please recommend a good 'dither' fish - my fish are shy

[Bubble_B0y]

I have a 50 gallon tank with
3 silver dollars
7 tiger barbs


my silver dollars are a little skittish and when they get scared, all the other fish in the tank get scared too
I have lots of hiding places and everyone rushes to their hiding space


Can someone please recommend a good "dither" fish, which is always swimming and not shy and will help relax my silver dollars.

I was thinking white clouds? or perhaps rosy barbs? or cardinal tetras?
Someone also recommend getting MORE silver dollars?
(preferably I want something that swims near the top of the tank)

what do u think??

 

[jrp1588]

I'd think pretty much any sort of tetra would work.

 

[TwoHobbies]

I have danio's, rummy's, and black neon's, but when I get near the tank my zebra loaches still scatter.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

I'm thinking of adding 3 or 4 more silver dollars.

Perhaps building a bigger school is all that is needed - considering the silver dollars are responsible for frightening the other fishes.
Maybe if the silver dollars are happy, then everyone is happy ?

 

[TwoHobbies]

I don't think so, I started with 2 zebra's and added 2 more for the same reason, now all four run.

I think you will just have more fish hidding, but my son has 5 tiger barbs in a 55g and they don't hide, so.........

 

[Bubble_B0y]

I don't think so, I started with 2 zebra's and added 2 more for the same reason, now all four run.

thanks for the info

 

[Rondory]

I have 7 lemons and 7 Glowlight Tetras and my Juli Cory's are still scared of life outside of their cave. LOL

Good luck finding a fish to bring out your shy ones.

 

[Ky'smommy]

i dont know how big of school silver dollar need to feel secure but alot of fish like to be groups do you know the whole schooling amoount.
well i will look it up and see if i can find anything for you.

here is something i found.

" The Silver Dollars require a large tank, a standard 55 or 40 gallon would be fine. The tank should have no live plants as this species is mainly vegetarian in habit. The substrate should be dark in color with subdued lighting. They are schooling fish and will always be shy and skittish in a small tank, so give them as much room as possible. The diet should primarily include plant material, particularly Romaine Lettuce, along with the various live foods. Water quality is not critical and the temperature should be kept in the upper Seventies to low Eighties."
im still looking

and here is a link with some stuff about them
http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-SilverDollar.htm
good luck

 

[tbonem91]

a quick question - does your tank have a background or is it open? a tank without "solid" borders really makes the fish skittish because shadows and lighting changes come from all around them and it's difficult for them to feel secure. A dark background helps a lot in providing the fish with a comfortable environment.

 

[toddnbecka]

I'd add 3-4 more silver dollars. If that doesn't do it, some praecox (neon dwarf) rainbow fish would be good dithers for a 50. 3m/2f is a good ratio for them.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

a quick question - does your tank have a background or is it open? a tank without "solid" borders really makes the fish skittish because shadows and lighting changes come from all around them and it's difficult for them to feel secure. A dark background helps a lot in providing the fish with a comfortable environment.

yes I have background
its not black, its more greeny and brown

the background on my tank looks something like this