A little advise please

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Aquanero

Aquanero

Global Moderator
Staff member
Global Moderator
MFK Member
Feb 16, 2009
10,324
529
1,101
New Jersey
So I'm looking for some advice from you seasoned Dat owners. My little guy is only about 1.25" TL and I might be exaggerating at that. I removed him from a big tank where no food was able to reach him and set him up in a 20 Long. I've been feeding him live black worms, Mysis shrimp and plankton 4 times a day for the last couple of days and he's eating well. What else do you feed or is this good enough? How do you guys get yours on pellets? I'm thinking I should wait until it's maybe a couple of inches any advise is welcome.

Also, as soon as I put him in the 20 alone he immediately turned jet black like he was in the store, he had relaxed and lightened up in the big tank the best I see now is half black but it hasn't effected his appetite. This is my first Dat so give me all the tips and tricks you have.

Thanks.
 
I don't own any Dats but I do have experiences juv predators in big tank, it's easier to feed them live (guppies) until its big enough (4~6 inches) to withstand the starvation for few days for new diet training . It's grow a lot faster with live feeder cause its actually need to chase their preys around so it's exercise more and more space to swim around to burn down the energy.
 
Thank you for the reply, I appreciate you taking the time, very logical approach.

I thought some of the Dat experts would have some advise for a new guy. Maybe some of them will be around later.
 
Get some size on him before you try getting him onto pellets. A few weeks on the frozen blend you're feeding and he'll bulk up for sure. From there you can incorporate pellets into the mix and its a matter of time before he takes them.
 
I had a lot of luck with frozen black worms and frozen bloodworms. Like mike said pump it up on frozen and get some size on. Some dats go for pellets right away some don't ever go for pellets. I had a few that only ate cut up fillets and shrimp.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
I find another fish of equal size that eats pellets might be beneficial as well. Sometimes Dats like the challenge of getting the food first.....lol I have also had some that never would. good luck with it, they are still on my list of top five fresh water predators I've kept, they seem to have real personalities.
 
I started my dat (got it at an inch) on live black worms as that is all it would take, and minnows. then after some time it accepted cut up tilapia and then it just started eating pellets. didn't have to starve it or anything. got lucky I guess. now that's all it will eat is sinking cichlid gold. it wont eat it if its floating or on the floor. has to be in motion. lol
 
I try to get them onto pellets as soon as possible.
 
Aquanero said:
So I'm looking for some advice from you seasoned Dat owners. My little guy is only about 1.25" TL and I might be exaggerating at that. I removed him from a big tank where no food was able to reach him and set him up in a 20 Long. I've been feeding him live black worms, Mysis shrimp and plankton 4 times a day for the last couple of days and he's eating well. What else do you feed or is this good enough? How do you guys get yours on pellets? I'm thinking I should wait until it's maybe a couple of inches any advise is welcome.

Also, as soon as I put him in the 20 alone he immediately turned jet black like he was in the store, he had relaxed and lightened up in the big tank the best I see now is half black but it hasn't effected his appetite. This is my first Dat so give me all the tips and tricks you have.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I recently bought three at about 2" that were on bloodworms. They now eat any leftovers from my arowana and try to steal his food all the time (tilapia, shrimp, krill, etc). Im in the boat of growing them before trying to starve them onto pellets. That way i know they wont die of starvation. Im doing the same with my payara right now to try and get him off of feeders. Its no fun having to train fish lol.

Sent from my SM-G900P using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I took richs advice and got mine on pellets asap. 2 never really liked the pellets but ate a little. I used tiger barbs as dithers. At first the dat wouldn't pick the pellets off the ground until a barb picked it up and dropped it. They figured things out. The one that ate pellets day one is more then double the size of the others now. Before that I fed bloodworms for a few days and moved to pellets.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom