HELPME please

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bluegryffin

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2008
338
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fort collins, colorado
Okay first of all I HAVE tried searching for the answer. A while back I posted a thread about what to put into a tank with a Green terror, and some people said to do DATs. Also, I have seen lots of videos and signatures with that combination. However, when I put a 4 1/2" dat in my 55 with my 5" GT, the GT wasn't going to have it. Sometimes the two of them would sit in each of their own hiding places, but occasionally the GT would go and stir up trouble. So now I have a makeshift divider in the tank, and am wondering what to do.

This is NOT a permanent home for these fish, only for a year or so. I really really really like BOTH fish and would like to keep them, but I don't really have room for another tank (55 or 75) right now. I was planning on keeping the divider up for a week or so until I decide what to do. Would removing decorations make for no territory, or would the GT claim the whole tank? Any suggestions?
 
deffinently dont take out any decor, i would say that (if occupants of the 75 allow) you should move the GT to the 75, and get some new tankmates for the dat.
 
The GT seemed pretty ticked. Not just dominant, but he was going out of his way to be pick on the dat. And I guess I typed that wrong about 55-75 tanks. What I meant to say was that I don't have room for another 55 or 75. Does anyone think if I removed the GT for a while (into, say. . . a bucket?) and rearranged the tank and reintroduced him, that it might help?
 
if you could maybe get a 75gal to replace the 55? also I would recommend getting a rubbermaid bin or a bucket big enough for the GT and keep him in there for 24 hours with an air pump and keeping an eye on the parameters in the bucket, and introduce him back into the tank after you have rearranged the tank...
 
I have a spare 10 gallon. If they don't start to play nice this evening, I'm going to try that. Also, I really can't get a 75 until mid-late summer. I'm noticing after removing the divider that the GT is hiding in one of two caves a lot more. Maybe because he feels the need to defend a territory?
 
If I want to keep both fish, what would be a good-sized tank for the dat for a year or so? It's about 4 1/2" right now. Or else, is there a good target fish that stays kind of small (4" max) to distract my GT so he behaves better? The rainbows aren't doing jack to distract him from the datnoid. I will try to upgrade the 55 into a 75 this summer. Thanks to everyone for any advice; anything to help me out would be soooo appreciated :cheers:
 
Try removing the GT for awhile. I'd say give it more than 24 hours. I'd go for maybe a week (I think fish have better memory than what we give them credit for). If that doesn't work...maybe get some dither fish so the Dat isn't a target all the time.
 
Any good dithers besides the rainbows I have in there? I'm not looking to add more fish; I can switch them out I think. I've thought about tinfoils (redtails which grow smaller; barbus altus) but I have a feeling the GT will ignore them too. Ideas?
 
bluegryffin;1606559; said:
Does anyone think if I removed the GT for a while (into, say. . . a bucket?) and rearranged the tank and reintroduced him, that it might help?
Click to expand...

Rearranging the tank will probably help quite a bit. That's the first thing I do when I introduce a new fish into a tank with a dominant fish because they dont' have their specific areas to protect.

You may see some minor aggression while they reclaim territory, but it should fade after a day or so.
 
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