# dithers for midas



## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

In an earlier topic somebody said that i should get some dithers for my 75G wet pet tank, the only problem is that they never told me which ones to get. Any suggestions?


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

None! They will be dinner!


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

How big is your midas?

Do you even need dithers? Ie, does your midas hide all the time?


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

my midas really isn't that aggressive, right now i have him in a 45g with a 2 inch firemouth and he doesn't mess with him at all. i put a 6-7 inch green terror in there and it was like WW3. so he only becomes aggressive if there is a threat. he doesn't even eat feeder fish, and if he does its just the tail.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I had some giant danios with mine for a while , but not too long ago he decided to kick them out of his tank. Literally. During the night he would chase them out and I would find a dried up danio on the floor next to the tank the next morning . I'm with *dwarfpike* on this , if you don't need 'em , don't bother . Eventually he'll kill them off.


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## Mussin (Oct 30, 2008)

I have about a 5" Red Devil and his tank mates are a BN pleco, 3" firemouth, 4 random tetras. He is really peacefull and dosent bother any of them.. He chases the FM once in a while but they wont go on his side of the tank. Maybe he dosent feel the need to be aggressive??

Jeremy


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Mussin said:


> Maybe he dosent feel the need to be aggressive??


...yet...

It is in their nature to be aggressive. Naturally the degree may vary and it's even possible that a fish may 'fall short' of it's nature... but I would expect as it matures so will it's territorial nature / needs.

The only 'dithers' I was able to keep with my adult Trimacs were Convicts... and that was only because there were networks of caves that the Cons fit in that the Trimacs didn't... although the Trimacs surprised me with their ability to move large rocks.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

right now he is about 9". recently since i added the firemouth he has been alot more active so i it seems the firemouth has played a role in it. I kinda of like the idea of using convicts as dithers. I'll probably get some more smaller pieces of rock to accommodate them. how many should i get?


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

Sometimes if fish grow up together, or are put into a tank together at the same time, they are tolereant of each other (temporarilly). But any new fish added is looked at as a threat.


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## dogofwar (Apr 5, 2004)

A 75s too small but tinfoil barbs work well as big cichlid dithers.

I'd leave the red devil alone in the 75...


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## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

If I have said it once I have said five times,add 6 minimum exodons,they will give a lot of life to your tank,and they really won't care about your red devil,and if he get's nasty,they can take care of themselfs without hurting him.I use them in two of my cichlid tanks,as well as my piranha tank.All is very good :thumb:


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

do you know where i can get some of these exodons


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## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

In ontario you can sometimes get them at big al's,but that is very rare.Most decent stores can order them for you,or get them from the wholesaler.They are a little pricy at over $10.each at about 1.5-2" long.I've had my longest exodons for about 3 years now and the biggest one is about 3" long.They are not the quickest growers,but quite active and colorful.


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## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

In ontario you can sometimes get them at big al's,but that is very rare.Most decent stores can order them for you,or get them from the wholesaler.They are a little pricy at over $10.each at about 1.5-2" long.I've had my longest exodons for about 3 years now and the biggest one is about 3" long.They are not the quickest growers,but quite active and colorful.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

that is pretty expensive, are there any cheaper alternatives?


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## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

Not as hardy as these as far as I know.


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## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

Not as hardy as these as far as I know.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Johnson14 said:


> that is pretty expensive, are there any cheaper alternatives?


Convicts... though I believe they were already suggested...

Convicts will not serve as 'dithers'... meaning fish that will swim in open water thus making the Cichlid feel more comfortable to leave it's cave...

But they will serve well as 'target fish'... Meaning as opposed to hiding in a cave your Cichlid will march around it's territory displaying itself as boss of the tank...

Both dithers and target fish end up creating the same result... a Wet Pet that spends more time in open water and less time hiding in caves...


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## lil mama (Nov 24, 2007)

I have a 13" male Midas in a 125g tank with other fish. He is for sure the boss of the tank but he doesn't kill anyone or even hurt anyone. His tank mates are a female Jaguar, a female Salvini, 2 female Convicts and a male Firemouth. They all know their place and know body gets hurt. The only fish Fedor , my Midas, had a problem with was the 15" pleco that kept stealling his food. I gave him away and now I have a new, smaller pleco now and he has no problem with him.


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