# Golden Pencilfish



## niknaksky (12 Feb 2011)

Any one had problems with the above chasing otos and apistogrammas ?


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## Radik (13 Feb 2011)

I heard males are territorial but gentle and no harm should be done. They are considered peaceful. How big is your tank and how many you have?


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## niknaksky (13 Feb 2011)

I took them out was doing me head in relentlessly chasing my otos even harrasing my female apistos.
I had 14 in a 260 litre with 1 m +2f a. caca and 3 otos 3 cory.
Quite heavily planted.

I have had them before and they have been fine just a few of them had gone mental.


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## dw1305 (13 Feb 2011)

Hi all,
_Nannostomus beckfordii_ is the "odd man out" amongst the Pencil fish. I tried them as dithers for _Apistogramma cacatuoides _ (in a tank with _Otocinclus_) and had exactly the same problems. _Nannostomus eques_ is a good dither if you want a Pencil, or I used to use Black Neon Tetras and they are very suitable as well.

cheers Darrel


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## Radik (13 Feb 2011)

I ordered 15 nannostomus marginatus so I hope these little guys are fine.


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## dw1305 (14 Feb 2011)

Hi all,


> 15 _Nannostomus marginatus_


 Dwarf Pencils, a top quality dither and one of my favourite fish.
Darrel


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## Radik (15 Feb 2011)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> 
> 
> > 15 _Nannostomus marginatus_
> ...



They are really nice. Got them this morning. A bit scared for now but already colored. They are a bit larger than CPD but tide shoaling. If lucky I will try to produce some fry to get them to 25.


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## DavidC (6 Mar 2011)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> 
> 
> > 15 _Nannostomus marginatus_
> ...



sorry what is a dither? i have seen it mentioned a few times


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## dw1305 (6 Mar 2011)

Hi all,
A "dither" is just a small shoaling fish that makes your other fish more comfortable. If you keep Dwarf Cichlids on their own they often become very reclusive, but if the dithers are swimming about the Cichlids know it is safe to come out and that there are no larger predators about. 

If you don't intend to breed your fish any shoaling fish will do, but if they breed you need fish that will stay well up in the water column (and have small mouths) away from potentially damaging "fish on fish" encounters. A bottom orientated fish like a _Corydoras_ catfish, or one that will hunt singly across the bottom like a Cardinal or Emperor Tetra are no good as dithers as they will eat the fry and/or end up in a mangled mess if the female corners them.
It depends a little a bit upon the fish species, Rams can't protect their fry, _Apistogramma cacatuoides_ usually manages fry protection without genocide, but a pair of _Hemichromis_  will usually kill all the other fish in the tank when breeding, even if the fish are much larger than they are.

Dithers and target fish are sometimes used inter-changeably, but they do have different meanings, a true target fish is one that will distract the female/male cichlid whilst they female are looking after the fry and stop the female potentially damaging the male. Another cichlid in an adjoining tank will perform this role. Black Neons are both dithers and target fish, as they are robust and quick enough to avoid serious harm, Pencils or Hatchets are very much just dithers, as they don't tend to interact with the Cichlids at all.

cheers Darrel


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## DavidC (6 Mar 2011)

very informative. I have a pair of Apistogramma macmasteri in with green neons (Paracheirodon Simulans) without knowing anything about dither fish have i inadvertently done well?


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## dw1305 (7 Mar 2011)

Hi all,


> I have a pair of Apistogramma macmasteri in with green neons (Paracheirodon Simulans) without knowing anything about dither fish have i inadvertently done well?


 Job done, definitely a good choice of dither when the cichlids aren't breeding. _A. macmasteri_ is somewhere in between _A. cacatuoides_ and_ Hemichromis_ on the the genocide scale, but nearer to _A. cacatuoides_, the female _macmasteri _shouldn't have any problem holding the Green Neons at bay, the only problem would be if the Green Neons are a bit slow on the uptake and keep on approaching the fry, in that case she may manage to kill a few. The free swimming fry may already be too big for the Green Neons to eat, so it would be more a case of casual interaction.

cheers Darrel


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## DavidC (7 Mar 2011)

Ok that sounds good. Its a pretty big tank with plenty places to hide so hopefully there will be no deaths.

thanks for your help!

Dave


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