Setting up a small brackish aquarium

**aeviette** · 06-05-2012, 12:16 PM

I'm thinking about making my 35l desktop tank into a brackish one, rather than a shrimp tank as I'd planned originally. I've never done brackish before so I need a bit of advice. It's a pretty tiny tank, so the range of fish I could keep is probably quite small.

I want to move my whitecheek goby from my freshwater tank into it (my otherwise excellent LFS insisted it would be fine, but I've been hearing otherwise) and maybe get some pygmy puffers, if they'd be peaceful enough. I'd also like to put various little gobies in, like dwarf dragons and maybe peacocks- do they do well in brackish? I've also heard celebes rainbows do better in brackish. What species would do well in a brackish tank of this size?

Thanks!

**zxtuner** · 06-05-2012, 12:32 PM

The pygmy puffer will not work. AFAIK they are strictly freshwater and should only be kept with their own kind. I currently have one in a fresh 10 gallon with a pair of ottos and that is the only tankmates I have been able to get away with. Here is a link to more info on the puffer:

http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/

I can't speak for any of the other fish you suggested so I would wait for other more experienced memebers to chime in.

**aeviette** · 06-07-2012, 01:20 AM

Ok, thanks- having looked around a bit I don't think any of the small puffer varieties will make very good tankmates for pretty much anyone :/ does anyone else have any ideas about fish for a small brackish tank? Brackish killies maybe?

**smaug** · 06-07-2012, 01:30 AM

35 l is about 7 gallons? About all you can keep in there for brackish is about one [1] bumblebee goby.

**ScottishFish** · 06-07-2012, 09:56 AM

The tank only being 7G will severely restrict you stocking options no matter what type of tank you want, FW, SW, Brackish

**aeviette** · 06-07-2012, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by smaug

35 l is about 7 gallons? About all you can keep in there for brackish is about one [1] bumblebee goby.

Really that limiting re numbers?

Originally Posted by scottishfish

The tank only being 7G will severely restrict you stocking options no matter what type of tank you want, FW, SW, Brackish

Yes that's why I asked. I know there's a lot I can't put in there, I'd like to know what I can put in.

**smaug** · 06-07-2012, 04:23 PM

Its a tiny tank,limits you to tiny fish and small numbers. Brack makes it even worse due to limited biological filtration capabilitys. Then there are the fish themselves to consider. Bbg are nasty little buggers at times and one would need tbe whole tank to feel secure. There aren't too many tiny bw fish available either.

**Aeonflame** · 06-07-2012, 04:30 PM

You could consider a small group of male swamp guppies.

**aeviette** · 06-07-2012, 09:15 PM

Swamp guppies look really interesting, thanks for the suggestion :)

The aqadvisor calculator thinks 4 swamp guppies, 4 whitecheek-sized gobies and a nerite snail comes to 89% stocking, does that sound right? Sounds a bit ambitious to me, but that would make a rather lovely little tank if the numbers add up.