No luck with Dithers

[davdev]

I only have a 75 gallon tank, so Tin Foil Barbs and Silver Dollars are really too big to keep in schools, so I have been trying to find other fish to act as dithers to my JD's and Salvini's.

I first tried adding a pair of firemouths, but that didn't accomplish anything

I then tried adding Tiger Barbs, but 4 of them were dead the first night, the 5th lasted a few more days only to be tormmented by the firemouths.

Then, 1 firemouth killed the second, and then that firemouth simply disappeared a few days later.

I got a school of 5 silver molly's who could be the stupidest fish on the planet. They kept swimming right up to the JD's face. Needless to say, they were all dead by the next morning (though none actually eaten).

I have tried several Rainbow sharks, but they wind up dead in a few days as well.

All the deaths occur at night, so I am not sure who is doing it. My permanent stock right now are 2 3" Jd's and 2 4" Salvini, and a 5" Featherfin cat. I believe the Jd's and Sals are all males, so there shouldn't be any breading aggression, though the Sals are very territoral and rule the tank.


Anyway, any suggestions as to what may work for dithers. The cichlids are much more active when there are other fish in the tank, but they just don't last. I don't mind restocking the dithers, but they are not even lasting a day at this point. When there are no dithers in the tank, they all just stay in their caves and barely move, so I want to add some life to the tank

 

[supergourami]

try rosie red minnows there fast swimmers and cheap to buy

 

[Aqualoon]

Could always try Giant Danios. If it's happening at night my guess would be on the Salvini...Sals can be mean little suckers.

 

[davdev]

Could always try Giant Danios. If it's happening at night my guess would be on the Salvini...Sals can be mean little suckers.

That's what I think as well. I have seen the JD's try to get at them, but they seem too awkward at times, the Salvini's are much more agile. I may actually get rid of the Sals, they haven't really colored up at all, and are a drab greyish yellow. Not pretty enough to justify their insanity.

 

[davdev]

try rosie red minnows there fast swimmers and cheap to buy

Oh yeah, I started with about 20 of them as well. They were all in the tank together for about 2 months, and then over the course of 2 nights, the Rosies were all gone.

 

[Aqualoon]

Not pretty enough to justify their insanity.

What color is your substrate?

 

[Kcameron]

I have giant danios with my con sev and fm. Every now and then, i think my pictus will catch a little one. they like colder fast moving water though

 

[davdev]

What color is your substrate?

It's a tanish white. Pool filter sand. The back of the tank is painted black.


I know they may color up better with a darker substrate, but the PFS is just a lot easier (I didn't even rinse it and it never clouded), and cheaper than any of the black sand I could find.

 

[Aqualoon]

It's a tanish white. Pool filter sand. The back of the tank is painted black.


I know they may color up better with a darker substrate, but the PFS is just a lot easier (I didn't even rinse it and it never clouded), and cheaper than any of the black sand I could find.

Actually I heard that they color up best against light substrate. I currently have black sand and my Sal looks so dark.

Here's my guy...is yours showing the same coloration? I was actually thinking of changing out to PFS.

 

[cacichlids]

Salvinis color up better with lighter substrate. They become murky brown over black sand.

But a poor diet/bad water quality/stress can also keep them from coloring up.