# Dither Fish for mbuna tank



## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Have you guys ever used dither fish, I'm thinking specifically tiger barbs to keep your mbunas from singling certain fish out for aggression? If so, how did it work for you. Or is it a good idea to do it?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

The most effective dither fish for the purpose of dispersing aggression in mbuna, is more mbuna. Do you not think you have enough mbuna, what are the current stock numbers, and species?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Dithers don't really work for mbuna. Their aggression is based on visual paterns and color of their species and not the target fish idea. When kept in proper sized groups and in the right gender rations there aren't many issues


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

To be honest with you, I'm not entirely sure about genders. About the time i think I've got it nailed, something happens to make me think I was mistaken.

Here's my list:

4 yellow labs (I think I have 2 males that are really fighting a lot)
3 acei
3 red zebras
2 mainganos
2 crabo

I know that I don't have the ration right on the yellows. But my post below explains my reluctance.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I had thought about overstocking and that was my original plan, but none of them are more than 3" and so I wanted to wait until they were closer to full grown before I added more. I was am just afraid of being too over stocked.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Personally I find three species works best in 4ft long tanks, unless you have an insane amount of rockwork and filtration, where four can often be kept well. I think overall though, you are somewhat understocked. If you have two male Labs, and they are fighting alot, remove one. If you are going to save fry, I might consider keeping either the Labs or the Red Zebras, as they are well known to hybridize quite easily.

I personally strongly dislike crabro, as they grow so big, can be overly aggressive, and just plain ugly (my opinion) when a male is 8", blech brown and a PITA.

I would pick four species in your case, and increase the numbers of the species you are keeping. That should decrease aggression issues. Also weed out extra males.


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## EmagdniM (Nov 29, 2007)

^ What he said. Up your numbers and ull be fine. 4 Mbuna species is working fine in my tank, *** got a decent amount of rockwork however and 2 Emperor 400's for filtration. You could double all of your numbers easily...but I too would get rid of the crabro and look at a different species.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I also don't like crabos, but they needed a home and I am a sucker for strays and so i took them in. These 2 have actaully been very calm fish. No issues with either one. and for the most part, the whole tank has been pretty good. I added a yellow, thinking i had all females and apparently at least one was a male. So i have some issues. I just figured that some tiger barbs might break up the line of sight a little bit.

mbunas are just really hard to sex. i am a lot more successful with haps.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

aOf course the crabo are doing fine, they are juveniles. Its when they reach sexual maturity (which will be well before they reach full size) that they will begin to take offense at thier neighbors existence.

A good stocking level would be:
5-6 labs
6 maingaono
4 acei -they do get large and as open water swimmers a 4ft tank is a bit cramped for adults
and if you want a 4th species, Rusties (5-6) go well with labs and acei.

beside the rampant cross breeding between the labs and red zebras, their aggression levels are much better suited in at least a 75g tank.


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## larry.beck (Jul 31, 2009)

To be the minority voice, I have 2 crabros 1M:1F. The male is 6-8" long so he should be fully mature, and the female is 3-4" and may still be considered a juvie. They get along wonderfully in my tank. But I know I'm definitely in the minority and feel lucky - and I'm preparing to make alterations if that situation should change.


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## George Walker (Nov 10, 2008)

I've used tiger barbs, silver dollars, and tinfoil barbs. All failed. I agree that adding more mbuna of same size ratio seems to work, with the right configuration of species, and ratios of male to female.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I removed the male lab and put him in my 125 hap tank. i have a 5" lab in there. I was told that it was female, but I always suspected she was a he. I even put some pics up on the forum to get some opinions as to the sex.

But as soon as I put the male lab in the 5" lab went beserk! I have never seen a pretty lab than when he/she saw that smaller male. The yellow got brighter and the black on the top and bottom fins really stood out. I think the 5" is a male (what do you think?)

I was afraid that the big lab was going to kill the new one and so I took him out of there and took him to my LFS and he is there now. They didn't have any female labs, so i didn't get any. So now I'm back to the beginning again and needing to decide what I want to do.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

George Walker said:


> I've used tiger barbs, silver dollars, and tinfoil barbs. All failed. I agree that adding more mbuna of same size ratio seems to work, with the right configuration of species, and ratios of male to female.


When you said they all failed. What happened?


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## EmagdniM (Nov 29, 2007)

cichlidpastor said:


> George Walker said:
> 
> 
> > I've used tiger barbs, silver dollars, and tinfoil barbs. All failed. I agree that adding more mbuna of same size ratio seems to work, with the right configuration of species, and ratios of male to female.
> ...


Id assume they were killed...but thats just a guess...


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

I have had some success with rosy barbs, tiger barbs, rainbowfish and red and blue tetras but as was stated mbuna generally do best with more mbuna and the dither fish don't do much of anything (except look nice if you like them). 
I too would go with four species:
labs, cyaneorhabdos, rusties and the accei. I would have at least six of each.


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## Sprintz (Sep 22, 2009)

I would suggest more mbuna as well but I I'm in the minority pn this one. I would suggest several different species as mbuna tend to be most aggressive towards there own species for obvious reasons. I have approximately 12 different species in a 90 gallon because I like diversity and aggression is not much of an issue although I do have to worry about the hybrids.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Sprintz said:


> I would suggest more mbuna as well but I I'm in the minority pn this one. I would suggest several different species as mbuna tend to be most aggressive towards there own species for obvious reasons. I have approximately 12 different species in a 90 gallon because I like diversity and aggression is not much of an issue although I do have to worry about the hybrids.


I actually haven't had a problem with "too many" species either. My problem has always been not having the right male/female ratios in the species i do have.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Unfortunately dithers will not help with the problems that arise form incorrect ratios.


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