Within 2 days, the banded darters in my tank have went from what they looked like in photo 1 to a bright green in photo 2. Only the few females I have in there have pretty much stayed the same. Do darters typically have the colors brighten in tanks or could they be maturing and going into breeding?

Darters turning bright green!
#1
Posted 01 November 2018 - 08:42 PM
#2
Posted 02 November 2018 - 06:37 AM
Did you recently do a big water change? That, (and especially cooler water) can get them fired up. Did you change their diet? Did they all of a sudden get a new, more exciting food item? (Blackworms?) My males would color up during the spring as they were exposed to the ambient light in the living room. The longer days did the trick. Whatever the case, that is exciting. Makes them all the more fun to keep and enjoy when they do that for you. Fingers crossed for some spawning, perhaps.
#3
Posted 02 November 2018 - 05:12 PM
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#4
Posted 02 November 2018 - 07:26 PM
I did a 5 gallon water change 3 days ago. I get my water from their native source and I let it sit in the house for a day to come to tank temps then do my change. So the water *should* have been close to the same temp as in the tank. As for the food, nothing out of the ordinary for them. They eat blood worms, Mysis shrimp and the occasional fry minnow for the rainbows. My fantail darter's head turned almost black as well. So something has inspired a color change in them. Despite the color change, they sure are a personable type of fish. All of them flock to the front of the tank when it comes feeding time, and when I use the gravel vac to change water, some like to sit on the branch near the vac and watch me siphon the water out. Most are also very agreeable to being photographed with the exception of the fantail and adult rainbows.
Don't know what I'd do if they spawned. I have nowhere to put the fry at.
#5
Posted 04 November 2018 - 09:41 AM
In captivity with abundant food and less extreme seasonal temp and light fluctuations than in nature, many natives will color up (and in some cases breed) at any time of year.
Gerald Pottern
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Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel
#6
Posted 04 November 2018 - 03:54 PM
Thank you for the information. They eat regularly and eat a good amount. So like you said, that could have a lot to do with it.
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