Just Got My Silver Dat For My 180gal

[kniesh]

Hi guys, just thought I would share, went to Pier today an got a Silver Datnoid. Been after a Dat for a while now and finally found one. He's tiny though, about the size of my Tiger Barbs at the min so growin him out in my 62gal.

Also got an Eel but like an idiot forgot their name on the way home. This guy is also quite small but is growin out in the 62gal too. Think it's a larger Spiny Eel, not a Fire but grows to about 18" apparently. Both have just been devouring blood worms so feeding after about 4 hours in the tank is a good sign

Also got an Ornate Bichir for the 180. He has gone straight in at about 5" Hopefully he will be ok with my Senegal. If not the Senegal will be moved as the Ornate grows.

I will deffo be adding some pics once I get a chance

 

[Straydum]

i see you got yourself your dat must be such a wonderful thing for you. anyway the eel there is probably a tire track yeah and they do get big. i wrote a profile on them on this site which you can take a look at if you've any quires about keeping them.

i cant wait to this the progress on this one

 

[kniesh]

Thanks m8, yeah it is a tire track but I am working on my scientific names at the minute, thats what I forgot. Read quite a few profiles o n these, some say 36", some say they max out around 20". Whats ur experience? I tend to think it will more likely max out about 24"?

Considering I was expecting the Dat to be really shy, I have been pleasantly surprised. It is always out at the front of the tank trying to get my attention. I have a feeling the group of 11 Tiger barbs in there are helping him, rather than the possible hinderance I thought they may be. You can alread see his stripes really clearly, he looks so different to what they did in the shop. Got him for £6.50 too, expecting to pay more than that.

The Tire track is similar. I thought again that the Tiger Barbs may make him quite reclusive as eels tend to be, but he is also very active and almost always in view.

I will definately get some pics tonight. The tank they are in is really difficult to photograph but I'm off tonight so I will get some taken.

 

[Straydum]

30" for a tire track is possible but they are slow growers like many other spiny eel species. it'd probably take years for it to even hit 20" considering how small it is now from what you described. if kept in a bigger tank though growth would be faster. but at significant rates? i don't think so but definitely faster.

if you think the ornate or senegal won't see the eel or dat as food, then maybe you might want to consider putting them in. and £6.50 is a real bargain

 

[kniesh]

I was more worried about the Dat being bullied at the minute by the much larger Gold Saum and possibly even the Severum. The problem is that the Sev is around 6/7" the GT around 5/6". The Dat is 1.5". Didnt really want to take any chances putting it in the bigger tank. Dont think it would be seen as food but it may get quite harrassed. My Electric Blue JD is around the same size and he is ok but he has been in there from the very begining with the others.

I fancy the Ornate or Senegal which is bigger at the minute would definately see the Eel as a meal . The eel is probably about 5" long but he is so thin I just wouldnt chance him in there right now.

what do you think would be best, will the Dat hold his own at that size enough to be moved?

 

[Straydum]

hmm i see your point. so the 180g holds the green terror and sev? if so then it may not be the best option to put the dat in. 1.5" is tiny. another thing is even if the dat gets bigger, say around 6", i don't think the GT won't show any aggression to it

 

[kniesh]

Thanks m8, yeah, I thought about that. When I introduce the dat I will re-scaping the whole tank to try and influence the amount of aggression. Another point is that this GT seems very placid at the moment. I know that can change but he does seem a very relaxed and laid back type. At the minute hes in with 2 Parrots, a Severum and an Electric Blue JD and he pays none of those other Cichlids any attention at all. All this said, i will be keeping a very close eye on it when the time comes.

I have been quite inpatient in the past regarding introductions and purchases so I am definately going to be a lot more patient this time.

 

[T1KARMANN]

you do know the silver tiger/dat is meant to be a brackish water fish

it maybe OK for some time in fresh water but it will get sick more often not grow as big and not have as much color if it was kept in a brackish water set up it may also suffer from sudden death

good luck with it you should be OK for about 1-2 years

 

[kniesh]

I do now. Reason this happened is I had read up on all the Dats and knew 1 was a true brackish. The rest I had read were true freshwater. Anyway I went to Pier Aquatics not really expecting to see any small ones for the funds I had at the time. As now known they did have some silvers. I asked the guy who owns it, who is by no means someone I wouldn't trust, as I'm sure most would testify. He said that this wasn't the brackish species and told me the name of a Dat that was. Now as I couldnt remember, but did remember only one species was, I thought it safe.

Guess after a year I can see about maybe setting up a tank with a small amount of salt. Always wanted a brackish anyway, its just not viable at this moment. Possibilities in near future though.

 

[mark7616]

He would of said D.Campbelli (new guinea tiger) are the brackish species both them and silvers are "brackish" but I know of nobody that keeps them in brackish. They will be fine in fresh mate. Tigers do suffer from an unknown case of sudden death happens with thinbars aswell and these are truelly fresh.

 

[T1KARMANN]

i think dat cambelli are a true fresh water fish and the info given on websites is wrong they are fished in fresh water they even look like a fresh water fish

but the silver tiger looks like a brackish water fish and should be treated as one

i dont know anyone who keeps their cambelli in brackish water but have seen many silver tigers kept in brackish water

when silver tigers are imported they are in brackish water but cambelli are in fresh water

it should be ok for some time

 

[kniesh]

Haha, now I'm confused. Two of the people I would most trust for info on this contidicting each other. Haha, makes sense seen as everything I have read since also seems to contradict everything I read before it. I even went looking for journals in Web of Science, turned up nothing. All we need now is Cane and CFC to both come in with differing info again an we're complete.

Guess all i can do is keep him as best I can in freshwater and see where we can take it in the future. I will post some pics soon anyway. Thanks for the info all

 

[kniesh]

Sorry about the quality of these. My 62 gal hasnt been getting the due love and care it needs lately. It is in need of a good scrub. With my phone too, which has a good camera but the tank is in front of a window with no backing on as yet so impossible in terms of lighting. Anyway, apoligies, not all my tanks are like this

Think this one isnt great, but shows his size in comparison to the Tiger barb

One of the inhabitants of the 62gal. This is his permanent home though

Love the eyes here, you can see one of the Hoplos that will move with him when big enough too

Not a great pick of the eel, but by far the best I could get. Is he deffinately a Tyre-track?

Again, sorry about the quality. I will try an get better soon.

Thanks Vinny

 

[Straydum]

yeap definitely tyre track. but the 180g would do fine for him. any pictures of the 180g?

 

[simonas]

Hi Kneish

I might go to Pier this weekend then. Did they have more tyre tracks and Dats?

How much were the eels if you don't mind me asking?

looking good mate the Dat is tiny!! lol