Dat info?

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

Tihsho

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 31, 2006
107
0
0
Maryland/Hawaii
Ok, planning on setting up my 150 soon and looking into a 180 a friend is selling as well... So I figured that I'd want to dedicate one of the two, if not both to monster fish!

I've encountered dats a few times at the LFS I work at but never really cared to look into them till now. All I know is that these guys can get big, are ambush predators and seem to stay pretty close to one another (or at least when young.) So the main things I would like to know are what species are available in the trade, size of each species, and compatibility with each other and tankmates.

Thankz
 
Indo or 4 Bar Dat: Can grow to 18 inches theoretically, but that will take years.

Widebar or Siamese Tiger: Can grow to 24 Inches, but will take a long time to get there also

Thinbar Dat ITT: Can reach 16 Inches

New Guinea Dat NGT, Datnioides campbelli: Can grow to 14 Inches

Silver Dat, American Tigerfish: Can reach 12 Inches
Basically all of the Dats besides the Silver Dat require a PH of 6.5-7.5, and a temp of 75-82F. When they reach full size the Widebar, Indo, and Thingbar should have a 180 tank and the NGT and silver dat would need at least a 150. The silver Dat requires a PH of 7.0-8.0. Silver Dats also require slight brackish conditions to do best. Basically any tankmate that doesn't fit in their mouths is fine with them, if you're going to keep multiple Dats keep groups of at least 5 to spread the aggression out between them. NGTs are the most aggressive and territorial of the Dat species.
 
If you see them at your LFS and you are in America, you will typically see

Indo Dats/ Silver Dats/ or Thinbar Dats...

Widebar Dats are most expensive followed by New guinea dats...And harder to find..

cartoon Dats.gif
 
Whatever kind you get, you will enjoy it. Mine is a fickle feeder, but when he wants food, he will beat all the other fish to it.
 
ewurm;789978; said:
Whatever kind you get, you will enjoy it. Mine is a fickle feeder, but when he wants food, he will beat all the other fish to it.
Click to expand...

And thats a GUARANTEE NO joke! If i were you i would get any and all that i saw!! FISH ROOM PLUS on here sells some good ones, i got a nice NTT from Alex!
 
Thanks guys! Usually it takes 20 posts or so before serious info comes along, but you guys beat that, thnx!

Any good websites that have actual photos? Obviously aside from MFK :D I don't want to get my hopes up by seeing too gorgeous dats.

Also, how do these guys work with substrates, like do they drop or gain color depending on the gravel? And are they like other fish that drop/gain color depending on mood?
 
www.tigercraze.com is a pretty good site.. slower traffic then MFK, but they know there stuff.

Dats can be great looking with any color substrate, or even a bare bottom tank!

Get as many as u can, theyre hard to find!

Dat Fish.jpg

Dat tails.jpg
 
if you dont know what they are just call them contraversial tigers :D

how comes their is a cambodian tiger in your older pic but no such tiger on the tiger crazy ID chart :confused:
 
I defintly like the looks of the Siamese and the Indo. I'm banking that the Siamese are harder to come buy and when you do they are major $$$
 
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