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Best Starter Darter....Hehe!

Started by Guest_chad55_* , Oct 25 2006 05:20 PM

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26 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 25 October 2006 - 05:20 PM

Ok well as some of you may know I want to start a darter tank. I am going to be using a ten gallon and I want some thing really colorful. I originally wanted rainbows or orangethroats but I was advised against it in such a small tank. So my question to you guys is what is a good species that is really pretty and doesnt need the huge current that rainbows and orangethroats do? I want something that is really bright though. I kinda want to try breeding them also. And if I can use sand substrate that is a plus...I like the looks of it. Thanks

Chad

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#2 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 25 October 2006 - 05:25 PM

Greenside darters are easy!, and do not need as much current.

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#3 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 25 October 2006 - 05:41 PM

Stagnant water darters like swamp, sawcheek, Iowa and least are probably the easiest darters to keep, but they certainly are not the most attractive9though the Iowa darter is not bad looking).

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#4 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 25 October 2006 - 07:11 PM

Greensides around my area like the fastest water though young and females are often in quieter areas. But they get pretty big for a ten gallon. Rainbows or Orangethroats will do fine in a ten gallon. Once I had several Rainbows in a ten which was filled with fist sized and smaller rocks over sand and gravel with an outside power filter for a 30 gallon tank. The water literally rocked through and over the rock maze. The rainbows loved it and I saw them spawning often. Orangethroats in my experience prefer a bit less current. That being said I and the fish prefer bigger tanks. At least that's what the last darter I spoke with said.
Mike Lucas

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#5 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 07:53 AM

I think Banded darters (Etheostoma zonale) make an excellent starter darter. They live well in lower flow tanks and eat pellets. These fish are attractive but not quite as colorful as others. I've also found that slenderhead darters (Percina phoxocephala) also live well in low flow tanks. Slenderheads might get a bit too large for a 10 gallon tank however.

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#6 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:02 PM

I was looking at banded darters because Drew posted a picture of one and it looked very nice but I looked it up and it said it was a riffle darter. I was trying to stay away from those kind but if you guys say it is ok then I may just do it.

Chad

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#7 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:05 PM

I was looking at banded darters because Drew posted a picture of one and it looked very nice but I looked it up and it said it was a riffle darter. I was trying to stay away from those kind but if you guys say it is ok then I may just do it.

Chad

It is a riffle darter but they live for many years at home in some of my slower water tanks. They seem to be happy and healthy, eat anything. These fish are common where I live.

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#8 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:10 PM

I find that most riffle darters do fine in lower flow aquariums. Some flow really helps by presenting the food items naturally, by causing them to drift along the bottom. Once the darters become accustomed to seeking out food, this seems like less of an issue. I believe you will do fine with many of the common darter species. I keep many of mine in sponge filtered tanks. I have trouble with Johnny darters, and orangethroats seem harder to keep than rainbows, greensides, and bandeds.

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#9 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:10 PM

What kind of GPH are we talking. I want it to be perfect for these guys. I should be making a bunch of movements tomarrow and I might grab a small powerhead while I am out if need be. Also how hard is it really to breed them. I am a complete beginner on these kind of fish and there really isnt a whole lot of info available so...

Chad

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#10 Guest_dredcon_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:16 PM

I've got about 840 gph in one of my 20g darter tanks, but I think it is overkill. Also, if you are keeping fish that require cool water too many powerheads will warm the water too much. The amount of flow required depends on the species of darter you choose.

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#11 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:20 PM

Well I think I have it narrowed down to banded or greensided. I really like them. Which one is easier to keep and breed. Which ever of the two is easier I will most likely go with that. Then we can go from there.

Chad

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#12 Guest_dredcon_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:29 PM

I am keeping both species, but I have'nt been for long so I dont know which is eaiser.

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#13 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:33 PM

Greenside.

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#14 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 05:35 PM

Sounds like it is settled then! So what are some specifics for these guys to maybe get them to breed and be happy. Thanks guys.

Chad

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#15 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 07:35 PM

Rainbows are the easiest especially in a ten gallon. They will eat live, frozen, and freeze-dried food with abandon. Not true of greensides and bandeds, both will need mostly live foods and next to no competition at meal time. Rainbows can be conditioned without live foods if neccessary. They are all fun to keep. But overall rainbows are the easiest of the three. Also greensides are large darters a ten gallon is just too small in my opinion. If you do go with greensides they absolutely love snails! An outside power filter gives plenty of current without heating up the water.

Mike Lucas

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#16 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 07:57 PM

Rainbows were my first darter so I have a soft spot for them. They are easy to keep and won't outgrow your 10G. I also had them when they were REALLY small and I fed them micro pellets so live food is no requirement. Greenside darters are the largest of the Etheostoma sp. and could possibly outgrow your 10G. I personally would tell you to go with the rainbow darters.

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#17 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 08:49 PM

Rainbows are the easiest especially in a ten gallon. They will eat live, frozen, and freeze-dried food with abandon. Not true of greensides and bandeds, both will need mostly live foods and next to no competition at meal time. Rainbows can be conditioned without live foods if neccessary. They are all fun to keep. But overall rainbows are the easiest of the three. Also greensides are large darters a ten gallon is just too small in my opinion. If you do go with greensides they absolutely love snails! An outside power filter gives plenty of current without heating up the water.

Mike Lucas

I agree rainbows are a good choice. And greensides are snail destroyers, they are made to suck them right out of the shells. But every greenside I have ever owned has learned to feed at the surface, at least partly on flake food. My banded darters will also eat flake. And both will take any type of frozen food that I throw at them. Also the fish that I am speaking of also share a tank with around 15 various dace, minnows, and shiners. So they are in a situation with quite a bit of competition. These darters in particular have been inhabiting this tank for a year now. I do feed a very mixed diet, and try to fill the shiner types on flakes before I add freeze dried bloodworms or what not for the darters specifically. I also bring in new darters on a weekly basis, and have zero trouble converting bandeds, rainbows, greensides, or fantails onto prepared foods.
Greensides may not be the best choice for a ten, given the large size that they attain, but I would surely not be opposed to keeping a trio in a ten with reasonably regular water changes.

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#18 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 26 October 2006 - 11:16 PM

So confused....So now you are saying that a rainbow IS good for a ten gallon. Rainbow was my first choice as I have always wanted one but I thought you guys said that the current would be hard to have in a ten?

Chad

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#19 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 27 October 2006 - 12:01 AM

Well, they do like current, but a powerhead can solve that problem. There are inside filters that will do the job too. They tolerate warmer water pretty well. As do redfins, which are prettier than rainbows, IMO.