# Dario Dario



## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Who has experience with these? 

I know they need live food. Will they eat gammarus shrimp that already live in the tank as well as anything I grow for them and give at feeding time? At this time, I'm assuming the gammarus shrimp are too low in the tank to be noticed (they mostly hide in the gravel and come up to the bottom 1 inch of water when one of them scents food that's fallen down).

My limited research has shown that 10 gallons is the minimum sized aquarium for keeping these guys and that they're shy and need lots of cover. Does anyone have anything else to add?


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

I have been reading up about them too  aren't they stunning?? but the person you want to talk to about these fish is Russelltheshihtzu. She has hands-on experience 

What I know:
- tolerant of water hardness and pH, ranging from 6 to over 8
- tolerant of temperature. Forgot their lowest safe point but they're compatible with Bettas
- shy. Needs hidey holes and stuff like Java Moss and/or Susswassertang to hide in. Some sources claim males will fight but they're also near impossible to sex so... Just step it up on the moss I suppose
- eats "baby fish" food like banana worms, micro worms and walter worms. 

How big are gammarus shrimps?


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

They're the same size as frozen mysis shrimp, which I assume are around the size of brine shrimp. The ones I've seen range from 1-5 mm long. I mostly worry that they're so low the dario dario might not hunt them. They're too fast for my bottom feeders to catch.

I didn't even think to ask about how quick dario dario are and their resting habits. I have dwarf crayfish in the tank they'd go into. So far, the two guppies have avoided dying at night (and they rest at the bottom, where the crayfish could easily attack them). From what I've read, dario dario are smaller. 

I also read that they're easy to sex. The females are gray/silver and sometimes have faint stripes. The males have bold stripes and will face off with each other and flirt with females during breeding times. This is from the Aquatic Arts page, which is where I intend to buy them if they're compatible with my tank.

I'll pm Russelthe****zu for more info. I knew someone on here had experience but couldn't remember who.


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

Ah! Good to know! I didn't read that part about distinguishing between sexes :0 I wonder if it's the same way for dario kajal and hysginon as well. One of my Plan Bs include a trio of each

Unrelated: heheee and that's why I don't have ShiHtzus XD


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I copy and pasted her name in the pm to make sure I spelled it correctly. Oops on here!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

When you buy Dario of any kind it's potluck. It's more than likely you'll get mostly males.

Dario stay mostly near the bottom and low middle of the tank. In the 20 and the eight they split and formed two-level territories. Mine did fine with CPO. They do like a LOT of Java Moss as they form little territories around it. And as Olivia said, they like little caves; mine, of course, being Cholla. ;-) But as long as there's sufficient Java Moss or Subwassertang they are fine.

They might well eat the gammarus shrimp on the bottom of the tank. I can ask as I'm getting more in the near future. They are so tiny I keep five in my 5.5 tanks with no issues. They are eating the frozen food I give everyone else but they do prefer live. I'll replenish my supply when the weather is better.

I love mine and really enjoy watching them dart around the aquarium.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I read on another forum someone that keeps darios feeds them grindal worms as well as white worms... or was the second food micro worms..? I know grindals were fed because we got on a tangent about how to grow cultures of grindals without smell issues.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I feed live Walter, Banana, Micro and Grindal worms and frozen Daphnia, Mysis and Brine Shrimp, Bloodworms and Cyclops (I think). I don't feed them many Bloodworms as those are pretty fattening. They will occasionally grab up a Betta pellet. 

Have never tried White Worms but don't see why not?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Here I am again. 

Rachel said Dario will eat the baby but maybe not the adult scuds. She's getting some Dario Dario in on Sunday and will quarantine at least a week. I've never gotten sick fish from her and I've been ordering maybe three years. I'm getting some from this batch.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Awesome, thanks for all the info! I need more rooted plants, and then I'll fill up bottom spaces with home-made caves and a bunch of java moss.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You're welcome. Mine spend more time in the moss than the little caves.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm really excited, even if I get all males. The supplier I like even shows that they can't guarantee a female. Wish me luck! ha, in a month when I've finished preparing the tank.


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