Bumblebee Gobies...

[Eines]

I know that bumblebee gobies need salt in their water, but how much? I've also heard that people keep swordtails and/or mollies in slightly salty water, so would the two be compatable?

 

[nmonks]

Yes, BBGs and livebearers will get along fine. Go for SG 1.002-1.003 (4-6 g marine salt mix/litre) and your swordtails will be perfectly happy. Swordtails aren't common in brackish water (though they certainly do occur in brackish water in the wild) but don't like high salinities. BBGs and Mollies can be acclimated to stronger salinities, even seawater.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Eines]

okay, thanks for the advice. Good to know that those two will mix fine. Although I don't plan on getting any, would kribs mix with BBG's as well? has anyone ever tried?

 

[nmonks]

Kribs will mix with BBGs fine. You will have problems feeding the BBGs though, because kribs eat the same sorts of food, only faster! I recommend only mixing BBGs with surface-dwelling fish. That way, the gobies can feed more easily.

Kribs aren't really brackish water fish, and shouldn't be maintained at high salinities. They may well tolerate as much as SG 1.005 or more, but you will have problems with breeding. For equal numbers of male/female fry, you need pH 7 exactly, and that's difficult to get in hard, saline water.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Eines]

ah, okay, thanks. yeah, I'm a little bit nervous about feeding BBG's, but I think it'll work. I'll just have to make sure that some food manages to get past my extremely greedy swordtails.