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hello all,
i have an established 50 gal stocked with 4)haps and a pictus cat. all 4 of them hide (at least they do when your looking!)lol!
anyhoo, i was thinking of adding a small group (4-6) tiger barbs...this will be all that i add to the tank.
i just want my cichlids more comfortable and to be more active.
any thoughts?
thanks,
chris

The larger rainbows do very well as dither fish. They are fast, and very active. Myself, and many other breeders of haps and other larger cichlids, use them all the time.

HTH....

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There is always a bigger fish...

i agree with the rainbow idea. i know quite a few breeders that use them and swear by them in their tanks.

I've heard of using giant danios, though the rainbows are probably better, since the danio's quick movements may intimidate the haps more. It just depends on what you can find. I can rarely find (healthy) rainbows in my area.

Ive recently went through the same dilema. Are all you Haps males? I used Tinfoil barbs(4),but my tank is a 125. Maybe try Congo tetras or Cyprochromis Leptosoma. The Cyps are cichlids from lake T ,but may do well with Haps. Dither fish do wonders if your not into overstocking your C*****ds. Ive been told Rainbows also, and want to try and have seen work, but cannot find HEALTHY rainbows around here. Healthy rainbows are awesome as previously stated. Haps tend to fall in the "overstock" not good catagory anyway. Good luck.

I have actually used large gouramis to dither. This depends if your fish are aggressive, my fish use them more as a watchout fish.

Tiger barbs are good, so are small silver dollars.

I heard about rainbows too, but they are pretty costy in my area and you dont really want your exspensive dithers that'll get shredded.

I agree about not wanting your expensive fish to get shredded fins, but that is what is so great about the rainbows, as they are quick enough, they very rarely even get touched. I have them in dozens of my breeder tanks, and can not ever remember any of them getting torn up fins. And, the cichlids learn, that they are no bother to them, and they cannot catch them, so they eventually just leave them alone, except when breeding territories are made. Even then, they rarely both with the rainbows unless they do get too close.

And yes, even in my area, some rainbows cost a pretty penny. Mine sell for top dollar.

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There is always a bigger fish...