More Dat Q's and help please...

[koltsixx]

I bought my first Dat about a week ago and I'm in love with them. I usually go for all catfish, but I wanna try a Dat community. I bought a second Dat and I'm seeing some serious aggression. My larger dat aroun 4" is givin my new dat 3" a hard time chasing him all over the tank. Is this normal I thought dat's are peaceful just predatory. Also I bought a Frontosa and 3 Uaru's I was wondering will these guy's work in a tank together. They all get fairly big and as far as I know are peaceable. Also is it possible to breed these fish in such a community. Another question is I've heard you can tell widebars from indo's by physical characteristics other than theyre bars. What are the physical differences?, and lastly where can I get some rarer dats like widebar and thinbar? My first post didn't net many reponses hopefully this one will get more. I truly love this monster fish and just want to know as much as I can about them so I can successfully keep them. Thanx to all who reply in advance.

 

[HiImSean]

you need to keep them in odd number groups and the greater the number the better.

the best place to find widebars or thinbars is gonna be through locals or this forum

 

[pwmin]

stocking should be fine, but I wouldn't try an F0 front

i have just 2 dats together and they get along great, but it's best to have one or many

 

[Sti]

I've been doing a lot of reading on dats lately since they have caught my attention. As far as the aggression, man say that dats are only aggressive amongst themselves. It is possible to keep just a pair together, but the most common pair that works is one where there is a significant size difference. Not saying that you cant keep 2 similar sized dats together but it works more often with pairs when one is small. As far as telling the difference between IT and ST, there is a lot of controversy on that subject right now since there are occasions where an IT has markings similar to an ST and vice versa. But there are dats out there that are obviously one or the other and the main differences I look for is in the body shape and tail markings. ST's have a much taller body than IT's and their head has a steeper sloping look to it. And then there are the tail markings which on an ST should be 2 and IT should be 3. Anyways I'd suggest to get a couple more dats to go in with your pair right now if you have the space or seperate them if theres too much aggression.
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[Sti]

also are you keeping those dats with your infamous gulper? I was thinking of this combo and wanted to know if it would be ok.

 

[koltsixx]

I was but then I got the smaller dat and moved him. Though the dat is only a inch smaller the difference in body height makes it capable of being swallowed by the gulper. I think they'd actually be okay if together since I think high bodied fish can be kept with gulper's since they can't swallow them. My gulper went for the frontosa, but couldn't eat him cause of his body height and their nothing compared to a dat. I think the only problem you'd encounter is with the endli and the gulper. Endli's are like spaghetti to a gulper even if he's to long to be consumed the gulper will try by grabin it by it's head and the endli will suffocate. Bottom dwelling fish seem to be okay with gulpers I've kept small cats with my gulper and had no problems so I think the loach will be okay.

 

[koltsixx]

Everyone I appreciate the help and thank you. However I need help finding some thin or wide bars. I don't have anyone locally carrying them. I have to go out to shark aquarium and I don't really see them. Heck last time was the first time I saw any there. Plus it's a hour trek for me and george doesn't really post anythink he has so a visit is the only way to see what stock he has. By the way just to let anyone whose interested know shark aquarium has a dat that's at least 12" for $150 I think. I'm not sure about the price except that it's less than $200. So can someone please tell me where I can get some thin and wide bars I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Sti]

oh haha I definitely wasn't planning on keeping the endli in with the gulper. I was thinking about a few dats and maybe a pair or a single gulper. The fish in my sig are just ones that I'm looking for that wont be going into the same tanks. I dont think I'd let my clown loaches stay with the gulper either. I think the CL's are the only fish that my girlfriend likes and I cant risk having one of them be eaten.

 

[Sti]

PM niteoner. I asked him where he got his dats from and he said theres a store in chinatown that has IT's and NTT's. I dont know if chinatown is really near you or anything, I dont know new york all too well. As far as ST's I think your best shot at them is in the classifieds on here. True widebars demand a pretty decent price. I've seen some lately go for $400 and up so if you want a widebar you'll have to cough up some cash. You'll have to keep an eye out as well since I see sticky scoops them up on the east coast prettty fast.