Dither fish

The term dither fish refers to an arbitrary group of aquarium fish used by cichlid keeping aquarists to reduce innate timidity in some species of cichlids.^[1] Dither fish typically swim around the top of a tank and this behavior encourages more timid fish to relax and venture out more by reassuring them no predators are around. The technique relies on the ability of cichlids in an aquarium to use the behaviour of other fish species as a measure of environmental security.^[2] Good dither fish are typically schooling species, such as some Danio species, barbs and some tetra species.

References

↑ Barlow, GW (1968) Dither--a way to reduce undesirable fright behavior in ethological studies. Z. Tierpsychol 25:315-318.
↑ Loiselle, PV (1979) On dither fish. Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine November:30-34, 76-79 (also online).

Aquariums and fishkeeping

Aquarium types	Freshwater Marine Reef Brackish-water Community Biotope

Aquarium décor and equipment	Airstone Algae scrubber Berlin Method Bog-wood / Driftwood Calcium reactor Deep sand bed Filter Fishcam Fish feeder Heater Lighting Live rock / Live sand Powerhead Protein skimmer Refugium Substrate Sump

Fish terms / types	Algae eater Bottom feeder Coldwater Dither Hardy Painted Tropical

Fish food	Brine shrimp Daphnia Feeder fish Infusoria Shrimp mix Tubifex tubifex

Other concepts	Aquarium fishery Aquascaping Artificial seawater Bath treatment Clean-up crew Disease in ornamental fish Macquarium Project Piaba Quarantine tank Reef safe Spawning triggers

People	Takashi Amano Herbert R. Axelrod Pierre Carbonnier Edward Edwards Philip Henry Gosse Sven O. Kullander William Alford Lloyd Paul Matte Julian Sprung Anna Thynne Charles Haskins Townsend Jeanne Villepreux-Power Robert Warington

Magazines	Aquarium Fish International Koi Practical Fishkeeping Tropical Fish Hobbyist

Companies	Drs. Foster & Smith Eheim Hagen Sera Tetra

Lists	Aquarium diseases Aquarium fish by scientific name Freshwater aquarium fish / amphibians / invertebrates / plants Marine aquarium fish / invertebrates / plants Brackish aquarium fish / invertebrates / plants

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