Has anybody been able to successfully keep darters with larger natives, particularly sunfish? I have a 210 native tank where I have bluegill, pumpkinseed, rock bass, brown bullhead, etc. They definitely have an appetite for feeder fish like rosy reds. Obviously darters would get eaten, but is there a way to create structures or something on those lines to at least enjoy the fish for some time? I really love darters and thought about doing a dedicated tank, but it would be great to have a healthy darter population in my main tank.
Darters with larger natives
Started by
Guest_bjbass_*
, Jan 06 2013 12:15 AM
8 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_BenCantrell_*
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Posted 06 January 2013 - 12:44 AM
I think you'll have to go with larger darters if they're going to stand a chance. Big greensides, logperch, etc.
#3
Guest_Subrosa_*
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Posted 06 January 2013 - 09:36 AM
You'll need Darters too big to fit into the Bullheads mouths.
#4
Guest_AndrewMeiborg_*
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Posted 07 January 2013 - 04:06 PM
i currently have a piece of plexi glass dividing off about ten gallons of my 50g that i keep my madtoms and darters in to keep them from being eaten by my greensunfish and bullheads
#5
littlen
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Posted 08 January 2013 - 10:02 AM
I enjoy darters too much to condone this action, but I certainly appreciate the attempt to try and diversify your show tank This will not work out well for any of your darters in the long run. Even if you provided habitat/hides that would keep them safe from predators, they would have to stay there all the time to avoid being eaten and wouldn't be able to forage for food all day as they naturally do. Most darters are not found in the same habitat as your sunfish and cats. That being said, your daters would enjoy plenty of current whereas the rest of fish wouldn't. And I'm guessing your tank does not have any substantial current...other than some movement due to the returns on your filters. While your darters won't die without current, you'll find that they do much better when provided with some. I would recommend some chubs or stonerollers. A few Creek chubs would definitely be too big for anyone to eat and would give you some extra 'movement' throughout the tank. (Although no other native species provides quite the same amount of color, activity, and diurnal enjoyment as darters do!)
Nick L.
#6
Guest_exasperatus2002_*
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Posted 08 January 2013 - 10:03 AM
Maybe logperch but those rockbass have big mouths for their size and can take a mature dace with ease. I used to catch a mess of them while trout fishing.
#7
Guest_bjbass_*
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Posted 09 January 2013 - 05:01 PM
Thanks for all of your replies. I can understand your love for darters and wouldn't want to do this. Actually there are banded darters near me that live with most of the sunfish species that I have in my tank. There are definitely redbreasts, rock bass, and smallmouths in the same stream. I agree that they are awesome and I don't like to see them get eaten. Oh well, I guess eventually I will just have to start a separate tank for them. Someday I will do that. The aquarium hobby is such an addiction. I already have a 210 freshwater native tank and a 14 gallon saltwater. There are two other tanks that I want to start so bad. A darter tank and a peacock bass tank. I think I will wait until my native tank is empty and start that as a peacock bass tank. It is hard to hold back from adding more tanks!
Edited by bjbass, 09 January 2013 - 05:01 PM.
#8
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 10 January 2013 - 01:38 PM
Sorry BJ -- You wont find much support for curing that addiction around here.
The other problem I find in trying to keep darters or suckers with other fish -- even fish that wont eat them -- is getting enough food to the darters and suckers. They just don't gobble up food as fast as minnows and sunfish -- they're built for eating small meals more frequently.
The aquarium hobby is such an addiction. ... It is hard to hold back from adding more tanks!
The other problem I find in trying to keep darters or suckers with other fish -- even fish that wont eat them -- is getting enough food to the darters and suckers. They just don't gobble up food as fast as minnows and sunfish -- they're built for eating small meals more frequently.
#9
littlen
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Posted 11 January 2013 - 04:37 PM
I believe the old saying goes, "You're not really a hobbiest if you are truly satisfied keeping just one tank".
Nick L.
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