Best Dithers To Go With My Cichlids?

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Hi im still unsure whether to go with Serpae Tetras or not ..i find them a little boring.

What other suggestions are there?

I don't want to keep Black Widows, Rainbows and i don't want anymore Silver Dollars.

Space is tight but i want some small shoaling fish so things liek Red Line Torpedo Barbs and Giant Danios are out of the question.

The Cichlids I want them to go with are...

1 Adult Female Angel
2 Severums
1 Nicaguense
3 Red Head Tapajo Eartheaters

Is there any smallish Tetras or Barbs that have a nice blue colour? my tank is lacking blues

 

[Wills]

Man planning dither type fish can be annoying I can never decide. If you want blue though how about columbian tetras? Blue bodies red fins? Seems an obvs choice to me. There are a few danio that have good blues in them but not sure on the max size, they are also quite rare so might be hard to find. Cant think of any particularly blue barbs.

Not sure how you feel about them personally I dont like them but a lot of people use livebearers as dithers at the moment like swords and platies and you can get coral blues in both of those species.

Wills

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

I liek Swords and Platys...wonder if they would work ...i do want somethign that shoals tho.

Never heard of columbian tetras...gonna google up on them now...thanks for the suggestion

I really like the idea of Congos but they will take up alot of space..probably to much...my tanks been running for a few years on dual oversized external filters and 40% weekly water changes w/ sand hoover....so i always over stock a bit anyway...but i dont want to overstock to the point its noticeably cramped.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

I like the idea of 2 blue platys with 5 colombian tetras to finish my stocking off.

Would the Female Nic eat any of them? shes nearly fully grown.

I really wanna get tiger barbs but i like my angels fins and dont wanna do the ol' 10 tiger babrs to stop them eating other fishes fins thing.

 

[Wills]

Colombian tetras are quite a common dither they are a largeish tetra like the buenos aires, personally I would go with just them and do a school of 8. I have to admit that my knowledge of nics is limited. But I have seen and heard of people using platies as dithers for all sorts quite common in central american cichlid tanks. Cant see a problem but as with all things cichlid it depends on their personalities.

Wills

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

I'm in the mood for Platys now lol I'm gonna have a look around tommorow and probably come home with something totally inappropriate haha

Watermarque have a deal on Tiger Barbs at the moment...and i really want them....gah decisions.

I did keep 8 Tiger Barbs with Angels and Severums before and it was fine until My Severum got big and killed teh Tigers...i then tried Serpaes aswell and he killed them to!

I heard its not the norm for a Sev tho...so willing to give it another go.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Bump, any more suggestions before i go 'shopping' tomorrow?

 

[minxfishy]

I cant see a problem with TB's, minimum of 8 though just to be sure they wont bother anything else, or Id go with the colombian tetras.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

I went with 5 x White tip Rosy tetras and 2 x Platys (1 red, 1 yellow)...i saw the Colombians and didn't really like them.

My mrs picked out another white Angel so likely the SD's will have to go eventually to make space.

 

[Wills]

Pics please (...why do we not have a pic bash emote?) Especialy the tetras not heard of them before, oh unless you mean the roberty tetras? Gorgeous if it them!

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

yep thats the ones ...very expensive also! will get my lady to take some pics later because my photography is terrible

 

[Wills]

Just out of interest how much did you pay? Last time I saw them they were about £3 each?

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

£3.50 each so around £17 for 5!!! i wanted ten also because they look amazing in the shops show tank with Discus and Rams....hehehe

 

[Wills]

#93### yeah schools do add up. I think you have some tank juggling to do ha ha

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Haha yep...although no rush and i do far to much of it anyway lol.

Its gutting when i see normal Rosys at 60p each lol! but they are worth it