Rainbows in the closet

So I have this odd walk in closet in my bedroom. It's under a stair well with a large window where a door once was. The closet was the entry at some point. Under insulated and drafty, I cracked the window a few inches and the closet is like 40F on cold mornings.
The window faces north and I'm leaving the natural light as the only regular lighting. I do click on a small spot light before trying pics because the darters seem to appreciate what the light does for their good looks. A few minutes after the light goes on, everybody's fired up.
I know they're spewing eggs. I'm really torn about trying to save some. The tank is supposed to be for the SRBD. If the dace breed, I'll be very pressed for space.
This is my most colorful male. He more or less guards this sand pile in the lee of the tree root. In reality, all the darters, male and female, frequently visit this spot to See and be Seen.





From my first batch received back in '08. Top Dog with size and bulk over the other males.

I'm starting to think this odd posture, held crosswise to current, is the final approach to breeding after displaying and squabbling.

Not as colorful as his chief rival, he still maintains his place at the head of the "pool". I noticed all the males seemed to be getting some action. Neither size nor color seemed to matter, at least as to attention paid by females. I can't swear any actually bred.

The females defineately like the attention and often visit this little cross roads where all the males display.

There are some more cool smaller males which don't catch my eye when I have the camera.

Holy Smokes, I can't believe how annoying that one grain of colored aquarium gravel is!
I never even noticed it in the tank but it glows and jumps off the screen to me here.

I wasn't really sure what I would see when I read "Rainbows in the Closet"

Beautiful pictures Mike! YES. I had a stupid lime green piece of gravel from who knows where totally ruin a whole series of great photos. If I HAD to, I could photoshop it out (and if you'd like me to help you with that, I'd be glad - it'd be easy to get rid of).

The one that makes me cringe the most, however, is the marine snail shell in very awesome picture of a gilt darter. And there's nothing I can do about it.

Anyway, great photos. I look forward to seeing more

Todd

Beautiful fish Mike, the colors they are showing are quite stunning. I can't wait to get some rainbows for my darter tank. They are easily one of my favorites as they the seem to have a distinctive style and personality different from others I've kept.

Very nice photos! I had some rainbow darters at one point, looing to get some more!!

Michael

Those are some beautifull darters you have there .......I bet the dace look nice too, but nothing brings out a aquarium like some colorfull darters or sunfish IMHO.

mike if the SRBD breed ill take some off your hands.