I have recently started keeping darters, only one kind in a 15 gal breeder, are you able to mix types of darters in the same tank without a lot of problems? There are so many beautiful kinds i would like to keep but cant have 50 darter tanks.
Darters
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, Nov 17 2008 10:33 AM
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#2
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Posted 17 November 2008 - 10:57 AM
I have recently started keeping darters, only one kind in a 15 gal breeder, are you able to mix types of darters in the same tank without a lot of problems? There are so many beautiful kinds i would like to keep but cant have 50 darter tanks.
Well, I have roughly 15 different species of Darters in my tank. Almost all are very mild mannered. All the fish that are similar to greensides (greenside, emerald, snubnose, banded, swamp, johnny) are very laidback and friendly. All of my others are usually nice to each other. My Striped Darter, Swannonoa, and Variegate keep to themselves. The frecklebelly schools with my shiners.
The only problem I have is my Redline Darter. This guy is a bit mean. One of my Rainbows was the 'alpha' male in the tank and the Redline is determined to take over that spot. They don't really fight, but the redline nips at his fins. I'm planning a larger tank and I hope this will help solve this problem.
I just added a beautiful Bloodfin Darter I caught over the weekend and we'll see how it adjusts in the tank.
As for having too many, just be careful not to load up on one species. At one point I had collected nearly 10 Rainbows, I cut back to two. I try not to keep duplicates of any species unless they are male and female.
#3
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Posted 17 November 2008 - 01:25 PM
Well, I have roughly 15 different species of Darters in my tank. Almost all are very mild mannered. All the fish that are similar to greensides (greenside, emerald, snubnose, banded, swamp, johnny) are very laidback and friendly. All of my others are usually nice to each other. My Striped Darter, Swannonoa, and Variegate keep to themselves. The frecklebelly schools with my shiners.
The only problem I have is my Redline Darter. This guy is a bit mean. One of my Rainbows was the 'alpha' male in the tank and the Redline is determined to take over that spot. They don't really fight, but the redline nips at his fins. I'm planning a larger tank and I hope this will help solve this problem.
I just added a beautiful Bloodfin Darter I caught over the weekend and we'll see how it adjusts in the tank.
As for having too many, just be careful not to load up on one species. At one point I had collected nearly 10 Rainbows, I cut back to two. I try not to keep duplicates of any species unless they are male and female.
That is exactly my problem i did chiclids for a long time and know a male and female pair whether trying to breed or not produces a better looking male, so i order too many fish at a time and end up with extras, which i have now in sunfish and darters as well and would like to find a good place to trade off the extras so i could add more different kinds without too much crowding.
#4
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Posted 17 November 2008 - 02:16 PM
I guess I have about 13 varieties in a 75 gal. They more or less get along, though there are distinct personalities involved. If there's any squaring off, it's usually between two males of the same species, in breeding colors. Otherwise, they may nudge each other every once in a while, but there's not a lot of overt animosity. Some, like the emerald and johnny, are very mild mannered. Variegate pretty much stays to itself, but can get quite aggressive when pursuing food. Rainbows usually get aggressive only with other male rainbows, though it is funny to see two in colors standing next to each other, seeing who can show the most color. In general, darters are very expressive fish, which makes them neat to watch.
Darters don't usually grow large, so you can get quite a few in a tank, as long as you keep the water fresh and moving. Most of them come from fast moving streams, so they like moving water. I doubled the pumping capacity of my 75 with a large canister filter in addition to the reef filter, and they seem quite happy. Actually, the shallow breeder tanks make perfect darter tanks, as they prefer shallow water and as much bottom space as possible. For that reason, the tall, narrow display tanks like a 55 are not good darter tanks.
You have a pretty decent darter population in IN. But, a few hours east of you is Darter Heaven. So far, I've found eleven darter species in Red River Gorge, plus another three species on a quick trip south last weekend. And that's just casual prowling around, both areas list darters I haven't found yet. Well worth a day trip, and you can hit the upper and central Cumberland drainage in the same day if you know where to go.
