# Suggestions for dither fish ? ? ? ?



## Flyfisher

I will be setting up a large SA tank with geophagus tapajos redheads and black bar silver dollars. What I'd like is a decent size school of amazon dither fish, preferably ones that swim high in the tank.
At the moment lemon tetras are favourite, but I could go larger, and certainly brighter, the main thing being that they like the upper layers.
Throw some suggestions at me please


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## FedEXguy

Here's a list of the tetras I've had in different tanks:

names:
Red-eye
neon
black neon
bleeding heart
black skirt
phantom
head and tail light
glolight
pristella
lemon
and one I can picture in my head but the name escapes me.

where they would swim:
middle to bottom

So...maybe something other than tetras are in order? I've had various Barbs that swim all over the tank. Hatchet fish are always near the top, but I personally think they are ugly.


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## Darkside

Aren't silver dollars a dither fish?


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## oldcatfish

Ones that swim high in the tank? Hatchetfish.


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## Gliven

I pretty sure rainbows swim higher up in a tank at least mine do get some australians they are pretty cheap or some boeseman they are rather expensive at least in this area but look quite nice imo.


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## DeadFishFloating

If the upper levels of your tank are essentially open water, most tetra species won't swim there. Like most fish, tetras prefer to swim in and out of cover. I have never considered tetras an upper water species of fish. They swim where cover exists and away from potential threats.

Many of the cichlids we keep are substrate dwellers themselves, whether they be eartheaters, dwarves or many of the smaller acara species. Essentially these cichlids live amongst the structures found at lower levels, and becuase of thier size and potential threat, they force the tetras in our tanks a little higher in the water column.

Many LFS will do a planted display tank with tetras and other dither fish. Spend some time watching these tanks. Tetras like neons, rummynose, glowlights, the bullet shaped tetras will spend the majority of thier time in the lower half of the tank, right down to substrate level. The higher bodied tetras will spend the majority of thier time around mid level of the tank, provided there are enough branches and water plants at this level.

The only time I've had tetras swim right up near the surface, was when I had a couple of banana lillies in the tank with lots of surface leaves, lots of thin val reaching the surface and some very large anubis on some large pieces of driftwood, so had a lot of cover rather high in the water column.

Lemon tetras will swim at mid level in your tank, if your keeping tapajos OH's in the tank. Do a forum member search for *japes* in the SA forum and look at the photos of his araguaia tank to get an idea.


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## Flyfisher

Thanks guys,
I too think that hatchet fish are ugly. Makes me think there's pieces of dead vegetation floating about in the surface current that needs removing.
I really want to stick to a south American theme so barbs and danios are out, but my daughter has some zebra danios and they act just how I'd like for a
school of dithers in my tank.
Dollars as dithers??? I'm not so sure but I guess if you had huge very skittish fish in a giant tank then maybe a massive school of dollars would act as dither fish but mine and from what I read, most others are very skittish. I walk up to the tank and they dart for cover. But then they quickly come back out while I'm there watching. Lemon tetras I have don't spook like this so to me they are a definite dither fish, the dollars I'd say no myself, but as I said I'm sure for some they've proved effective.
I think the suggestion for high plants is a very good point. I have huge bogwood in mind and I certainly will not have as much open space near the top as many tanks do, so maybe the lemons or similar could work well. I ll concentrate efforts on high plantng that grow from above the bottom on pieces of bogwood. This should make the tank ideal for eartheaters as well as the 2 characins I keep. 
Cheers


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## Darkside

Dither fish don't need to be small schooling fish. Any fish that make other fish feel more comfortable and draw them out of hiding are dithers.


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## FedEXguy

Darkside said:


> Dither fish don't need to be small schooling fish. Any fish that make other fish feel more comfortable and draw them out of hiding are dithers.


I agree BUT the bigger they are, the more your eyes naturally want to look at them. That means they are detracting from your show/centerpiece fish. I think of dithers as more of a "colorful background noise."


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## Darkside

FedEXguy said:


> Darkside said:
> 
> 
> 
> Dither fish don't need to be small schooling fish. Any fish that make other fish feel more comfortable and draw them out of hiding are dithers.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree BUT the bigger they are, the more your eyes naturally want to look at them. That means they are detracting from your show/centerpiece fish. I think of dithers as more of a "colorful background noise."
Click to expand...

Then perhaps a different term is in order? For example in Tanganyikan aquariums, Cyprochromis are often used as dither fish, even for fish much smaller than themselves (shellies). A dither fish is any fish used to coax out innately timid fish and put them at ease. If you're looking for a group of colourful schooling fish, that's an entirely different question.


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## elusivedream

Dither fish are target fish to keep aggression levels down so your centerpiece fish will attack your dither instead of each other. They are also used to bond pairs. It makes them close because they are constantly guarding against the threat of the dither. A dither fish however should be someone you WANT in your tank for the long term. I have never had a dither fish hurt, just bullied around.


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## DeadFishFloating

I tend to think of dither fish and target fish as some what different. I certainly don't like my dither fish being used as targets by my cichlids. I end having to replace the ones that are killed or jump out of the tank. If this happens too often, I end up selling the cichlid.

I like these two extracts from an article on Dither Fish written by Vinny Kutty, who I think, may be a member (mod) here.


> Dither fish are schooling, mid-water swimming fish that are used to bring hiding fishes out into the open. Smart fish like cichlids use the presence of smaller fish around them to judge the degree of danger around them. The idea is Ã¢â‚¬Å"surely if hundreds of those little tetras are swimming around above me, there must not be any imminent dangerÃ¢â‚¬Â


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## elusivedream

Excellent articles! Also excellent points. I think dither is a broad term used in many situations. Fascinating point about schooling fish, certainly makes sense. Unfortunately in my circumstance schooling fish like tetras would be a fun treat..

I personally have a Bala Shark dither in my GT tank. Works great right now. I am however starting to contemplate my decision more. My bala shark was a good choice for me because he is quick, same feeding requirements, cleans the bottom, and he is a fish I didnt mind to keep in the tank long term. However my Green terrors bully him quite a bit, never actually even getting close to nipping him just telling him where he is allowed to be and when he can eat. I think it is overwhelming for him. However I certainly have the need for a target fish in my tank, having a pair. Shyness is not an issue for me, lol. However I want a fish that I am willing to keep long term and will stand up for himself. I am contemplating another SA cichlid of a different color. I currently have 4 GT's and will soon be reducing to 2 as soon as they take partner. Any suggestions???


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## DeadFishFloating

If the the tank's large enough, how about adding more Bala Sharks. I don't think it's a good idea to have just one target fish, as it bears all the aggression. However, having five target fish, while helping to spread the aggression, also means they can work as a "team" to pick off fry, if you get what I mean.


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## Flyfisher

Interesting to read. Thanks for chipping in. Whatever we want to call them it's jus a piece of the communities we keep and it seems to be that most feel it's an important one.
I also read that article and it's an excellent description and information source for those new to all this. At the moment I think my tetras help toward being dithers for my dollars, although more than 7 would be best. And when my next tank is set up, maybe dithered dollars will become dithers themselves for my choice of cichlids. We shall see. 
What we all need is a dither fish for a plec! That's a whole different topic huh?


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## DeadFishFloating

> What we all need is a dither fish for a plec! That's a whole different topic huh?


 Turn your lights off.


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## Flyfisher

Yeah that's it. When we buy plecs we should buy little blindfolds or dark sunglasses for them huh  
many have said a group of one plec will give them all more
courage to come out more, but at the moment I only have one so the bigger tank might give me chance to try this. Definitely having a moonlight on this one though!


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