my first darter

I got my first darter today, a tesselated, i put him in a 3 gallon tank i have (i am still working towards my 55). I am glad he survived the trip (the water in his breather bag is fairly warm).

I feel a little bit guilty for taking him out of the wild, but i like his chubby snub nosed face, he has a habit of watching me.

I haven't started my brine shrimp tank yet, and haven't got him frozen blood worms yet. but i noticed he ate some of the dirt and plant matter floating in the breather bag with him and decided to try a pinch of flakes while waiting for more decent food (I hear flakes are not very nutritious to darters though) and suprisingly he is eating them, but he is picking at them sparingly and worry that his picky eating habits may lead to water fouling. However he will EAT flakes, I will get better food for him tomarrow.

i had a dartr wuns. it dyd.

i had a dartr wuns. it dyd.

Ah yes, nothing makes the day iof a new and inexperienced native keeper than the obligatory visit by a forum troll.

I scopped up the few flakes left floating (I worry too many sank already). I guess all I have left to do is change the water often and check the chemistry dayly just to be safe.

i had a dartr wuns. it dyd.

Irate, you're making me snort, but you're gonna get slapped by the moderators soon.

try some frozen bloodworms

Edited by dafrimpster, 17 May 2009 - 11:00 AM.

try some frozen bloodworms

I tried frozen bloodworms, he likes them alot.

I alsio tried dried bloodworms, sadly they float so i had to net most of them out.

But between yesterdays flakes and todays dried bloodworms my darter did develope a unique surace eating technique that involves sitting at the corner of a tank facing up and charging the surface using the tank walls for support to grab food.

You have to remember your tanks not cycled so he may die. I don't know how tough tesselated darters are.

You have to remember your tanks not cycled so he may die. I don't know how tough tesselated darters are.

I am not sure on how tough but he seems smart for a fish, through only two feedings (one a day) he has learned to identify the closing of the top of the tank with food and looks upward for it.

Ah yes, nothing makes the day iof a new and inexperienced native keeper than the obligatory visit by a forum troll.

NO sense of humor - duly noted!