5 (ish) Gallon Brackish Tank

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

I have set up my ten gallon for fiddler crabs, and I would like to have a fish or two in it as well, if possible. From my reading, it seems that fiddlers perfer brackish water, so it will be a slightly brackish tank. I am not familiar with many brackish fish, other than mollies, which I don't particularly like, really.

I think the water part is about 5 gallons, but thats just a guesstimate.

What could I have with the fiddlers? I have the ten gallon filter running like it normally would for fish, so it is probably overfiltered.

 

[nmonks]

With a 10 gallon tank your best option is to stick with the fiddler crabs. They will be plenty active enough to keep you amused. If you want, perhaps add some Nerite snails. There really aren't any fishes that will be happy in a mere 5 gallons of water, and if the tank is half filled with sand, because the sand is sloping, there won't even be 5 gallons of water.

Fiddler crabs won't last long in "slightly brackish" water. They need at least 25% seawater (or SG 1.005). Ideally more. When kept in water where the salinity is too low, they gradually fade away, for example dying when they moult. It is also absolutely critical to use marine salt mix -- not "tonic" or "aquarium" salt -- to make up the brackish water. These crabs need the additional hardness and other minerals in the water, especially at moulting time. You probably want to mix some coral sand or oyster shell into the substrate to further enhance the pH and hardness.

Fiddlers are very hardy animals and easy to care for, but lots of people misunderstand their water and dietary needs. Result: lots of dead fiddlers. Filtration can be basic. In fact, the idea is an air-powered sponge filter. The fiddlers will peck away at the sponge, removing bits of organic material. This is basically what they eat in the wild, mostly algae and decaying organic matter.

Cheers, Neale

I have set up my ten gallon for fiddler crabs, and I would like to have a fish or two in it as well, if possible. From my reading, it seems that fiddlers perfer brackish water, so it will be a slightly brackish tank. I am not familiar with many brackish fish, other than mollies, which I don't particularly like, really.

I think the water part is about 5 gallons, but thats just a guesstimate.

What could I have with the fiddlers? I have the ten gallon filter running like it normally would for fish, so it is probably overfiltered.