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Hello, I am new to this forum. My favorite cats are synos and I wanted to know if it is possible (if anyone has done this) to create a community tank of nothing but different synos. I am aware that some synos are very territorial with other fish of the same species. I am planning a 55 gallon tank right now. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.

If you want to do this, get at least a 75 gallon tank. A 55 is OK for little, mid-water fish like tetras, even medium sized fish like Congo tetras, but it does not have enough surface area to keep multiple Synos.

In the long run, you may find that an African biotope tank is more interesting than a tank-full of assorted Synos

Not in the least bbecause when you actually SEE your fish, it's a much more rewarding hobby

if you just keep Syno's without any dithers, chances are fairly big you won't see anyhthing and they will be extremely skitterish.

Hi,
I have 3 synos in a 150 gallon tank and they have been there for several years along with some talking cats. I do have midwater fish such as rasbora and hoplo cats but wonder what would count as dither fish?
thanks
Alison

ali12345 wrote:I have 3 synos in a 150 gallon tank and they have been there for several years along with some talking cats. I do have midwater fish such as rasbora and hoplo cats but wonder what would count as dither fish?

Alison, I hope I understand your question correctly. In your case the Rasboras would be regarded as dither fish and the hoplos to a certain extent. Dither fish are mostly groups of fish that live in the middle or upper water layers (Characins and/or Cyprinids for example) that are introduced in a tank to make the Catfishes more at ease, thus making them more visible during the day.
I had a tank with just catfishes (Dianema, Tatia, Trachydoras) which didn't show themselves at all after I had removed my Hyphessobrycons (tetras). After the introduction of Devario shanensis the catfish have become much more visible again.

Hi,
so these should work as dither fish then....shame, I still rarely see my synos and talking cats.
Alison

Talking cats are the exception to the rule
How many rasboras have you in that tank and which species are they?

Hi,
I have 8 rasboras which I'm not sure of the names, 6 are one type probably yellow tail rasbora. I will be adding some more soon of similar size. Also some debauwi cats.
Alison

if you have a 55G, try to add 15 or so Rasbora's or Characins of a single species.

much more rewarding and much more lively as well; few species and more individuals per species works better than a whole load of species and just a few fish per species.

Also, like in Marcs case, active swimmers are the best!
so Rasbora's or Charcins might be disappointing; but Barbs/Danio's are really good dithers.
Danio's include members from Brachydanio, Danio and Devario; good Barb species include Barbus, Puntius etc; also Chela and Esomus are very well suited.

Pareutropius buffei is nice, but not a good dither; without adding Barbs or Characins they'll hide themselves as well, even in a big tank.

Pareutropheus makes a perfect match with Danio, Congotetra or Chela.

the best Rasbora's are not the small highbuilt species like the Harlequin (H heteromorpha), but the slimbuilt silvery surface dwellers like R trilineata, R borapetensis or R pauciperforata.

This is the first I've heard of dither fish and I'm pretty interested. So basically they are very active mid-water to surface dwellers, which kinda give the cats confidence that there are no predators and stuff around and therefore encourage them to come out into the open?

That's really kewl. I am trying to breed some S. nigriventris in a tank and they are pretty shy. I will get some 'dither' fish and see how this help.

So basically the best dither fish would be. Fast swimming, docile, small, surface swimmers?

Neat idea... Thanks

SynoSteff

the best dithers should be 'lively' fish.

in small tanks for example; livebearers in a shoal make perfect dithers.
one of my best friends has 2 tanks, the main inhabitants are catfish and loaches. among the cats are Hoplo's, Dorads, Trichomycterids, Banjo's, Plecs etc.
not your average visible cats. but in the smaller tank he's got a large shoal of Limia nigrofasciata and Xiphophorus variatus 'Mexican wildform', in the bigger tank a huge shoal of Poecilia catemocensis.
as a result his fish are fairly visible.

my 1 non-Rifttank (the Rifttanks have cichlids as dithers) has a shoal of 8 Devario pathirana (formerly 'Danio' pathirana) and a very shy single dwarf Pike cichlid (wich is obviously not a dither; it's very shy).
thanks to the Devario's (true ADHD fish) I see my Dorads, Amphilius, Akysis etc every day.

so yes, dithers work.
they should have the following habits:
-active! the more activity, the better
-shoaling nature. a single 'dither' doesn't work, so territorial fish are not suitable. the more the merrier.
-peaceful. for obvious reasons any fin- or barbel-picking cretin isn't suitable at all
-easy to keep! a good dither doesn't give a wahooni about special food, temperature or waterparameters; it's the cats that need those, dithers should 'go along'.
-medium/upper dwellers. in our catfishtanks any fish that crowds near the sand adds to the crowd. Also dithers should give 'cover' (!). This is important: the presence of fish near the surface tricks the catfishes into 'safety'*

the best dithers are captive-bred, cheap, shoaling, active, easygoing, tough fish.

*In the wild surface dwellers take cover when fish-eating birds appear! the absense of surface dwellers makes the catfish hide as well...as in: "where's that heron?"

Hi,
my rasboras are constantly active being the slimline type. Have now got some danios as well although I thought I was getting rasboras (tiger rasboras). They are small but very feisty at the moment. Would not recommend them for a small community tank. But for sheer speed and activity I would recommend ilyodon species which are livebearers. i've got them in a 1m tank at the moment as I'm hoping they will breed but no luck so far.
Alison

maybe you got just males?

Ilyodons breed like guppies, very easy.
I have I furcidens in 1 of my tanks at work.

Be aware, however, that Ilyodon is in fact a coldwaterspecies....I've been breeding them for a few years now, and if you keep them at regular tropical temperatures (24-27'C), ALL the offspring will be male (!!).
it's best kept at 18-22'C, and thus very suitable for tanks with for example Scleromystax barbatus, Corydoras paleatus, Hara spp, Akysis spp, Gagata spp, Rhineloricaria latirostris and the like.

Also, they like harder water with a neutral pH better than soft, acidic water; but they're not very demanding if you have captive-breds.

btw, I'm very curious about the OP
whatever happened to his Syno-setup? he just made 1 post and started the whole Dithers Vs Syno's discussion and left??

Hi,
I think I do have 3 male ilyodons but have just acquired 2 females so fingers crossed they will settle ok. I can't keep the tank that cool in this weather but hopefully when the weather eases up. The females are still a bit small but are just colouring up nicely.
Alison