What are the best (colorful) dither fish for a 90 gallon SA Cichlid planted tank?

[Makoa59]

Stock:

1 Blue Acara
1 Geophagus sp. Tapajos Orange Heads
1 Guianacara sp. affin. geayi (confirmed as a true geayi... LFS owner showed me the shipment receipt. Wild caught and included in a shipment of geos from Venezuela--I'm very excited by this)
1 A. heckelii Threadfin Acara
2 Albino bristle nose plecos
4 Buenos Ares Tetras
3 Boesemani Rainbows (for now)
2 Butterfly (Hillstream) Loaches
1 Clown Loach (I know they school... His mates died and I'm not going to replace him when he goes)

The Plan:

4 or 5 Corys (undecided on what kind)
10-12 replacement dither fish***

The Catch:

Going to buy a T5 HO lamp, replace my daylight T8 to a stronger 6,700k T8 and (shudders) attempt to provide a more natural environment by adding certain plants.

Looking to add Ludwigia, Valisneria, and Anubias.

I know a good deal about tetras, but my wife wants color, and most of the larger tetras, like Buenos Ares or Colombian are mostly silver. Serpae Tetras, which are a nice orange, are fin nippers, so that won't work with my Threadfin Acara. The majority of really colorful tetras are too small for when the cichlids grow.

Any advice on "colorful" (something with red) dither fish? I don't know much about barbs, except he that the like to eat plants.


-Mak

 

[ywagner]

Satanoperca daemon

 

[Makoa59]

A demon fish? That's a blackwater cichlid, not a dither fish.


-Mak

 

[ywagner]

Oh lol didn't read the title, would still work tho

 

[Makoa59]

I'm leaning more towards 15-20 lemon tetras, but I probably won't go to my LFS to see if they are stocked for about a week or so, just curious if anyone else has better options. I don't want to do hatchets, and as barbs are asian fish and I would like to keep this a regional biotope, so I'm thinking that barbs and rasboras are out.


-Mak

 

[Freakgecko91]

Again, not a true geayi. Go look them up a bt more, they're NOT from Venezuela. Geayi hail from french suriname. Importers lie, simple as that. That location is not consistent with true geayi.


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[Mogurako]

If they are "wild caught from Venezuela" that fish is very likely Guianacara sphenozona, Guianacara cuyunii, or Guianacara stergiosi.

There's no way it is a true Gaeyi, like Kylefreakgecko stated importers lie all the time to make money which actually leads to all of accidental blending of species/locational variants and is damaging our hobby.

You still have a great wild fish just not what you think it is.




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[Gillie]

Why would you stock hillstream loaches with tropical fish? Any plants that would be placed in the substrate would be a waste of time, the Tapajos and heckelii will just uproot them.

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[Makoa59]

Again, none of you are helpful to the discussion. You just come in and criticize.

Regarding the plants, if you plant them inside of an "egg crate" type ceiling light diffuser (1"x1" plastic crate and cut the plastic to size) then cover with gravel and rocks the roots will be protected and the fish will be unable to uproot them.

As for the Hillstream loaches, they are a product of me having to move and consolidate tanks. They have survived for 5 years in this tropical setting. I am well aware of their fast moving, colder water parameters but they have thrived in this aquarium. In fact they are the best algae maintenance that I have ever had (other than my scraper).

So... Dither fish. Any suggestions or would you rather complain that my Malaysian drift wood doesn't come from South America and shouldn't go with the SA Cichlids?


-Mak

 

[mikem691]

have you looked at congo tetras? As far as the plants go I still think they will just rip them at the substrate A 10" heckelii can do some damage just with its size. Give it a try may work may not.

 

[Makoa59]

I have looked at congos but they can be timid and their flowing fins wouldn't be the best addition, since the Giancara is a bit of a fin nipper. Also, they're from Africa and I'm looking to keep this SA only, once the rainbows and clown loach go.


-Mak

 

[Freakgecko91]

We aren't criticizing, we're just trying to tell you inconsistencies with what you are saying. We've all had experience with these species, and know what to expect.


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