Darters don't usually grow large, so you can get quite a few in a tank, as long as you keep the water fresh and moving. Most of them come from fast moving streams, so they like moving water. I doubled the pumping capacity of my 75 with a large canister filter in addition to the reef filter, and they seem quite happy. Actually, the shallow breeder tanks make perfect darter tanks, as they prefer shallow water and as much bottom space as possible. For that reason, the tall, narrow display tanks like a 55 are not good darter tanks.
You have a pretty decent darter population in IN. But, a few hours east of you is Darter Heaven. So far, I've found eleven darter species in Red River Gorge, plus another three species on a quick trip south last weekend. And that's just casual prowling around, both areas list darters I haven't found yet. Well worth a day trip, and you can hit the upper and central Cumberland drainage in the same day if you know where to go.
#5
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Posted 17 November 2008 - 03:27 PM
I guess I have about 13 varieties in a 75 gal. They more or less get along, though there are distinct personalities involved. If there's any squaring off, it's usually between two males of the same species, in breeding colors. Otherwise, they may nudge each other every once in a while, but there's not a lot of overt animosity. Some, like the emerald and johnny, are very mild mannered. Variegate pretty much stays to itself, but can get quite aggressive when pursuing food. Rainbows usually get aggressive only with other male rainbows, though it is funny to see two in colors standing next to each other, seeing who can show the most color. In general, darters are very expressive fish, which makes them neat to watch.
Darters don't usually grow large, so you can get quite a few in a tank, as long as you keep the water fresh and moving. Most of them come from fast moving streams, so they like moving water. I doubled the pumping capacity of my 75 with a large canister filter in addition to the reef filter, and they seem quite happy. Actually, the shallow breeder tanks make perfect darter tanks, as they prefer shallow water and as much bottom space as possible. For that reason, the tall, narrow display tanks like a 55 are not good darter tanks.
You have a pretty decent darter population in IN. But, a few hours east of you is Darter Heaven. So far, I've found eleven darter species in Red River Gorge, plus another three species on a quick trip south last weekend. And that's just casual prowling around, both areas list darters I haven't found yet. Well worth a day trip, and you can hit the upper and central Cumberland drainage in the same day if you know where to go.
Kewl, just googled that its only about an hour and a half from me, Im so there in the spring, do you happen to know anything about the sunfish population there??
Edited by jimv8673, 17 November 2008 - 03:35 PM.
#6
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Posted 17 November 2008 - 06:25 PM
Plenty of longear, bluegill and rock bass. I have a creek full of bluegill on my farm near Lexington (plus scads of rainbow and fantail darters). While I was in Livingston this weekend, I netted a pretty little 2" longear, they tend to hide under logs and near vegetation, same sort of locations that one finds some of the percina darters. You can get smallmouth bass easily enough, but they aren't that pretty and tend to be very aggressive.Kewl, just googled that its only about an hour and a half from me, Im so there in the spring, do you happen to know anything about the sunfish population there??
Only problem with them is - they grow. When they get larger, they view a darter as a tasty snack. The general rule is - if a fish will fit in another fish's mouth, it will probably end up there. A prime reason that sculpins aren't the best fish to keep, they have enormous mouths.
#7
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Posted 19 November 2008 - 05:20 AM
Jim,
I'd have to say that my experiences have been similar to Josh's. Darters are, for the most part, a docile group of fish. They usually just mind their own business. Or they mind yours (they like to watch as you walk past the tank)
!
I'd have to say that my experiences have been similar to Josh's. Darters are, for the most part, a docile group of fish. They usually just mind their own business. Or they mind yours (they like to watch as you walk past the tank)
!
#8
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 12:03 AM
Snails don't work too well with darters, at least not rainbows. I couldn't figure out why all of my snails kept disappearing from my rainbow darter tank, until I added a few the other day and watched them get gobbled.... It is kinda kewl watching them slurp a larger snail out of its shell like.... well....... escargo. 
#9
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 03:50 AM
Snails don't work too well with darters, at least not rainbows. I couldn't figure out why all of my snails kept disappearing from my rainbow darter tank, until I added a few the other day and watched them get gobbled.... It is kinda kewl watching them slurp a larger snail out of its shell like.... well....... escargo.
Greenside Darters will eat snails, including the Malashayian Livbearing snails. I counted one time a mature greenside can eat 24 small to medium ramshorn snails in one day. I had one in a tank by itself and threw that many in and then watched as it proceeded to clear the tank. Interesting to watch.
