CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Right now I have in a 55 gallon tank 2 female bule acaras, 1 candystripe pleco, 1 turquiose rainbow, and one juv. firemouth.  I want a tank that had a lot of color, but I also want to get a male and try to breed my acaras.  Since they ignore the rainbow, i was thinking like 3 or 4 more to kinda act as target fish, so when they get into breeding mode they chase the rainbows instead of killing each other.    Would this work? 

I have no experience with Acaras, but my experience with various other cichlids is that the "dither" fish are totally ignored, and have no effect on breeding aggression.  Once you have eggs and fry, the dithers are treated as threats if they go near.

Got a male!  He's kinda small, about half the size of the larger female, but some good live food, space to swim, and clean water outta help that along!  He was eating the first night I got him, he saw the other acaras doing it so he just kinda followed.  They're hangin out in a threesome, a little pack patrolling the tank.  And.....  no major aggression toward the newcomer, his dorsal fin is a little frayed but that's to be expected.  Success!