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First Time Darter Keeper


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#1 Guest_VAtechFISHERIES_*

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 11:43 AM

Hey guys I have some questions. I am looking to start a new tank and love darters and sunfish so much that I'd like to attempt a split-tank system. Going with a 75 gallon 48 1/2"L x 18 1/2"W x 21 1/8"H tank most likely and was thinking of doing a plexiglass divider between 1/3 and 1/2 of the way (darters getting larger portion if its not directly half and half). Would use a powerhead on the darter side and drill SMALL holes in plexiglass to allow water and O2 transfer to sunfish side. Darter side would be rocky, gravely, and woody and sunfish side would be more woody and with plants.

Questions: 1) would the sunfish be okay not using a heater in order to keep darters more comfortable?

2) would my proposed tank set-up work or should I look at one tank now and then later on down the road look at getting a 2nd?

3) Haven't settled on what darter species I want but the Southwestern VA area is rich with them so have lots to choose from but would like to know what sorts of other fish to include. Probably would have blacknose dace or mountain redbelly dace to add and we have tons of banded and mottled sculpins, would these be okay?

4) Food. I know I would need to start a culture of red or blackworms for the darters and minnows but what should I look into for the sunfish to either raise myself or otherwise be cost-effective? Tank would probably have some combination of green sunfish, bluegills, pumpkinseed, and/or redbreasts.

5) What sorts of plants should I look into for sunfish side? I have easy access to elodea, curly leaf pondweed and hyrdilla.

That's all I can think of at the moment, I'm sure I'll have other questions later on down the road. Thanks for any help you can give me!

#2 Guest_VAtechFISHERIES_*

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 11:50 AM

Ha! Remembered another one. Would a magined madtom be okay with darters/minnows/sculpins or would they become fish food?

#3 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 12:11 PM

A few things to remember. Unless you have a big logperch the sunnies will eat the darters. (I assume the divider is to prevent this).

a sunfish would eat anything frozen, dried, or live. Apparently young ones can be pellet trained too.

Sunfish are very terretorial. Two in a 55 gallon are very uncomfortable, three are quite cramped. and four means the weakest one will die. Not sure the gallon equivalency of a divided 75 (37 maybe) but it wouldn't hold many sunnies.

#4 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 12:18 PM

Answering your last question first... no margined madtoms eat fish...
http://forum.nanfa.o...tom#entry100331

Then commenting on your other questions:
1) yes, neither species needs any heat
2) it is an interesting idea, and if the sunfish dont get to the darters and eat them it might work
3) the dace will be OK, the scupins are not recommended they are a harder fish to keep, not a good idea for a beginner
4) you dont need live foods for darter and minnows... I maintain both on frozen foods and flakes and pellets
5) I cant answer about plants and sunfish, I am sure others will
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#5 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 27 March 2013 - 08:42 PM

Hey VTFish person! The above advice is all sound. I just wanted to mention that I'm a neighbor right here in Blacksburg. I've been keeping fish all my life and have been into natives for about ten years. Feel free to send me a message if you need any advice on aquaria, native species, or are looking to go out collecting. I'd love to have someone to catch some fish with!

#6 Guest_VAtechFISHERIES_*

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 03:16 PM

Thanks for everyone's help so far! Hopefully will be getting the tank up and running in the next couple of weeks; still undecide on whether to try the divided-tank idea or not. I like darters and sunfish too much to have to pick one or the other....

Kanus - Hey! Not sure when I'll be able to get out and collect but I'll keep you in mind! I have the stream that flows through Wildwood Park in Radford almost in my back yard so I'll probably hit that at some point.




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