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Dither Fish provide a valuable service in aquariums where the other fish tend to hide themselves away and are hardly ever seen. And all fish keepers want to see their fish on a daily basis.
Dither Fish are not a single species of fish but rather a range of species that encourage larger, shyer, or more anxious fish, out into the open water. Because of their free swimming activity and natural behaviour the Dither Fish reassure the others that’s it’s safe to come out into the open.
There are many fish species that are often used as Dithers. Which fish you use will depend on what fish you are trying to encourage and also on your tank environment.
So let’s take a look at exactly what they do and at also some of the types of fish that can be included in your aquarium as Dither Fish.
What Are Dither Fish Used For?
Smaller lively fish are often used as Dither Fish in aquariums where the larger showpiece fish are not confident about swimming around the tank. After all, it’s not a lot of good having fish you’d like to show off if they hide all the time.
Some fish, even larger ones, can be naturally shy. They need reassurance from those around them to give them the confidence to swim around their environment without fear.
Fish have a inbuilt ability to ‘read’ the behaviour of other fish. It’s one of the ways they protect themselves from harm. And the main fear is being attacked by predators. So if the larger fish see the smaller fish swimming about quite happily it’s a good indication that there are no predators out there to attack them. Which means that nervous fish are more likely to venture out from their hiding places.
Fish that are stressed or anxious for long periods of time don’t feed well, lose their full colouring and are more prone to illness. So boosting their confidence and activity levels by adding Dither Fish to the tank will help to improve their health and quality of life. Plus you get to see them a lot more.
Which Fish Make Good Dither Fish?
Although there are many different species of fish that are often used as Dither Fish they do all have a few things in common.
Dither Fish Typically Are:
- Fish that tend to swim near, or at, the top of the tank
- Active swimmers that don’t hide away
- Schooling fish that live in groups
- Smaller than the main fish but not small enough to be eaten
- From the same/similar habitat and can live in the same tank environment
- Non-aggressive
- Not fin-nippers
This list of attributes covers a lot of different species. So let’s take a look at some of the fish that are often used as Dither Fish.
Species commonly used as Dither Fish include:
- Danio – both the smaller ones and the giant variety
- Guppy
- Silver Dollar
- Barb
- Tetra – various
- Characin – various
- Hatchet Fish
- Rainbow Fish
- Rasbora – various
As you can see from the list above the fish often kept as Dither Fish are popular fish that are kept in their own right. They will also make an attractive addition to an aquarium when kept as Dither Fish.
There are loads more fish that can help to entice your shy fish out into the open. Which Dither fish you choose though will depend on the species of fish that you’re trying to bring out into the open water.
Remember that the fish need to be compatible with each other and naturally share the same type of living conditions.
If you’re not sure which Dither Fish is best suited to go with the ones you’re trying to encourage, get some advice from your local Pet Store or Aquatic Dealer.
Below is an interesting video from Primetime Aquatics about Dither Fish and the benefits they provide for shyer aquarium fish.
What Are Target Fish?
Target Fish are often added to an aquarium to diffuse aggression between the larger more feisty inhabitants of the tank. Which includes Fish species that tend to push and shove each other around in competition, or actually fight, a lot of the time.
Just like Dither Fish, Target Fish are not a single species of fish but a range of species, and need to be chosen carefully. They should be smaller than the aggressive fish, come from the same environment, and be peaceful in personality.
And, most important of all, they need to be really fast swimmers.
The reason they need to move fast is that they are the target for some of the aggression shown by the main species. When the bigger more aggressive fish need to let off steam they chase the target fish. Which helps to reduce the fighting within the main species of the tank.
And because the main species is likely to be the more expensive or ‘showpiece fish’ some aquarists use Target Fish to reduce the risk of injury and/or stress to their special fish.
While some fish keepers use Target Fish to dilute the aggression in their aquariums other fish keepers don’t agree with the practice.
Those that disagree with using Target Fish opt for a different approach to reduce aggression in the aquarium. They advocate researching your chosen fish species thoroughly before purchase and setting up the tank environment to minimise aggressive tendencies. Along with accepting that the fish you’ve chosen to keep are likely to be argumentative at times.
Like a lot of things in the aquarium hobby opinions and personal experience vary.
What Are Feeder Fish?
Feeder Fish are various species of fish that are kept and bred specifically for the purpose of providing live food for carnivorous fish. Particularly those predatory fish that prefer to hunt down their food rather than having their meal handed to them.
The thinking behind this is that feeding carnivorous fish species live food creates a more natural lifestyle within the aquarium environment. And that it also provides nutritional benefits, along with encouraging natural behaviour patterns.
Feeder Fish are typically smaller, less attractive and cheaper fish. They can be ‘culls’ or deformed fish that can’t be sold. They’re also easy-to-breed species that can tolerate a wide range of tank conditions. Rosy Red Minnows, Mosquito fish and some Goldfish are often considered as feeder fish.
However, the use of Feeder Fish is a contentious issue amongst aquarists.
Those against the use of Feeder Fish say that it’s unnecessary because aquarium kept fish can be successfully weened onto other types of food. And that Feeder Fish are often kept in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions increasing the chance of passing on disease to the fish that will eat them. Plus the fish don’t have a fair chance to escape as they would in the wild because they’re trapped in a tank.
As I said earlier, the use of Feeder Fish is a contentious issue.
