Ideas For Dithers In The Ornatum Tank

[mattlee]

the ornatums arent getting any better with dealing with humans being around them so im thinking of getting a group of dithers to try and make them feel more secure. so anyone with any ideas please stick your suggestions on here please.

obviously my ornatums are still quite small ranging from 2.5-3.5 inches but i dont want to add small tetras as im sure they will start to go missing eventually shame as i have a group of large cardinals im stuck with at the minute.....

would a group of 6 tiger barbs work? ive always wanted some tigers but have been put off by their nature and i wouldnt want them to start nipping the ornatums! i need quite active fish though that will accomodate the middle to top of the tank and that can escape the cichlids when needed and that can handle a bit of abuse that they may get from the cichlids.

any ideas guys?

 

[snowflake311]

Any "difthers" would have to be temps. I find there is no good difthers for larg cichlids unless you get large schooling fish like silver dollars or other large guys like that. But they can be big and take up tank space.

Try hand feeding them could help then they know people mean food. Give them time they are still young and new. My uarus for the longest time (2 months) would hide from me and were so shy. Now they are first at the top for food. It takes time.

 

[mattlee]

i hear what your saying snowflake but i have had these fish since the end of november and they still hide as soon as they clock anyone and wont feed until ive left the area.....

i just thought that a few dithers might bring them out a bit more. i dont intend on keeping the dithers with them long term just until they get confidence and the dithers are under threat from being eaten

 

[Euston]

Stick a big severum in there, worked wonders with the krobia.

 

[markandhisfish]

i found tiger barbs to be superb dithers . make the groiup as big as possible and they behave much better . if you want tigers id go for 10

 

[star4]

Tiger barbs are greedy little devils, if the ornatums wont eat until you move you may find the tiger barbs finish off most of the food before the ornatum's get to it. If you like the tiger barb, you could go for the 5 banded barb (Puntius pentazona) just a longer version but tend (so I have read anyway) not to be nippy like the tiger barbs, very nice looking too get to about 3" they had some a while back in my LFS.

 

[mattlee]

Tiger barbs are greedy little devils, if the ornatums wont eat until you move you may find the tiger barbs finish off most of the food before the ornatum's get to it. If you like the tiger barb, you could go for the 5 banded barb (Puntius pentazona) just a longer version but tend (so I have read anyway) not to be nippy like the tiger barbs, very nice looking too get to about 3" they had some a while back in my LFS.

this was my only fear. that the dithers would get all of the food.... and obviously i dont want that to happen. with a group of 7-10 fish i can see the food not lasting long at all, but i guess it will make the ornatums come out to get it faster when they get hungry

 

[markandhisfish]

how about some preacox rainbows? should be big enough to be safe , and not so greedy as the tiger barbs

 

[Timmy_Bee]

As a self-titled barb specialist, I would recommend Golden barbs. They grow into a decent sized fish (3", maybe 4"), are active and shoal well, and are not agressive. Or Rosy's if you want a differnet colour, but i have found these to be a bit more angry. Or if you want a bit more colour, there are always the Odessa.

Tigers, as people have said, are not aggressive in a large group. If you want to mix it up a bit, add some green or metalic tigers into the mix. Or as Star has said, you could get some 5 Banded barbs

 

[mattlee]

how about some preacox rainbows? should be big enough to be safe , and not so greedy as the tiger barbs

ive never had much luck in the past with these rainbows. i dont think they enjoy my water somehow

 

[minxfishy]

Why not use something as simple as danios, if your worried about them being eaten, go for the giant danios, extremely active fish and work well as dithers. Or colombian tetras, again active and large enough to not be eaten.

 

[mattlee]

Why not use something as simple as danios, if your worried about them being eaten, go for the giant danios, extremely active fish and work well as dithers. Or colombian tetras, again active and large enough to not be eaten.

i was actually eyeing up some colombian tetras today at a lfs.

 

[snowflake311]

I bought 8 colombian tetras for my parrot and uarus as difthers. I have 2 left and moved them to another tank. I do love them they are so pretty good size and not too crazy. Once your cichlids get to 4" the tetras will get picked off.

Are your fish wild caught?

 

[mattlee]

I bought 8 colombian tetras for my parrot and uarus as difthers. I have 2 left and moved them to another tank. I do love them they are so pretty good size and not too crazy. Once your cichlids get to 4" the tetras will get picked off.

Are your fish wild caught?

the ornatums are wild caught.

the mouths on the ornatums is quite small for a cichlid, at the moment anyway..... i think im swaying towards a group of 6 barbs, maybe pentazona. still tempted with tigers too but not sure i can trust them and as the ornatums cost quite a bit each im not sure im willing to risk it

 

[snowflake311]

Wild caught fish are always more shy then the farm raised. My true parrot Is wild and she still will spook easy she still does not like to eat from the surface. I have had her almost a year she is 7" and still shy and a bit wild. Unlike my severums who are overly out going fish.

No matter what you do they are wild and wild fish take a long time to warm up to tank life. Wild fish are differant from tank raised ime. Good luck. Once they grow a bit more they will be better.