freshwater & brackish?

[scottsbt1690]

a long time ago, when i wasnt as old, i kept fish of brackish water in with freshwater, now, i mean fish like archer fish, columbian shark, bumblebee goby, and they all lived perfectly in freshwater tank, eventually i lost them due to different circumstances etc,

the question i want to ask is if you were to add the likes of a brackish fish to a freshwater tank, could you stick a bit of salt etc in it for them, would it affect your normal freshwater fish?, funny that it has never crossed my mind before, and i have never read it or seen it anywhere, may sound strange to some me asking but just something wnat to get a grip of, personally i dont think it would work but hey this is the best place to ask right?

scott

 

[LoachLover]

They SHOULD be ok, I've personally never done it. So other opinions would be good

 

[Opcn]

what fish?

You can keep brackish fish alive for quite some time in FW but they arent happy and there very suseptable to maladies such as fungus and ich. and brackish isnt even a set salinity some brackish fish need things one way and others need the water another, there are two species of BBG brachigobius dario I believe is the one that likes lower brackish and is there for sutable for FW, Also adding a bit of salt to your FW is what makes it brackish, however some FW fish cant handle this, most catfish and scaless fish, looking at your fish list the only ones who would be suitable for light brackish (BBG's) are the swordtails, you can't keep any of your fish with archers or mature Colubian Catsharks.

When in doubt dont mix, and ask about what you can keep in the brackish forum

 

[LoachLover]

True, it does depend on the species of fish.

 

[scottsbt1690]

no i anit getting columbians, or archers, but i had them before, wont be adding them to my tank at all, just wondering on the actual question as to what WOULD happen if it was done

scott

 

[Opcn]

Physiologicaly? Well, the fresh water fish would have issues with there tissues drying out because there kidneys are designed to move great deals of water from the body into the situation while holding on to the salts. Some would also have salt burns form on the skin; On the brackish side of things the fish would have nervous issues from the low salinity because salt balances are essential to the transmition of electrochemical signals down the axons, Funguses to which they are particularly suseptablewould have a leg up because useually the salinity of brackish water keeps them at bay, it would be the same story with several of the protazoan parasites as well. In addition to that they too would have kidney problems from being in the wrong water chemistry, and everyone would have higher stress levels which leads to different behavior.

 

[sylvia]

Fish would die unless carefuly selected to be compatible and from similar water salanities.

 

[LoachLover]

And it's better to not mix them, if you want happy fish, which I would think you would.

 

[Erised]

If you ask me it wouldnt work at all. For a tank to become proper brackish you'll need to use sea salt, and not just 1 teaspoon we're talking a hell of a lot here. Fish that are not meant to live in brackish conditions Will be affected by this salt and will die, probably in short time, but perhaps months later. Fact is, they wont survive.

 

[LoachLover]

The key thing to ask yourself isn't can you do it, it's should you do it.

 

[littlefishie]

The amount of salt the brackish fish would need to be happy would be a lot more than the freshwater fish could tolerate. Also, if you have scaleless fish like otos, plecos, and cories, they can be burned by the salt.
Basically, don't do it if you can avoid it. It's just not nice to the fish.