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Sligg
01-31-2012, 12:34 PM
I recently posted in the rainbow fish section after hearing that there may be a variety of rainbow fish that is purely brackish. As it turns out this is not so, so am really looking for ideas on the types of community brackish fish that are available.

I've viewed all of the fish commonly available in the LFS that are 24/7 brackish... and come up with a surprisingly broad selection!

The one fish that I really don't want to change.... is the dragon goby. They're kind of the fish "that started it all" for me.

The bumblebee goby was next up on the list.... but being a tiny fish in what is primarily a predatory/omnivorous world.... doesn't give me a lot of choice in stocking anything else. But I'll swap them out if there are not any suitable tank mates for them.

Scats and Monos are the next, but feel they may draw attention away from the dragon goby. Being large eye-catching fish.

The knight goby was another interesting one... I would hazard on the side of caution in thinking it wouldn't make a fantastic tank mate for the bumblebee either!

The archer fish is a fish that I really would like to try my hand at. But as a relatively novice fish keeper I don't know if this would be wise. All the same, I seem to understand they are difficult to keep due to their picky nature when it comes to feeding. If this is the sole point that bumps them into the "difficult to care for" category than that's fine. I'm quite happy to keep and breed various forms of insects... I reckon a quick dusting with one of those powders you use for a lizards insect feed, would work equally well for fish.

For the sake of argument.... the question basically is. If YOU could set up.... a brackish community. How would you do it? What would you stock it with?

^_^ Read lots of ideas and viewed many websites about different set ups and have a partial plan drawn up already, just looking for more ideas and opinions.

Thanks!

Sligg
Aeonflame
01-31-2012, 01:13 PM
Mollies and guppies can live in brackish water if properly acclimated.
Sligg
02-02-2012, 05:51 PM
Wasn't aware that guppies would go brackish. Thank you! Sure they'd be too small to eat the bumblebees... my only concern would be that they would eat the food before the bumblebees got a look in. Thank you!

I'd imagine when I get the fish they'll be kept in freshwater... so the plan so far is to cycle the tank as freshwater. Let it all settle down then when the fish are added, gradually increase salinity to the desired level in a few weeks. Will give me a time to properly acclimate the plants as well.

Sligg~
pc4400
03-07-2012, 06:43 AM
I had guppys in a brackish tank for years and they loved. I used to compare them to their relatives owned by a family member in freshwater. It was always mentioned how colorful the looked in the brackish set up. But the guppies could never hang in my 60 gallon. Currents were to string. Occasionally I would move a bullying guppy temporarily from the little tank to the 60 gallon as punishment.
Dave66
03-07-2012, 07:01 AM
If you look under threads started by me, you'll see my Oddball fishes post. Information on keeping and feeding Archer Fish is within. Ah, never mind, I'll copy and paste. [Only Registered Users Can See Links.].

Dave
smaug
03-07-2012, 10:26 AM
I kept a 20 gal bw set up for a spell. I had a knight goby,10 or so bbg and a fig8 puffer. The gobies were all too fast for the puffer and the bbg were too quick for the knight goby to catch. In retrospect I would not have gotten the knight with bbg .
pc4400
03-08-2012, 09:02 PM
I kept a 20 gal bw set up for a spell. I had a knight goby,10 or so bbg and a fig8 puffer. The gobies were all too fast for the puffer and the bbg were too quick for the knight goby to catch. In retrospect I would not have gotten the knight with bbg .

Wow, I thought bumblebee gobies were territorial. I had two in my 60 gallon. They acted like an old grouchy married couple. Loved them but they disappeared after a couple years. Suspicions point to the big puffer
smaug
03-08-2012, 09:39 PM
They are territorial and if done correctly a small pile of rocks or a few empty snail shells are enough to keep them peaceful.
TheVoldevader
03-14-2012, 07:17 AM
I keep my mollies and platies in brackish conditions. It was on accident, when there was a breakout of ich in my tanks and I heard brackish water could help medicate it. The fish seem happier and more active since it's been changed, so I'm leaving it the way it is thumbs2:
smaug
03-14-2012, 09:56 AM
I keep my mollies and platies in brackish conditions. It was on accident, when there was a breakout of ich in my tanks and I heard brackish water could help medicate it. The fish seem happier and more active since it's been changed, so I'm leaving it the way it is thumbs2:
Having a trace amount of mediacating salt in your water does not a brackish tank make. Bw starts at 1.005 to 1.010. Unless you were using quite a lot of actual marine salt then you did not creat a bw tank.
livevil_ryoko
04-07-2012, 06:09 PM
columbian or black fin sharks are also brackish fish. the interesting thing about them however is they fluctuate from fresh water as juveniles to full blown marine as adults, however they do best with brackish. also read that fluctuating the salt levels effects their demeanor.