Orangethroat darter

Etheostoma spectabile

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 59–68°F (15–20°C)
pH: 6.0–8.0
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 25 gal (95 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Very rare
Origin: United States
Family: Percidae

Overview

The orangethroat darter is a small, peaceful bottom-dweller that keeps to itself and needs cool, clean, well oxygenated water. Give each fish its own space on a gravel and stone floor, as they perch and dart rather than swim in open water. They are fussy feeders that want live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and small crustaceans, and they seldom learn to take flake. A gentle to moderate current and cool temperatures keep them healthy. A tank of 95 liters or larger with a long floor gives a few darters enough separate territory along the bottom.

In the wild

Orangethroat darters live in shallow gravel riffles and rocky runs of cool creeks and small rivers across the central United States. They favor clear, briskly moving headwater streams with plenty of oxygen. To recreate this, use a coarse gravel and cobble bottom, steady flow and cool water, ideally around 15 to 20 C, and avoid warm, still tanks. They accept a fairly wide pH from about 6 to 8. Strong surface movement and clean water are the keys to keeping them in good condition.

Good to know

The orangethroat darter is a member of the perch family Percidae and grows to about 7 cm. Males in breeding dress are boldly colored, with blue and orange banding and the orange throat that gives the fish its name. It spawns in spring, the female burying part of her body in gravel while she deposits small clutches of eggs that are left without care. Formal aquarium breeding records are scarce, though the wild spawning behavior is well studied.

Did you know

Male orangethroat darters put on some of the brightest color of any North American stream fish at spawning time, flushing with blue and orange as rival males spar in the gravel riffles for the chance to breed.