TankBud

Gilt darter

Percina evides

FreshwaterFish

Gilt darter (Percina evides)
Dick Biggins, USFWS · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature
59–70°F
15–21°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 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

The gilt darter is a peaceful, bottom-dwelling North American native for a cool riffle tank with fast-flowing water. It is best left to experienced keepers.

Did you know

The gilt darter props itself on its fins and darts across the streambed in short, quick hops instead of floating. That hopping habit gave the whole group its name, darter.

Caring for the gilt darter

Give a gilt darter a tank of at least 29 gal (110 L) with a long footprint. This active riffle fish needs room along the bottom. Recreate a riffle with a coarse gravel and stone bottom and rocks to perch on.

Keep the water cool and clean, at 59 to 70°F (15 to 21°C) with a pH near neutral, from 6.5 to 7.5. Brisk current from a powerhead or generous filter turnover keeps it healthy. Hold the oxygen high with strong surface movement.

The gilt darter rarely takes flake, so feed live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and small crustaceans. It is peaceful and tends to keep to itself. Give each fish its own patch of the floor, and choose tank mates with caution.

Breeding males flush with gold and blue-green color. In spring the gilt darter buries its eggs in clean gravel in flowing riffles and gives them no parental care. Breeding it in a home aquarium is essentially undocumented.

Good to know

The gilt darter is a member of the perch family, Percidae. Like other darters, it has little or no working swim bladder, so it rests on the bottom rather than cruising in open water.

In the wild

Gilt darters live in the rocky riffles of clean small to medium rivers across parts of the United States. There, fast water tumbles over gravel and cobble. They are sensitive to pollution and to warm, still water, which makes them a good sign of a healthy stream.

Common questions

What size tank does a gilt darter need?

A gilt darter needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a gilt darter need?

A gilt darter is comfortable at 59–70°F (15–21°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a gilt darter eat?

A gilt darter eats live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and small crustaceans. It rarely takes flake.

How big does a gilt darter get?

An adult gilt darter reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

How can you tell a male gilt darter from a female?

Males flush with gold and blue-green color when they are ready to breed.

How does a gilt darter breed?

A gilt darter spawns in spring and buries its eggs in clean gravel, giving them no parental care. Breeding it in a home aquarium is essentially undocumented.

Related species