TankBud

Banded darter

Etheostoma zonale

FreshwaterFish

Banded darter (Etheostoma zonale)
rainbowkitten · CC BY 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
59–70°F
15–21°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
3.1 in
7.8 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Egg layer
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Percidae
Origin
United States

Overview

Banded darters are peaceful coolwater fish for the bottom of a fast, rocky stream tank. They are demanding, so they suit experienced keepers.

Did you know

Banded darters, like other darters, have almost no swim bladder, so they do not hover the way most fish do. They rest flat on the bottom, propped on their fins, and move in short hops between rocks.

Caring for the banded darter

Give banded darters at least 26 gal (100 L), with a bed of rocks and gravel. Keeping them means recreating a cool, fast stream, with a chiller or a cool room and strong flow.

Hold the water cool, at 59 to 70°F (15 to 21°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Give them a lot of current and oxygen. Feed live or frozen meaty foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp, since most will not take flake.

Banded darters are not true schoolers, but they are peaceful and do fine in a small group of their own kind. Choose any tank mates with caution.

Spawning males show green bands along the body. Banded darters are egg layers that deposit eggs on the bottom rather than guarding a nest. There is no clear aquarium breeding record for them.

Good to know

The banded darter, Etheostoma zonale, is a North American darter in the family Percidae, the same family as perch.

In the wild

Banded darters live in clear, fast streams and small rivers in the eastern United States, especially the Ohio River drainage, over rock and gravel. They sit on the bottom in the current, in cool, well-oxygenated water.

Common questions

What size tank does a banded darter need?

A banded darter needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a banded darter need?

A banded darter is comfortable at 59–70°F (15–21°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a banded darter eat?

A banded darter eats live or frozen meaty foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp. Most will not take flake.

How big does a banded darter get?

An adult banded darter reaches about 3.1 in (7.8 cm).

How does a banded darter breed?

Banded darters are egg layers that deposit their eggs on the bottom and do not guard a nest. There is no clear aquarium breeding record for them.

Related species