Successful Way of keeping Dats

[PredatorTank215]

So what are the general guidelines for keeping a stable/healthy dat? Ive had dats before but never for a long period of time. They seemed very skidish. All the posts I see here dats are swimming freely. Some direction would be helpful.

PH
GH/GK
Lighting
Ect...............

 

[brianp]

Bare-bottom 350 gallon tank
Removal of feces every 2 days
50% weekly wc (20% on Wed + 30% on Sat)
Dechlorinated (Prime) tap water with no other additives
pH = 7.5-8
GH= never checked
Temp = 76-78F
Subdued lighting (2x35W halogen on a 350 gallon tank)
Keep water moving and surface agitated (2xFX5)
No carbon
Two pieces of Malaysian driftwood in tank
Diet = live feeders 2x/week + cooked shrimp treated with Kent Zoe 2x/week + occasional frozen krill

 

[Mobatic]

Brian what kind of dats do you have?

 

[T1KARMANN]

no decor

2 x 25% water changes per week wen/Sunday

food pellets and prawn

temp 86

Ph 7-7.2

lots of filtration and airation

fine pebble gravel

black back ground

live ghost/river shrimp once per month

 

[brianp]

Brian what kind of dats do you have?

STs and ITs

 

[PredatorTank215]

Im running a 48'' T5 system on a 165 (6ft). Should I run 1 24watt light for subdued lighting?

 

[brianp]

Im running a 48'' T5 system on a 165 (6ft). Should I run 1 24watt light for subdued lighting?

Don't know. You'll just have to make a call. I have a four foot track light with 2 x 35 watt halogen bulbs approx. three feet above the tank. The level of illumination "feels" about right. I left the middle of the tank without direct illumination to create a comfort zone. As the beams penetrate on an angle through the surface turbulence caused by the twin FX5s, a great deal of light and shadow movement is generated within the tank.....looks very natural and relaxing. My personal view is that a group of unevenly spaced and angled low-wattage spot lamps looks a lot better than strip fluorescent lights....but, that's me.

 

[janzal3]

Don't know. You'll just have to make a call. I have a four foot track light with 2 x 35 watt halogen bulbs approx. three feet above the tank. The level of illumination "feels" about right. I left the middle of the tank without direct illumination to create a comfort zone. As the beams penetrate on an angle through the surface turbulence caused by the twin FX5s, a great deal of light and shadow movement is generated within the tank.....looks very natural and relaxing. My personal view is that a group of unevenly spaced and angled low-wattage spot lamps looks a lot better than strip fluorescent lights....but, that's me.

I did something similiar to this. My canopy has two light fixtures. One on each side. I keep a really old and dimly lit bulb on the right side and that is where]my Dat stayed when not cruising about. They definitely seem to prefer dim lighting.

 

[PredatorTank215]

I guess ill start with a 1 24watt and see how it looks.

 

[krichardson]

I guess ill start with a 1 24watt and see how it looks.

Do you have any tigers yet or have you seen any around?