Banded darter

Care at a glance

Overview

These are coolwater fish, so hold the temperature at 15 to 21 C with pH 6.5 to 8 and a lot of current and oxygen. They live near the bottom and aren't true schoolers, but they are peaceful and do fine in a small group of their own kind. A 100 liter tank with rocks and gravel suits them. Feed live or frozen meaty foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp; most won't take flake.

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 and need cool, well-oxygenated water. To keep them you have to recreate that: a chiller or a cool room, strong flow, and a rocky bed, which is why they're a demanding fish.

Good to know

This is a North American darter in the family Percidae, the same family as perch, and it grows to about 8 cm. Spawning males show green bands along the body. They are egg layers that deposit eggs on the bottom rather than guarding a nest. There is no clear aquarium breeding record for them.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Orangethroat darter

  Etheostoma spectabile

  2.8 in (7 cm) · 25 gal (95 L)

  2.8 in (7 cm)25 gal (95 L)59–68°F (15–20°C)

• 

  Rainbow darter

  Etheostoma caeruleum

  2.8 in (7 cm) · 25 gal (95 L)

  2.8 in (7 cm)25 gal (95 L)50–64°F (10–18°C)

• 

  Gilt darter

  Percina evides

  3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)

  3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)59–70°F (15–21°C)

• 

  European perch

  Perca fluviatilis

  19.7 in (50 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)

  19.7 in (50 cm)119 gal (450 L)50–72°F (10–22°C)

• 

  Dwarf botia

  Ambastaia sidthimunki

  2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–86°F (20–30°C)

• 

  Violet cory

  Hoplisoma simile

  2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)12 gal (45 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)