D. Microlepis tank

[cjack]

Hello all MFKers, I'm kind of new to big fish keeping. Ive been in the fw hobby for about 5-6 years, with community fish. I recently made the switch to "monsters". Right now i have a 2"-2.5" D. Microlepis in a 20 gallon planted tank with 3 4.5"-5" Clown loaches and 6 Otos. Later this week i am getting a smaller Dat, about 1". My question comes down to what can go with a Dat (p.s. I am upgrading my tank in early October to a 46 bow - biggest i can fit). Ive read from the other thread dealing with Dat. tank mates that Geophagues are good, but i was wondering if anything was especially good/natural for Dats. DONT HOLD BACK! if a fish comes to mind that is expensive, please share it and ill see what i can do, any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated.:grinno:

[ddyerfamily]

:welcome:
Hi,nice to meet you and welcome aboard.
Can't help with Dats ,sorry.
Thought I would say Hi.
:ROFL::screwy::ROFL::screwy::ROFL:................ ...........:nilly:.................:grinno:

[dbenson]

Clown loaches are my favorite datnoid tankmates.

[rallysman]

If 46 is the largest you can have, I would stick with just the dats and loaches. You'll be able to enjoy them for a while, but eventually they'll outgrow the tank.

[vanimate]

I would try some polypterus. Although they also would need a larger tank in the long run.

[filiportela]

welcome... dats are great you will love them ;)

[Bogwoodbruce]

Dats are brilliant fish but as a 46 is your biggets tank i would have a few Dats and loaches and maybe a few small Geophagus.

[KenyanSandBoa]

If 46 is the largest you can have, I would stick with just the dats and loaches. You'll be able to enjoy them for a while, but eventually they'll outgrow the tank.

:iagree:

Both the Dats and Clown Loaches are slow growing fish so you will be able to enjoy them in that tank for a while...but personally, I wouldn't add anything else unless you can definitely upgrade.

Just to give you an idea of some of the stuff I have in my dat tanks:

1. Other dats :D
2. Arowana
3. Ctenopoma (you could probably add a couple of those in your tank)
4. Bichirs
5. Geophagus/Satanoperca

[Bogwoodbruce]

I've got 5 bushfish in with my Dats and they get on brilliantly.

[Jesse]

I echo the previous concerns about tank size, but dats are rather slow growing. I've found that bichirs, clown loaches, Ctenopoma acutirostre, all of which have previously been mentioned, are great dat tankmates.

[cjack]

Thank you so much for all of your replies. To answer many of your concerns about tank size, I am currently a senior in high school, so my parents dont want anything too big (a 46 is the limit), however, in about two years or so i can definitialy upgrade to a much larger tank (i.e. 200+). In the meantime Ill probobly upgrade again next year to about a 75 or 100 gallon (48"-60" long x 18"-24" wide).

[KenyanSandBoa]

Thank you so much for all of your replies. To answer many of your concerns about tank size, I am currently a senior in high school, so my parents dont want anything too big (a 46 is the limit), however, in about two years or so i can definitialy upgrade to a much larger tank (i.e. 200+). In the meantime Ill probobly upgrade again next year to about a 75 or 100 gallon (48"-60" long x 18"-24" wide).

I've been there before...limits are no fun. If your upgrading in a year, you should be fine with the dats.

Don't forget to post pics. :D

[Datnoid101]

Indo tank....Sounds great! LoL. I have a 30g that I use as a plant/nursery tank. My current stock in the 30g is 5 indo gold archers, 2 black kuhlii loach, 8 kuhlii loach, 4 clown loach, 4 slaty blue nandus, 3 nandus nandus, 2 butterfly loach, 3 royal pleco, 3 leopard cactus pleco, 1 skunk cory, 1 adolfi cory, 4 sterbai cory, 3 san juan cory, and 40 indo dats. Every month or so I harvest the larger dats and move them into bigger tanks. Its kinda funny when I think about how much fish I cram in that tank but with all the anubias barteri It looks like I only have a few.

[D.Pulcher]

If 46 is the largest you can have, I would stick with just the dats and loaches. You'll be able to enjoy them for a while, but eventually they'll outgrow the tank.

Gotta watch out for those growth sperts **** hits the fan and thats the biggest u got its gonna get messy.