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- Thread starter Buphy
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Although in many cases, dither fish become punching bags in smallish tanks, their addition is often to make cichlids comfortable, because they are not perceived by the cichlids as a territorial threat.
In nature JDs are surrounded by dozens of live bearers, which they watch as an early warning system to access the threat of danger. If the live bearers are aimlessly swimming about, it means no threat in the area, and the JDs will come out of their caves.
If the live bearers are nervous, the JDs stay hidden.
I use swordtails with many cichlids, because they are fast, some get large, are geographically correct with my Central Americans, and the fry they drop make excellent snacks.
For Madagascan tanks, I use either Madagascan killifish, or Malagasy rainbow fish as dithers until the cichlids see them as food. The killis are often aggressive enough to handle even larger cichlids.
diretly below, a Madagascan killi
and in a not so geographically correct tank, African gularis killifish, with Mexican Astatheros robertsoni growing out.
I also like the wild type swords, because their muted colors don't distract from the cichlids, which I consider the main focus.
In nature JDs are surrounded by dozens of live bearers, which they watch as an early warning system to access the threat of danger. If the live bearers are aimlessly swimming about, it means no threat in the area, and the JDs will come out of their caves.
If the live bearers are nervous, the JDs stay hidden.
I use swordtails with many cichlids, because they are fast, some get large, are geographically correct with my Central Americans, and the fry they drop make excellent snacks.
For Madagascan tanks, I use either Madagascan killifish, or Malagasy rainbow fish as dithers until the cichlids see them as food. The killis are often aggressive enough to handle even larger cichlids.
diretly below, a Madagascan killi
and in a not so geographically correct tank, African gularis killifish, with Mexican Astatheros robertsoni growing out.
I also like the wild type swords, because their muted colors don't distract from the cichlids, which I consider the main focus.
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I have had zero success mixing cichlids (even small ones)n a 4' tank, so I my take is that each one of those fish needs its own space. I have seen others do it, and I am jealous. Hope it works out, and would love to see pics of the Bleekeri.
I have some ruby barbs with my convict in a 48x18 tank. And he leaves them alone for the most part. However, sometime if the barbs get too into his little territory he will chase them away. But if had 4 territorial cichlids in there where would they run to? They just be chased into other territories.
What duanes says is true, it can bring out shy fish, but it's different in a cichlid community.
What duanes says is true, it can bring out shy fish, but it's different in a cichlid community.
Though Paratilapia species do well when young, in small tanks (4ftL), they can reach a fairly large size, and do not play well with other similar shaped or colored(iridescent spotted) cichlids once they've reached adulthood.
I moved mine from a 6ft tank, to a 500 gal pool with a few other Madagascan Paretroplus once they approached @1ft in length
I moved mine from a 6ft tank, to a 500 gal pool with a few other Madagascan Paretroplus once they approached @1ft in length
