Dithers for firemouths..

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dilhcic

AC Members
Nov 27, 2006
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hey
Just a quick question from me, im getting a pair of firemouths for my 35g tank, and im thinking i'll get some swordtails for dithers, perhaps 2 females and 1 male, are swordtails a good choice for dithers? Would I want more than 3 or is that enough?
thanks again.
 
No, they aren't good dithers. You need something quick moving to be a dither that will be able to get out of the way. Giant danios would be good. Swordtails would also be obstinate about eating the eggs too.
 
Nolapete said:
No, they aren't good dithers. You need something quick moving to be a dither that will be able to get out of the way. Giant danios would be good. Swordtails would also be obstinate about eating the eggs too.
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well actaly i now alota ppl that use swordtails as dithers and they work really well. but im useing a 1.5 inch female convict thats torn to shreds so now shes a dither for my 3 firemouths. and i have 4 one inch or almost one ich feeder gups 1 male 3 females in there right now.
 
I find swordtails work well for my FM pair as dithers, and haven't become target fish. But it does depend on how you aquascape, providing planted refuges for them and their fry. The fry are the target fish though. I have 2 FM's and 4 swordtails (1M, 3F).

The swordtails are above the tetra's in the tank hierarchy too, and the FM's aren't even interested in the swordtails!

However, my tank is twice the size so there is ample room and their is no 'confined aggression' that occurs with a lot with CA's being kept in cramped conditions. Although a 36g, if 36" long is fine for a pair of FM's.

Agree about them being obstinate. Giant danio's would be too big for a 36g imo, but are good dithers.

They also co-exist in the wild too...
 
thanks for the help
By the way what does obstinate mean exactly?
I thought I read somewhere that swordtails are fast swimmers? Ive never had them before so I wouldnt know, their to big to be eaten you would hope. I guess they do look similar to guppies and I guess guppies arnt the fastest fish around. With tetras as dithers, I was under the impretion that tetras prefer softer water?, my tap water is quite hard around 7.9ish, which from what I gather is ok for firemouths but what about tetras?
Who keeps swordtails and knows exactly how quick they are? that would be really helpful. So are giant danios too big for my tank?
sorry for all these questions guys!
thanks.
 
obstinate means that they do exactly what you don't want them to do, and look you in the eye while they're doing it.
 
swordtails are fast swimmers maybe one day out of 100. most of the time they just cruise around the tank.

granted.. if they had a big firemouth behind them they might go a little faster! LOL!
 
Giant Danios are a good cheap fish to use. I breed convicts and I use a Striped Anostomus as a target fish. He's way too quick for the convicts to catch but they chase him anyways when they have fry.
 
While any fish can be used as a dither, there are some that make better dither fish than others. Giant danios are better dither fish than swordtails. They are one of the best as far as I'm concerned.
 
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