I am looking for some pretty darn colorful darter species that would live with tadpole madtoms. The tank has rocky outcrops with caves, tons of vals, and few pieces of driftwood. The only downfall is it is low current. What species would be recommended (and what might I find locally?? SE Wisconsin...) ??
Thanks Guys,
Nate
Darters for a Tadpole Madtom Tank
Started by
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, Apr 20 2010 06:57 PM
8 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 20 April 2010 - 07:37 PM
I don't know what you can find locally, but Iowa darters and slough darters are two very pretty slackwater species. Stream darters can also adapt to a low-current tank as long as it is well-oxygenated.
#3
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Posted 20 April 2010 - 07:53 PM
I know Brian T finds some nice rainbows, but those are cold stream fish and I would not want to move them into this tank.. Iowa darters and slough darters hmmm... will review my books tonight in reguards to these!
Thanks for the start!
Thanks for the start!
#4
Guest_njJohn_*
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Posted 02 May 2010 - 11:09 PM
How big are madtom's mouths? Would they try to eat the darters?
Edited by njJohn, 02 May 2010 - 11:10 PM.
#5
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 03 May 2010 - 10:04 AM
How big are madtom's mouths? Would they try to eat the darters?
No, madtoms do not typically eat darters.
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#6
Guest_bulrush_*
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Posted 15 June 2010 - 07:13 AM
How big do Madtom's get? I thought they were a smaller catfish species. I'd like to get one or two but local stores do not carry them, ever.
#7
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Posted 16 June 2010 - 12:44 PM
Nate,
The Rainbow Darters are not cold stream fish. I keep mine at 78*F. Regarding darters that you could keep with your madtoms, just about anything would work. Iowa Darters, if you can find them, would work. Consult the DNR map to find locations.
Brian
The Rainbow Darters are not cold stream fish. I keep mine at 78*F. Regarding darters that you could keep with your madtoms, just about anything would work. Iowa Darters, if you can find them, would work. Consult the DNR map to find locations.
Brian
#8
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Posted 25 June 2010 - 04:26 PM
I personally have a madtom, I'm not sure of the species, and a few darters, orange throat and rainbow. My advice about madtoms and darters is make sure you don't put the fish in to small of a tank. I've never seen my madtom go after the darters, however they do avoid getting to close to it. The only bad experience I had with the combination is when I temporarily placed them together in a 10 gallon for a night so their tank could clean out due to me removing the undergravel filtration system. My smallest darter, a male orange throat, disappeared. I can only assume what happened. However, so long as the fish aren't kept to closely together it's a nice combination of fish. I'd just recommend grabbing second or third year darters. As for temperature don't worry to much about it, my fish are currently doing fine at the higher 70's, I do feel bad but I can't afford a cooler for my tank atm. The beautiful thing about native fish is the amazing range of temperature they can tolerate. My advice is go for the rainbow darters, I find them to be quite intelligent, and active. The current in my tank isn't amazing either, however it is oxygenated very well with two air stones, and a nice filter that produces a bit of current. My tanks a work in progress.
Edited by Draros, 25 June 2010 - 04:30 PM.
#9
Guest_Elijah_*
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Posted 28 June 2010 - 12:54 AM
I have several species of stream dwelling darters in a tank that occasionally gets up to about 80 degrees. I have a tadpole madtom and three speckled madtoms.even though the Mts could easily eat the darters they never have bothered them.I am looking for some pretty darn colorful darter species that would live with tadpole madtoms. The tank has rocky outcrops with caves, tons of vals, and few pieces of driftwood. The only downfall is it is low current. What species would be recommended (and what might I find locally?? SE Wisconsin...) ??
Thanks Guys,
Nate
My tank is planted heavily on the back half with Sag subulata and I run a aquaclear 20 powerhead on a fairly low setting to provide current. This tank is a 30 long. I use no filter. I do not use airstones because they offgass the co2 from the water by breaking the surface of it. The plants are thriving on the fish waste. The current is below the water's surface and the fish seem quite happy.
I have lost darters in the past when the intake on the powerhead got clogged. The water current was almost non existent. All of my darters were dead except one Tessellated which was turned a pale pink color and gasping. He survived. It was a sad day though.
I put coarse foam over my intakes now which seems to keep them from getting totally clogged very quickly. I guess that actually could be considered a filter.
A different subject, but in case you ever have ich or other parasites on a fish in your darter tank watch out for Sera Protozol. This med works works great in General, but I have killed darters three times using this med in the past. Yeah, I thought it was something else the first time, the second time I knew it was the med, the third time was on a QT tank of newly acquired darters and one daCE THat looked like it had a little ich. I thought it would be okay to use a lower dosage. I did a 60% water change next morning. I worked a 20 hour shift and came home and found my awesome new darters all dead.
I hate learning the hard way. Poor fish! -so I just thought I would give you the heads up on this one.
I have not had any ich in my tanks for a long time. Knock on wood!
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