# Australian blue-eyes with shell dwellers??



## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Someone suggested I could add a couple of Australian blue-eyes to my 29 gallon multifasciatus tank. My tank has 6 multis. I have been lookin online at Australian blue-eyes, but now I am confused as to WHICH ONES I should add to my shell dweller tank. I need to know what name I should be looking for when ordering them online!! There seem to be many different ones. Are they the best choice?

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question, but what is a dither fish? I'm still learning all the fish lingo!


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## Matt1986 (May 15, 2009)

Traditionally, a dither fish is a fish whose main function in the tank is to draw aggression from your cichlids, thus diverting some of the aggression taking place among the cichlids. The idea is generally to use hardy, fast-moving and often shoaling species that can easily withstand the aggression thrown at them.

For example, owners of South American cichlid tanks will quite often house species like silver dollars to distract large and aggressive cichlids who would otherwise channel their aggression into beating each other up.

As for your other question, I'm not familiar with the species so I'll wait for someone else to chime in!


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Ok thanks for the info...

Also, I meant to add in my original posting... the reason I want to add another fish with my multis in my 29 gallon is to give the top part of my tank some action.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Being as I was the one who suggested blue eyes. Any of them will do because that 29 gallon is sufficiently high I prefer Pseudomugil furcatus but I've used teh otehr blue eyes as dithers too. I would try to stay away from the thread fins (Iriatherina werneri) as they are a bit more delicate. Dwarf rainbow fish also make great dithers and are really tough, fast, good beginners fish.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Darkside said:


> Being as I was the one who suggested blue eyes. Any of them will do because that 29 gallon is sufficiently high I prefer Pseudomugil furcatus but I've used teh otehr blue eyes as dithers too. I would try to stay away from the thread fins (Iriatherina werneri) as they are a bit more delicate. Dwarf rainbow fish also make great dithers and are really tough, fast, good beginners fish.


Yes, it was you, lol.... thanks for the info. Do you know if these fish are "rare" and hard to find in fish stores? I'm wondering if I should just order them online or try to find them in person. Most of the fish I want, I end up having to order them online. Augh!

What do you think of Pseudomugil gertrudae?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

CutieSusieQ said:


> What do you think of Pseudomugil gertrudae?


I would try this combination, if I could get some in my local area.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

What about adding some livebearers such as Guppies, Black Mollies, or Swordtails? Yes? No?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

CutieSusieQ said:


> What about adding some livebearers such as Guppies, Black Mollies, or Swordtails? Yes? No?


These are voracious predators. If you can get some smaller wild type guppies, sure. The others will eat your shellie fry.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Fogelhund said:


> CutieSusieQ said:
> 
> 
> > What about adding some livebearers such as Guppies, Black Mollies, or Swordtails? Yes? No?
> ...


Interesting!! See, I have a lot to learn!! What about barbs, loaches, danios?? I hoping to find compatible tankmates that I DON'T have to order online!!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

:lol: How about we just say... or anything else?

I think we have to keep in mind that most fish will eat other fish if given the chance. Stick with small fish.

White cloud minnows, Neon or Cardinal Tetras, Black neon tetras, Cherry Barbs, Black Ruby Barbs, and Zebra Danios would be the best options.

Other types are either fairly rare, or a bit too big.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Fogelhund said:


> :lol: How about we just say... or anything else?
> 
> I think we have to keep in mind that most fish will eat other fish if given the chance. Stick with small fish.
> 
> ...


I asked about barbs and danios, lol.... awesome info.. thanks! This is EXACLTY the info I was looking for!


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I only suggested the blue eyes because I like them more than the average dither. Lampeye killies are another awesome dither fish and are actually from Africa.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Darkside said:


> I only suggested the blue eyes because I like them more than the average dither. Lampeye killies are another awesome dither fish and are actually from Africa.


the Blue eyes are beautiful...just very hard for me to find around here.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Ok last question for awhile I think....

If I decide to add neon tetras or black neon tetras to my 29 gallon that has 6 multi's in it, how many should I add? I know they do best in schools, but how big can the school be?


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## sweety (Jan 10, 2010)

Not sure how the Neon's will cope with a high PH as they like & do well in a PH of around 6.5-7


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

sweety said:


> Not sure how the Neon's will cope with a high PH as they like & do well in a PH of around 6.5-7


Hmmm. I will let you and Fogelhund fight this one out since he is the one who suggested they were good tankmates, lol.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

CutieSusieQ said:


> sweety said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure how the Neon's will cope with a high PH as they like & do well in a PH of around 6.5-7
> ...


The pH shouldn't be as much a problem with tank raised fish.


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## Bweb (Mar 31, 2009)

Halequin Rosboras would work

I have a 29 with Multies and a trio of Juli. Transcriptus Shells in two thirds of the tank and a rock pile in the other third'

Their are at least 10 generations of multi. in the tank no juli. fry yet :?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Matt1986 said:


> Traditionally, a dither fish is a fish whose main function in the tank is to draw aggression from your cichlids, thus diverting some of the aggression taking place among the cichlids. The idea is generally to use hardy, fast-moving and often shoaling species that can easily withstand the aggression thrown at them.
> 
> For example, owners of South American cichlid tanks will quite often house species like silver dollars to distract large and aggressive cichlids who would otherwise channel their aggression into beating each other up.


Actually, that's the text book deffination of a target fish, not a dither fish.

Dither fish are meant to draw out shy fish by showing that there are no predators about. Dithers should never have aggression directed towards them, that is completely counter to the whole idea of keeping them.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

sweety said:


> Not sure how the Neon's will cope with a high PH as they like & do well in a PH of around 6.5-7


I suppose we never established what the OP's ph is. Having said that, I've actually had both Cardinals and Neon's breeding while being used as dithers for shell dwellers, at ph ranges of 7.8 to 8.1. Now the eggs didn't hatch, but the fish did typically live 3-4 years, which I think is fairly good for such fish.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Fogelhund said:


> sweety said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure how the Neon's will cope with a high PH as they like & do well in a PH of around 6.5-7
> ...


My ph hangs out at about 7.8 all the time... I am going to try the neon tetras I think. I have always liked those little fellas... but I'm wondering how many I should add to my tank.


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## sweety (Jan 10, 2010)

Fogelhund said:


> sweety said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure how the Neon's will cope with a high PH as they like & do well in a PH of around 6.5-7
> ...


Thanks for that as I found it interesting :thumb: I just went of what i've read over the years & from keeping them in my community tank which has an acid PH


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## Matt1986 (May 15, 2009)

dwarfpike said:


> Matt1986 said:
> 
> 
> > Traditionally, a dither fish is a fish whose main function in the tank is to draw aggression from your cichlids, thus diverting some of the aggression taking place among the cichlids. The idea is generally to use hardy, fast-moving and often shoaling species that can easily withstand the aggression thrown at them.
> ...


My bad, I suppose I've always equated one with the other.


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