Gold Datnoid - Fish Profile and Complete Care Guide [Datnioides Microlepis] Indonesian Tigerfish

Hello everyone, it’s Pierre and welcome back to the channel! In today’s video we are going to look at my Indonesian Tigerfish or Gold #Datnoid. It’s a big, bold and beautiful predator. Before we continue to talk about this rare and amazing fish, I’d like to thank you for being a subscriber and if you aren’t one yet, please hit like and subscribe down below - it really helps me bring you more and better videos. Unlike some other Datnoid videos on YouTube, I actually own this fish and have raised it from a baby which allows me to share my knowledge and experience with you first hand. Name and Origin: This fish has many other names including Finescale Datnoid, 4 bar Datnoid and Gold Tiger Perch. Its scientific name is Datnioides microlepis. The Gold Datnoid is native to Southeast Asia and particularly Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. It’s a freshwater fish and lives mostly in rivers and is sometimes caught for sport. I got my fish when it was a 3 inch long baby about 5 years ago. For that size expect to pay between $50 to $100, with the price going up depending on the quality, symmetry and cleanliness of the stripes. This fish is relatively uncommon in the trade so don’t expect Petco or PetSmart to carry these. If you want to get your hands on one, your best bet is a local fish store or online depending on where you live. Care and Feeding: Indonesian #Tigerfish are tropical fish and require a temperature range of 76 - 84 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be adapted to live at a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. These are big fish and require good water quality and adequate space. They grow to 12-16 inches in captivity over several years. My 5 year old Datnoid is about 15 inches in total length. I recommend a minimum of 120 gallons for a single Datnoid and ideally 180 gallons or more. I keep my Datnoid in a 265 gallon system with polypterus and catfish. Some mild water flow will be appreciated as they live in rivers in the wild. Datnoids are predatory and eat fish, shrimp, frogs and insects in the wild. In captivity, they can be difficult to feed and become temperamental and even go on hunger strikes. However, they are intelligent and trainable so you can eventually get them on pellets. I was lucky that my Datnoid ate pellets from the beginning. I have also fed my Datnoid slivers of tilapia, market shrimp, earthworms and of course carnivore pellets. They have a protrusible mouth that they are able to extend to gulp food whole - as you can see they have a lightning-fast strike that is impressive to witness. Behavior and Tankmates: Datnoids are predatory but not aggressive. They can be kept with non-aggressive fish that are big and fast enough not to be eaten. They sometimes squabble with other Datnoids but if you keep 5 or more of them in a tank, they will do fine and a dominant fish will emerge. They can be kept with polypterus, large catfish, arowanas, peacock bass and stingrays. Remember that if it’s small enough to be eaten by the Datnoid, it will be! One of the aspects of Datnoids that hobbyists talk about is “stability”. This is when the Datnoid’s colors change and darken, revealing spots and fading of the stripes which indicate that there is something that is making the Datnoid unhappy or stressed out. In fact, when buying a Datnoid, one of the things that you may be told is what percentage of the time the Datnoid is stable, with 100% indicating that the fish is confident, bold and happy and it shows in its behavior and color, always coming up to the tank and exploring confidently and is almost always a beautiful golden color with distinct, black stripes. Conclusion: As you’ve seen, the Gold Datnoid or Indonesian Tigerfish is an unusual, beautiful and big fish with an inquisitive and bold personality. If you can get your hands on one and have a tank big enough to keep it, I highly recommend picking one up! Please remember that I love reading your comments and answering questions! Again, please like and subscribe if you haven’t already and as always, thanks for watching and happy fishkeeping! #FishBeast #Aquarium #monsterfish #predator