Bill F.
#10
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 07:40 PM
It was kinda neat, last night, out of curiosity, I threw an MTS into my rainbow tank to see if its trapdoor would stop them..... NOPE! My big male just sat there and watched it like a hawk until it started to open up, and BAM! He shook it out of its shell in about 2 seconds. I wish I had a digital camcorder so I could've posted it, he shook the snail like a dog with a chew toy (squeak! 
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Edited by camber1981, 20 November 2008 - 07:41 PM.
#11
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 07:45 PM
It was kinda neat, last night, out of curiosity, I threw an MTS into my rainbow tank to see if its trapdoor would stop them..... NOPE! My big male just sat there and watched it like a hawk until it started to open up, and BAM! He shook it out of its shell in about 2 seconds. I wish I had a digital camcorder so I could've posted it, he shook the snail like a dog with a chew toy (squeak!
You keep spoiling those guys like that and they wont be darters anymore it will be more like floppers...flop flop. ohhhh i cant believe i ate the whole thing ...burrrrpppp !!!
Edited by jimv8673, 20 November 2008 - 07:46 PM.
#12
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 07:57 PM
I can't help it, these guys are so freakin' AWESOME to watch!!!! They all have their own distinct personalities, they're really friendly when they're socialized, and the males are way cool when they're 'in color'. BTW, I've heard they only really color up in cool water, but the only one that isn't is my one juvie, and I keep my tanks about 76 degrees AND they're over white playsand (which WILL be changed when I upgrade to the 150).
#13
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 11:25 PM
On the subject of darters and snails, do you think orangethroats could be kept with something like large Mystery or Apple snails, or large Nerites?
#14
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 03:23 AM
On the subject of darters and snails, do you think orangethroats could be kept with something like large Mystery or Apple snails, or large Nerites?
I have tried to keep mystery snails in a tank with some rainbow darters. They eventually get eaten, but last a lot longer than the pond snails did. I added 5 the first time and 2 or 3 of them made it past a year, but were eventually eaten. I put another 6 in last June. One of them was still alive a month ago but haven't seen it for a while. I would guess that a big apple snail would be too much for them but haven't ever tried it so won't say for sure. Hmmm I wonder if there are any freshwater conch?
#15
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 12:48 PM
I have tried to keep mystery snails in a tank with some rainbow darters.
Hmmm I wonder if there are any freshwater conch?
Which even if it existed would then have to deal with my logperch... talk a bout a large snail eating darter... this guy keeps my tank totally out of the snail business... and would have the size (an the snout) to deal with any snail...
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#16
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 05:10 PM
Snails don't work too well with darters, at least not rainbows. I couldn't figure out why all of my snails kept disappearing from my rainbow darter tank, until I added a few the other day and watched them get gobbled.... It is kinda kewl watching them slurp a larger snail out of its shell like.... well....... escargo.
So THAT's why I keep finding empty snail shells in my 20g!
My male rainbow darter is easily one of my favorite fish. He *attacks* the turkey baster as soon as he sees it, before I even have a chance to start squeezing out the bloodworms. He attacks my gravel siphon too, heh.
He'll also chase off the corys rather aggressively at dinner time, but other than that he's pretty well-behaved.
#17
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Posted 25 November 2008 - 01:35 PM
I have never considered johnny darters to be similar to greensides. I'm curious as to what you base that assessment on. Regardless, I find your observations to be interesting. I have found greensides to be aggressive fin nippers, and, to a lesser degree, bandeds also. It is kind of fun watching the bandeds try to nip the fins of other darters. They sneak up on them, but when they make their move, true to their name the other darters dart away quickly. I have not seen any serious damage done by my bandeds, but it is fun watching them try.All the fish that are similar to greensides (greenside, emerald, snubnose, banded, swamp, johnny) are very laidback and friendly.
Try this: get some small feeder guppies at your LFS. Put them in your darter tank. All of your darters will go crazy! They are very aggressive predators when you put small live fish in there. It is quite fun to watch. But in their relations with other darters, I have not really seen any aggression from darters, other than the fin nipping mentioned above.
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