couple questions

[Ash]

I am still pretty new with dats, I ve had mine for a good year now and I really dont think its grown much. Do they really grow that slow? I'll post some pics of him now and then pics from when I first got him (sorry they kinda bad). Also how do I get it off of live food? It has been on live food its entire life and really live food is ghost/brine shrimp. I tried feeder fish and crickets - if its at the top he wont go after it and he wont go after feeders. The only place thats close to me that has brine shrimp runs out so its not always a gurantee (they dont sell ghost shrimp) so I cant always get it - same goes with where I get ghost shrimp, they run out and they are 25min away. Any suggestions? I also have other fish in the tank and I dont like to feed them feeder fish.

 

[unknownuza13]

I have been fortunate enough to always get dats who were already eating prepared foods. With a little patience and persistance you should be able to convert them to prepared using one of the common methods people use on MFK. Dats are notorious for being slow growers but I have still seen 1/2" growth per month with heavy feeding and lots of water changes. You are doing something right because the color on that dat is very nice. Good luck

 

[eman b115]

Yeah growth is pretty slow sometimes. I have seen and heard of some dats growing pretty fast though. I guess it depends on how much you feed them, quality of water. I've noticed some growth on most of my dats about an inch or so in about 4 months or so... I feed them a combination of fresh beef heart from my local butcher, market shrimp, and feeders at least once a week. I feed my dats everyday.

Now regarding getting them to eat prepared takes some time. I had to starve mine for a while; I think the longest one of mine went was pretty close 3 maybe even a month. It also helps if you get one that already take prepared foods. Or you could try that garlic extract stuff.

 

[VVateverzYo]

i feed mines 4 times a day and water change 30 percent every 3 days and it grows like a beast. i also vary their diet to hikari brine shrimp/blood worms/krill/mysis shrimp/ raw shrimp

 

[VVateverzYo]

mines eat anything live/frozen but only hirari products though

 

[eman b115]

mines eat anything live/frozen but only hirari products though

lol picky lil ba$+@rds....

 

[AquataHolic420]

AWESOME PICS< AND DATS!!! or DAT.

 

[KenyanSandBoa]

mines eat anything live/frozen but only hirari products though

That's funny...mine show a preference for Hikari frozen as well.

Very nice dats Ash...maybe the answer to your question is to try the dats on frozen Hikari foods. Crazy dats...

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

in addition to what everybody said, you could also grow your own brine shrimp. thou it takes forever and is a pain!

 

[VVateverzYo]

lolz yeah i think hikari put crack in there food my fish go crazzzzy over them