How should a juvie dat's ventral body look?

NixMix

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2010
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I'm curious since I have recently acquired a juvie dat (2"). He's eating bloodworms actively but I never see his stomach bulge.

Does the ventral section between the gill plate and the pelvic fins seem a bit on the thin side compared to behind the pelvic to the anal fins?

I've been feeding my IT bloodworms and he eats them very well, even eating out of my hand already, but I want to make sure he's getting enough to eat.

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The first two pics were taken after he was put in the tank and was moving around being nosy.

The last one was him in the bag straight from the LFS.

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NixMix

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2010
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South Carolina
FYI, that was as unstable as he's ever gotten. He's all solid stripe nowadays and coloring up quite nicely. So, don't judge by his blotches! ;)

I'll post more recent pics of him shortly.
 

pga7602

Fire Eel
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Jun 19, 2009
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I'll tag along on this thread.. It's day 4 since I put three Dats in cycled tank full of blood worms. Out of the three, there is one that does not have the bulging stomach. I can't tell if he's eating though.
 

NixMix

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2010
1,151
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South Carolina
I'll tag along on this thread.. It's day 4 since I put three Dats in cycled tank full of blood worms. Out of the three, there is one that does not have the bulging stomach. I can't tell if he's eating though.
See, I know my little dude eats. I watch him and he even eats out of my hand. I just can't tell if his stomach will ever bulge or if he gets enough. He's always hunting for food so I'm feeling confident. It might be different for him once he grows into his body better. Lol

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Runitis

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2011
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My AT have never really bulged either. They are 2.5-3" and have had them.since. 25-.5" and have been eating pellets from day 1 and have never seen a buldge but they do look plump and not skinny

My fish life is sparked up with Polys :)
 

strollo22

Siamese Tiger
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May 21, 2012
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His stomach definitely looks a little sunken in imo. My 2 juvie At's eat frozen mysis shrimp and market shrimp and they are chunky. Bloodworms have very little nutritional value. Go pick up some frozen mysis cubes and get him eating that then get him on market shrimp. After he's fattened up, starve him and get him on pellets


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NixMix

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2010
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So my IT is a bit on the skinny side? Ok I will work on getting him fattened up. I'll buy a shrimp or two on my way home from work and see what he does with them (cutting them up first, of course). I'm nervous doing that because I don't want him getting hooked.

The pellet foods I have given him to eat were too big, which was a bummer, because he tried to eat them but couldn't swallow them. It was nice to see him interested though!

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NixMix

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2010
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South Carolina
He definitely looked better than the other dat in the tank though but I need to beef mine up some.

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NixMix

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2010
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South Carolina
I don't think my Lfs was feeding them too well but I think I should be able to fix that.

Do you guys have experience feeding your dat nls? I guess I am asking what pellet food do your It's prefer?

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Rob3rtPhan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 29, 2012
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Yeah my IT dat always look skinny till I use shrimp. Now they look healthy. Mine wouldn't even touch pellet. Starve for 2 weeks and nothing. And there are other tank mate. Both IT shrimp and frozen food only. And they have lost there hunting skills :(

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