The Datnoid Experiment

[invader]

I've heard different things about the problem with the stability of datnoids. I've had my own problem with my little Indonesian datnoid, where he has his own cave and pretty much stays there throughout the day (see this thread). I've been researching and people have different ideas of how to make a datnoid more stable and I have decided to try them out myself. I would like to see what makes a datnoid feel more comfortable in a tank. I'm not going to change anything in the tank, other than the different ideas put out there by different dat owners. I'm going to try each different method for one week each and observe the change in the behavior of the datnoid.

Obviously, I can't have a control for this, as every datnoid is different and I can't really try it with different datnoids, because I only have the one. So, for the sake of the validity of this experiment, I would like to say that every datnoid is different (especially across different species) and every aquarium is different and not everyone else's datnoid may behave the same way as mine.

Anyway, the first thing I tried was dimming the tank lights. Simple and easy starter. What I have right now is a double strip of T-5 lights across the tank and now I have taken one strip out and moved the whole system to the back of the aquarium, where the overflows cover most of the light coming in. Picture is as follows.

Before (there are no more plants now, though):

After:

The datnoid is now showing a slight increase in boldness. He cruises around the tank for a small amount of time, but sometimes rushes back to his cave frantically if anything freaks him out. At least he's out though! I will update this as much as possible.

 

[kubora666]

the tanks looking good!
ive never kept datnoids, but good luck! i look forward to seing how it goes =)

 

[invader]

Look who came out to play after only a few hours...

I also want to clarify that this is just a way to see what is the best way to make a datnoid more stable.

 

[veil92]

Woah he's a lot bigger than what I was thinking. I can see why he'd be giving the jurupari problems. He's looking great though.

 

[invader]

Woah he's a lot bigger than what I was thinking. I can see why he'd be giving the jurupari problems. He's looking great though.

When he's all flared up, he's bigger than the jurupari! I can't believe his size either. It snuck up on me!

 

[shroob]

My dat is very active in at dusk and dawn, I have quite abit of natural light comming into my room so I guess thats how it knows. But in the middle of the day it will just hide behind a rock or under the bogwood. Only becomming stable when it knows a feed is comming.

What other methods are you trying to use to stabalise your dat?

 

[DarkEntity]

looks a cracking Dat from the images, nice colour patterns aswell

 

[invader]

Thanks for the compliments DarkEntity.

shrrob, I will be trying these methods: Taking all of the hiding places away, dithers, adding other datnoids to the tank, and (one I made up myself) using pictures of other dats to entice him out of the cave. Someone has also said keeping your lights on 24/7 is a good way, but I don't know yet as the tank is in my room.

 

[mark7616]

GIve a Dat a hiding place and it will hide. My AT used to hide most of the day but did come out. My IT now is out all the time doesnt go black and is always at the fornt of the glass been like the from the minute it touched the water in my tank where as the NGT only comes out at feeding and when the lights are off doesnt matter if anyones in the room though.

 

[invader]

GIve a Dat a hiding place and it will hide. My AT used to hide most of the day but did come out. My IT now is out all the time doesnt go black and is always at the fornt of the glass been like the from the minute it touched the water in my tank where as the NGT only comes out at feeding and when the lights are off doesnt matter if anyones in the room though.

Interesting. I think that the majority of my problems when mine is the giant wood in there. I am planning on taking it out anyway (even without doing this "experiment"). We'll see.

 

[Straydum]

you're gonna have alot of space in there if you take the wood out. yes increasing the numbers would help but then again, fishes tend to seek hiding places naturally.

 

[invader]

Well, I think I am done with this "experiment." I've taken out the huge piece of wood in the tank today and pretty much stripped it bare (took the sand out too... gonna replace it with black) and now the dat is everywhere. It was expected, of course, and I didn't want to go through the whole ordeal of taking the wood out, etc yet, but I had the urge to do it and now it's done.

I'll post pictures of the new setup when finished up.

I hope this thread can be added to with other people's experiences with datnoids and their stability!

 

[shroob]

Well, I think I am done with this "experiment." I've taken out the huge piece of wood in the tank today and pretty much stripped it bare (took the sand out too... gonna replace it with black) and now the dat is everywhere. It was expected, of course, and I didn't want to go through the whole ordeal of taking the wood out, etc yet, but I had the urge to do it and now it's done.

I'll post pictures of the new setup when finished up.

I hope this thread can be added to with other people's experiences with datnoids and their stability!

Looking forward to pictures of the new tank, though I don't really like bare tanks so will be interesting to see it.

Just to let you know, I had to move my largest male HRP due to the issue of fry, the only tank I had available was the one with my dat in, ever since I introuduced the HRP its been stable and more active than ever.