Unstable Indo Dats and a new home for them

[demonknight]

Hi,

I have 3 indo dats [little ones] in a 60 Gallon tank now with clowns, yo-yos, a small red severum, sailfin and blue phantom pleco. The sailfin is on its way out.

Now i'm getting a 90 Gallon [50"x20"x21"]. That's the maximum size i can accommodate in my flat and get to sleep in my bed

So anyway, my query is what are the tank mates i can add/remove? Oh and once the Dat's start to get big, they'll be going to the 180G at my grandmother's house which has a banjar red arowana now.

My dats are always in hiding and the way in which they grab food and scoot makes me call them Darts instead of Dats!

Loaches are active as ever of course but the mid and top of the tank remains empty

What would you guys suggest?

 

[smitty03281964]

Do you like Geophagus?

 

[demonknight]

Do you like Geophagus?

yes i do but don't they require a sandy substrate? they look cool but have no experience keeping them and they are kinda rare out here. But possible to source.

 

[smitty03281964]

You don't have to have sand. They can be kept with fine gravel or even just gravel.

 

[fuzzlebug]

Medium sized, tough cichlids work well. Or some bottom dwellers, like bichirs?

 

[demonknight]

Medium sized, tough cichlids work well. Or some bottom dwellers, like bichirs?

Could you please list out a few options? Convicts, severums and such? I love bichirs but i guess they'll outgrow my clowns very fast and then it's going to be a problem? Ornates and Endiis are available here along with the senegals.

But the bottom part of the tank is pretty active thanks to the clowns and plecos. It's the mid and top that i'm worried about. Maybe i should just throw in a school of tiger barbs or denisoniis

You don't have to have sand. They can be kept with fine gravel or even just gravel.

Ah that's good to know. Damn, i skipped buying them the last time the LFS had them in stock because i thought they needed sandy substrate. So with my stocking list and tank size, how many geophagus would you recommend?

 

[Rotaryp04s]

You need more mid range swimmer types of fishes, this will help bring the dats out and make them feel more comfortable.

 

[demonknight]

I tried tiger barbs. Didnt end well for them. But the dats did come out and were all over the tank and the barbs.

Well, yesterday the new tank was setup and the dats were happy all coloured up and roaming around the tank. After dusk switched on to blue leds and they loved it even more. Going up and down all striped up and happy. Me and my wife just sat in front of the tank for an hour just watching them.

Got up in the morning, fed them, before leaving to office switched on light and bah there they went under the wood all darkened up and trying to stick to the wood!

Not getting good dither fishes here. Silver dollars, Denisonis etc.

Have asked the LFS to help me source some of them or Geos.

Lets see how it goes.

Nothing more beautiful than a dat in its stable glory

 

[demonknight]

 

[Rotaryp04s]

Geophagus might be a better choice, silver dollars are some what skidish. That driftwood on the left is nice BTW.