and using surface loving dithers like mollies or gambusia, floating plants, and caves, in those were not shy., or retiring
Males are very territorial though and kept to their restricted area.
In the video below, where the Cenote is much smaller than others, and contains other species of cichlids. Note how torn up the JDs are compared to my other videos, and few in number, and how they tend to stay in a more restricted are. Depth is only around 10 ft where they hang out, also note the shear numbers, and percentage of live bearers there are compared to cichlids.
027 zps4b102ffd
In the Cenotes, I have observed JDs to chase about 4 ft in any direction, but always seem to break off a chase at that 4 ft point. And in the Cenotes, JDs miss 9 out of 10 times, in the restricted space of a tank, they seldom miss.
I have also noticed they suffer when combined with other cichlids, in nature, and in many cases in tanks, so I kept them in species only cichlid tanks.
I kept JDs and the late 1950s (in too small tanks), and again in the 80s, they worked out best in the 80s or later when I used 6 ft tanks.
In 6 ft tanks with a male and a group of 4 or more females, and using surface loving dithers like mollies or gambusia, floating plants, and caves, in those were not shy., or retiring
Males are very territorial though and kept to their restricted area.
In the video below, where the Cenote is much smaller than others, and contains other species of cichlids. Note how torn up the JDs are compared to my other videos, and few in number, and how they tend to stay in a more restricted are. Depth is only around 10 ft where they hang out, also note the shear numbers, and percentage of live bearers there are compared to cichlids.
027 zps4b102ffd
