new IT questions

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Death03

Death03

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 1, 2014
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Philippines

Sorry for the video quality if it's not that clear.

I just got my new IT (4-5") earlier and it's currently on a 50g quarantine on it's own and would stay there for a few weeks.

I have a few questions on my IT:

1. I just wanna ask if my IT's body to eye ratio is okay? I think his eyes is a little big and the LFS said they don't know how much time the dat was on it's display tank (a 15g with 2 other dats) so I suspect his growth is already stunted.
2. I heard that dats can stay dark/unstable all the time but is this true even when he's an adult? or is it possible that he would still stay like half dark all the time? right now he's actively swimming the tank and more lighter in color compared in the video but is still kinda half dark (you could only see the 2 bars in his body). I know it's been just a few hours but I just wanna ask in advance haha
3. What substrate/background would be good for the coloration of the IT? since I want to see all the bars on it's body.
4. The LFS said they only fed them feeders, is it fine to starve it for a few days to introduce pellets or even just shrimps? Since I'm not really a fan of giving my fish live feeders

Thanks for anyone that can help! Any tips and suggestions on keeping dats are also welcome since it's my first time keeping a dat!
 
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Death03 said:

Sorry for the video quality if it's not that clear.

I just got my new IT (4-5") earlier and it's currently on a 50g quarantine on it's own and would stay there for a few weeks.

I have a few questions on my IT:

1. I just wanna ask if my IT's body to eye ratio is okay? I think his eyes is a little big and the LFS said they don't know how much time the dat was on it's display tank (a 15g with 2 other dats) so I suspect his growth is already stunted.
2. I heard that dats can stay dark/unstable all the time but is this true even when he's an adult? or is it possible that he would still stay like half dark all the time? right now he's actively swimming the tank and more lighter in color compared in the video but is still kinda half dark (you could only see the 2 bars in his body). I know it's been just a few hours but I just wanna ask in advance haha
3. What substrate/background would be good for the coloration of the IT? since I want to see all the bars on it's body.
4. The LFS said they only fed them feeders, is it fine to starve it for a few days to introduce pellets or even just shrimps? Since I'm not really a fan of giving my fish live feeders

Thanks for anyone that can help! Any tips and suggestions on keeping dats are also welcome since it's my first time keeping a dat!
Click to expand...



K krichardson
 
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tlindsey tlindsey thanks for the shout out.
Nice looking indo,the eyes look normal to me and they pretty much seem to control their color changes/stableness to suit their mood.Some can stay dark for a very long time.I remember years ago when I was just getting into fish keeping a local shop had a large datnoid in a tank and the fish was almost pitch black.The employee said it had darkened up shortly after it came in and had been that way ever since.
I'm with you as far as using feeders and I would stop using them right away in order to begin the pellet/shrimp training process.
Almost forgot to ad but I tend to use a rather dark and natural looking gravel as a substrate for all of my tanks and my dats do seem to show best while my tanks are dimly lit.In fact I rarely even turn the hood lights on when I observe them.
 
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krichardson said:
tlindsey tlindsey thanks for the shout out.
Nice looking indo,the eyes look normal to me and they pretty much seem to control their color changes/stableness to suit their mood.Some can stay dark for a very long time.I remember years ago when I was just getting into fish keeping a local shop had a large datnoid in a tank and the fish was almost pitch black.The employee said it had darkened up shortly after it came in and had been that way ever since.
I'm with you as far as using feeders and I would stop using them right away in order to begin the pellet/shrimp training process.
Almost forgot to ad but I tend to use a rather dark and natural looking gravel as a substrate for all of my tanks and my dats do seem to show best while my tanks are dimly lit.In fact I rarely even turn the hood lights on when I observe them.
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for the input! I guess I just have to accept on what color he shows in the future since right now he's just hiding and wouldn't really take any food. Will just give him time to adjust in the quarantine tank.
 
You bet and what you've said is about all that you can do as far as getting it to color up.....gotta wait it out and give it time.
 
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Gotcha! He's been with me for like a day but I'm excited as hell on what color he would show most of the time :drool: Thanks you for the help!
 
Just a follow up question, how would two IT's get along in a tank considering they're the only ones there? I have a standard 120g that would be the house of my current IT (till they get too big then they would go to the pond) and figured would go with some bichirs with it but I'm thinking of having another IT now instead of bichirs since I'm fascinated by them.
 
Death03 said:
Just a follow up question, how would two IT's get along in a tank considering they're the only ones there? I have a standard 120g that would be the house of my current IT (till they get too big then they would go to the pond) and figured would go with some bichirs with it but I'm thinking of having another IT now instead of bichirs since I'm fascinated by them.
Click to expand...
Krichardson would better answer but my short experience with mixing my IT in and established tank with an NTT (new comer) went horribly. It was on like donkey kong as soon as the NTT hit the water. The tank was a 120 gal with bichirs, small cat and a cichlid.
 
jaws7777 said:
Krichardson would better answer but my short experience with mixing my IT in and established tank with an NTT (new comer) went horribly. It was on like donkey kong as soon as the NTT hit the water. The tank was a 120 gal with bichirs, small cat and a cichlid.
Click to expand...
woah I think I'm better of with bichirs then? what about an oscar, would that also work?
 
Death03 said:
woah I think I'm better of with bichirs then? what about an oscar, would that also work?
Click to expand...
I wouldnt assume my experience is the norm but more of a possible range of outcomes. See what krich thinks. Im pretty partial to bichirs ive never had any issue with them and dats.
 
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