# Which dithers with FM's and Salvini?



## pugwash (Sep 11, 2006)

*Which dithers?*​
Rainbowfish422.22%Swordtails422.22%Barbs422.22%Tetras211.11%Danios422.22%


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## pugwash (Sep 11, 2006)

I've got a current tank setup with Mbuna, at the request of my young lad a while ago, whose now got a 10G tank for himself. Whilst the mbuna are colourful and active, they all look the same and just go round in circles in dominance battles, and I just find myself wishing to return to CA's...

So, I'm considering switching to something along these lines:
6 juvenile Firemouths with the aim of getting a pair, and returning the other 4 when it occurs.
1 female Salvini (juvenile too).
1 rubberlip plec

And some dithers, but this is where I'm stumbling. I'm wondering if the Sal would have midnight snacks once mature, which I don't really want to occur.
I'm considering 1 group of either:
Rainbowfish - not sure which but would prefer something =<4"
Swordtails (2M, 6F) with the view of fry providing the odd nibble.
Barbs - tigers I guess.
Tetras - Serpae's or something similar...
Giant Danio's - bit plain though.

Which would work out best long term, or would something else be better?

Tank vitals:
Tank: Rio 240 = 121*41*55(cm) ~ 48*16*21(inches)
55UK Gal ~ 63US Gal
Filters: Juwel internal 1000l/hr
Ehiem 2028 1050l/hr


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

I'm a big fan of the barbs....active, colorful fish that add alot to a tank. Either rosy or tigers would be good! :thumb: Just remember to have at least 5 so they don't pick on their tankmates.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

It just depends on the personality of the Firemouths and Salvini. However, Salvini are predators and stalk and hunt little fish so for tankmates you need tough, fast, and robust fish. In many articles I have read and the experience I have gathered the only tankmates that can thrive with Salvini are fellow cichlids. You can try adding any of these but don't get your hopes too high! I voted for Danio's. I know not the best looking fish but they will be cheaper, stronger, faster, and have more of a chance at living and serving their purpose. I have also found Black Skirts to do just as well but more than likely they will be all killed off as well!

IMO I prefer the livebearers but they wouldn't stand a chance with a Salvini and sometimes even Firemouths! Barbs might have a chance but I doubt it.........


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## rgordo (Mar 8, 2009)

ya i woundnt go with tetras i got a 4 inch salvini on the weekend and out of nine tetras i got 4 left.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

rgordo said:


> ya i woundnt go with tetras i got a 4 inch salvini on the weekend and out of nine tetras i got 4 left.


And a HAPPY salvini  lol


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I would say the larger rainbowfish would be the best bet ... assuming you even need the dithers. You may not, some firemouths are very outgoing. Turquoise rainbows get larger (larger than the 4" you want) but that size would give them the best chance of living. Plus the blue would show of the reds and yellows of the cichlids really well.


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## pugwash (Sep 11, 2006)

Hmm, that's kinda what I thought. Ultimately a gamble.

I did have an FM and EBJD with swordtails, although the FM was a bit of a pain. Did like the EBJD as he took no **** from the FM, and was always out and about.

Was thinking 2" fish would be a bit wee with a mature sal, with tetras being a bit on the slower side than barbs. Hence was thinking 4" fish may fair better, with rainbowfish and giant danio's able to have a burst of speed.

It is very early days though


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

I keep swordtails w/ my salvini and firemouth in a 55g. The best part about swordtails is the breed like crazy, and provide some extra food :wink: 
My tank:


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## pugwash (Sep 11, 2006)

Has the adult population of swordtails decreased over time though?


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

IMO, all of the dithers listed are all very high risk and have a fairly slim chance of making it over the long run, especially with a salvini. 
A couple years back, when i first got on this forum i argued extensively ( excessively? :lol: ) about dithers so i tried my own experiment. A young breeding pair of cons in a 15 gal. ----not giving the dithers much of a chance :lol: ------ anyways to make a long story short ------male paradise fish, pleco and CAE not only survived but did well, where as serpae tetras, zebra danios, and swordatails all in numbers of 3 or more, all ended up getting killed, lasting no more then a month in each attempt. Then I removed the pair of cons ( and fed them to the dovii), leaving some fry in the tank, added more tetras and danios, jewel cichlids, and a female blue gourami. Bred the jewels----- all of the usual dithers got killed ----- but the blue gourami and paradise fish did well. Not long term, only a 6-7 month experiment -----most of these fish, except the pleco ended up being fed to the dovii. A waste of money, but really, i think it showed to me again what i already knew ----- some gouramis can do well, even with breeding cichlids in small space.

If your tank is large enough, silver dollars or tinfoil barbs, have pretty good chance of doing well. The red tailed tinfoil barb ( B. altus), very similar to regular tinfoil barb gets to only 8". It can be distinguished from the reg. tinfoil barb in lacking red on it's dorsal fin and lacking dark coloration on the outer edges of it's tail fin ----- though young specimens can be very hard to distinguish, until they get more adult coloration.

If your tank isn't too large, a group of blue/gold gourami ( 1m, 2-4 f) has a good chance of doing well, though you would have to keep on eye on aggression amongst the group. 
A group of paradise fish is another option ( 1m, 2-4 f) and is better suited to small tanks. i have had good long term success keeping these species with CA/SA, though of course is always high risk with some of the larger CA/SA.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

I actually took Bernie's advice (it was awhile back) and introduced a Blue Gourami (3 spot) to my cichlid tank (with breeding convicts)... Not only did the blue gourami do well - it would pick off con fry at every opportunity.

He got to be very smart about it to - when ever I would put the python in to do a water change he knew the cons would be over to defend against it and he would dart into the swarm of fry and make out like a bandit.


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## pugwash (Sep 11, 2006)

Hmmm, both bernie and illy were discussing their original tank setups when I did my FM/EBJD plus columbian tetras/swordtails. Did check up on Illy's tank progress as the diversity intreged me.

The columbians in my tank did get wiped out over time, although the swordtails lasted for me. I did leave a somewhat dominant pearl gourami, who killed both his mates in a previous asian setup, with the CA's, and he often fought with the FM who backed off more often than not! I do know the bue/gold gourami's are more aggressive than the pearls (or maybe I had a psyhco male pearl!).

Could well be worth considering, as the other preference was rainbowfish, but not many peeps here use them for dithers - gotta be something in that. Would keep the missus happy, as she likes gourami's.

Got a feeling a 55 would be too small for tinfoils - I'd rather the dither to be equal to or less than the size of the cichlids.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

I should update my tanks... I had to move and I sold everything except a 20g... Now I have a 75g and I'm trying my hand with dithers & cichlids again... I'm trying to recreate a 'Central American' theme though so no gourami's this time around... I should be picking up a large group of breeding Ameca Splendens tonight - from what I hear these guys are kind of like 'live bearing barbs' in that they can be scrappy... Will they work? I don't know - but if they get eaten I'm okay with that if the breeding can keep pace with the losses...


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## pugwash (Sep 11, 2006)

I did try Ameca Splendens as dithers, but they didn't last for me. They were on par with my columbian tetra's, partially longer...could have been dodgy stock on this side of the pond...


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