10g Native tank?

[Noto]

The 600 should be fine. Most darters come from streams with moderate to high current. If you add some stones and driftwood to break up the flow, it will create different flow microhabitats, which the darters will segregate themsleves into based on species and individual preference.

I was referring to more specific North American biotopes. Darters tend to have small ranges; even the handful of wide-ranging darters are probably collections of cryptospecies. So each major river drainage east of the Rockies has its own darter assortment, with the largest variety in rivers draining the southern Appalachians and Ozarks, such as the Tennessee, Cumberland, Ouachita, White, Mobile, and Savannah rivers.

Thanks for the heads up, never knew that mosquito fish were aggressive. I guess I'll look into freshwater killies, but the main centerpiece fish will be colorful darters, so if I do follow up on this idea, I'll start with the darters and then add some killies if I feel there's not enough activity or variety.

And thank you for the list of native aquatic plants, that's really going to help me spice things up and add some natural beauty to the tank.

As for the fuzzy look, I think I'm going to have to sacrifice that because the idea of dirty water just doesn't seem safe and it's probably in the best interest of the fish for good filtration. I have an emperor 600 (rated for 70 gallon tanks) that I plan to use on one of the sides of the tank, rather than the back to create that strong current effect and with the huge filtration, it should keep the water sparkling clear and healthy. Is this a good idea or is that way too much filtration?

And umm, what did you mean by "other biotope"? as in a specific NA region or as in like other parts of the world biotopes?

 

[Matt724]

The 600 should be fine. Most darters come from streams with moderate to high current. If you add some stones and driftwood to break up the flow, it will create different flow microhabitats, which the darters will segregate themsleves into based on species and individual preference.

I was referring to more specific North American biotopes. Darters tend to have small ranges; even the handful of wide-ranging darters are probably collections of cryptospecies. So each major river drainage east of the Rockies has its own darter assortment, with the largest variety in rivers draining the southern Appalachians and Ozarks, such as the Tennessee, Cumberland, Ouachita, White, Mobile, and Savannah rivers.

THank you for the information, I like the idea of different flow microhabitats. I'll try to make it as diverse a habitat as possible when I aquascape. As for substrate, what do you suggest? I have gravel, river pebbles, and sand at hand, but I'm willing to get whatever.

Also, I have no idea about North American biotopes and what comes from where, but I guess I'll do my research.

I also found this site: http://www.nanfa.org/articles/acdarteraquariums.shtml can anyone verify the information on this site?

I've also been looking around at darters and have found that the easiest and more colorful darters to find are either orangethroat or rainbows. Does anyone have any experience with either and want to recommend one or the other? Also, sculpins? would they work well with darters if I make the tank a 20 rather than a 10 even though they're relatively aggressive?

 

[Noto]

That's a good article. I would note that some of the darters he mentions for the high current tank will do fine with more moderate current, as long as there is plenty of aeration.

Orangethroat darters (Etheostoma spectabile complex) and rainbow darters (E. caeruleum) are both pretty adaptable, easy-to-keep darters. They can be kept together. The males are territorial and will claim their own spots. They will fight males of their own and the other species but usually not to the point of causing real problems. Providing stacks of rocks allows multiple males to claim spots.

In the wild, E. spectabile are found in gravelly headwaters and springs, E. caeruleum in riffles and runs of larger creeks. A mix of gravel sizes with piles of larger cobbles, a few slabs of limestone, and a handful of plants would approximate either habitat well.

I strongly recommend against sculpin. They are not aggressive, they are predatory. Gulping down darters is one of their favorite things to do and they do it well. They are also more sensitive to temperature and DO level than darters are. If you want another bottom-dweller for the tank, consider one of the madtoms (Noturus sp).

Red-bellied dace in the genus Chrosomus (formerly Phoxinus) are another good tankmate. If you go with the 20 long, several other minnows would also work.

 

[Matt724]

That's a good article. I would note that some of the darters he mentions for the high current tank will do fine with more moderate current, as long as there is plenty of aeration.

Orangethroat darters (Etheostoma spectabile complex) and rainbow darters (E. caeruleum) are both pretty adaptable, easy-to-keep darters. They can be kept together. The males are territorial and will claim their own spots. They will fight males of their own and the other species but usually not to the point of causing real problems. Providing stacks of rocks allows multiple males to claim spots.

In the wild, E. spectabile are found in gravelly headwaters and springs, E. caeruleum in riffles and runs of larger creeks. A mix of gravel sizes with piles of larger cobbles, a few slabs of limestone, and a handful of plants would approximate either habitat well.

I strongly recommend against sculpin. They are not aggressive, they are predatory. Gulping down darters is one of their favorite things to do and they do it well. They are also more sensitive to temperature and DO level than darters are. If you want another bottom-dweller for the tank, consider one of the madtoms (Noturus sp).

Red-bellied dace in the genus Chrosomus (formerly Phoxinus) are another good tankmate. If you go with the 20 long, several other minnows would also work.

Wow, great top rate information i'm getting. thank you. I will definitely steer clear of sculpin and now that I think of it, I don't really want another bottom-dweller like madtoms because I want the darters to have the bottom to themselves cause I'll probably try to fit a couple pairs.

I was also looking on aquabid and found these:
Lucania goodei - bluefin killi http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwusnative&1278294006

Umbra limi - central mudminnows http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwusnative&1278070652

Heterandria formosa - least killifish http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwusnative&1278294046

Brook sticklebacks http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwusnative&1278070891

Blacknose dace http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwusnative&1278070707

How would any of these fair in my tank? Ideally, I would like to get the darters breeding and maybe get 1 or 2 fry make it each batch, so peaceful, non intrusive fish is ideal, but not totally necessary.

 

[Noto]

Bluefin killies- great peaceful fish, don't like strong current

Mudminnows- may eat small darters, don't like strong current

Least livebearers- see bluefin killies

Sticklebacks- very nippy, really only suitable for a species tank

Blacknose dace- great fit for a darter tank, need at least a 20 long, jumpy (secure tops are a necessity)

Pretty much any fish will chow on darter fry, but you have a chance of some surviving if you keep everyone well fed and have a structurally complex tank with lots of cover. You can also remove fry as you spot them with a turkey baster and try to raise them seperately. I haven't tried to raise fry myself, so i can't help you too much there.

 

[Matt724]

Bluefin killies- great peaceful fish, don't like strong current

Mudminnows- may eat small darters, don't like strong current

Least livebearers- see bluefin killies

Sticklebacks- very nippy, really only suitable for a species tank

Blacknose dace- great fit for a darter tank, need at least a 20 long, jumpy (secure tops are a necessity)

Pretty much any fish will chow on darter fry, but you have a chance of some surviving if you keep everyone well fed and have a structurally complex tank with lots of cover. You can also remove fry as you spot them with a turkey baster and try to raise them seperately. I haven't tried to raise fry myself, so i can't help you too much there.

Okay, so I think I'll add some blacknose dace and use a 20 anyways because I just measured the emperor 600 and it wouldn't fit on the side of a 10 gallon anyways. I think I'm getting a 20 for free from my friend anyways. This project is getting really interesting to me, I might just have to put my multi and SW on hold for a while. I'm just realizing that this might end up being a little bit of a pricey project since I'm going to have to import all these fish from out of state