7 replies to this topic

[Bulldarter]

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know my fantail and tessellated darters are feeding on flake! They have been for two and a half weeks or so, but now they really like it. Anyone else have darters that easily took to flake?

https://youtu.be/3LMNHvW4NcY

Edited by Bulldarter, 15 February 2016 - 12:02 AM.

[mattknepley]

Not I; I'm snake bit in that department. I believe Michael W. has had some pretty good success with it.

[MtFallsTodd]

Yep, my rainbow and greensides eat pretty much anything you put in the tank. I still feed them mostly live blackworms and frozen mysis. They get frozen bloodworms too. I try to give them as much variety as possible.

[Bulldarter]

Yeah, they get flake maybe once a week and different frozen stuff throughout the rest of the week.

[keepnatives]

Before I offend anyone let me say I believe it is possible to get some darters to take and thrive on flake food.  However, most reports I've seen are questionable.  The vast majority begin with reports of successful transition to flake food followed by photos of skinny darters, then more assurances they are eating the flake  and have made it for a few months and more photos of skinny darters finally reports of dead or dying darters.  A variety of good nutritional foods are necessary for long term health.  The same applies to other fish especially robust, energetic species like many of the Cyprinella.   

[littlen]

I've seen an occasional darter take flake at my house....followed shortly by severe bouts of depression and fits of rage for being tricked.

I think it would be great if they would take pellets and flake like other fish--but I find it part of the uniqueness in keeping them that they don't.

Similar to long term success with Mardarin gobies in a reef tank and needing to feed on amphipods. Verrrrryyyy peculiar how they have sort of a similar body plan.

[Bulldarter]

^ very true. Mine really only get what the dace miss, or as an in between-meal snack.

[Michael Wolfe]

Although I am one that has talked about darters eatting flake, and I think they will take high protein stuff like earthworm flake, I am not making it an exclusive.

Yoke darters, a robust Nothonotus type, were the ones that definitely ate flake. But they were also darters that lived for years eating every other day or so. Many other darters cannot do that and must get something 5 or 6 days a week to thrive.