Having A Go At Brackish...

cuticom · May 14, 2007

Well I've been talking to my Mum, and if I do well in this years half yearly exams, she's agreed to give me $100 for a brackish tank. I've always wanted to try Marine, but the fact most of its taken from the wild has always put me off, but brackish is a bit easier and quite a bit of its captive bred.

So I can get a 10g (18" long) for $30 or a 20g (2 feet long) for $52.95 a 15g being the same price. So the other supplies I'd need are a heater, salt (obviously), a hydrometer and a filter.

Some questions
I can use a normal run of the mill filter for brackish right? is 4-5 x per hour turn over ok or does brackish need 10 x per hour?
What fish would suit a 10g tank, obviously bumblebee gobies but is there anything else?
Am I missing any basic supplies I'd need?

Any other comments or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Emma

nmonks · May 14, 2007

For a tank this size, your best option would be to choose a low-salinity brackish water tank. I'd suggest SG 1.003-1.005. In an aquarium like this among the species I'd suggest would be:

Rhinohorn gobies
Desert gobies
Amano shrimps
Red-nose shrimps (Caridina gracilirostris)
Nerite snails (various species)
Colombian ramshorn snails (not with plants!)
Guppies and Endler guppies
Swamp guppies (Micropoecilia picta)
Lampeye killifish (Aplocheilichthys spp.)
Ricefish (Oryzias spp.)
Wrestling halfbeaks

If the tank was set up for specific fishes, you could alternatively keep things like pipefish, flatfish, or maybe even a figure-8 puffer. (The puffer would need the 20 gallon tank though.)

Normal filters work fine in brackish. Mature filter media from a freshwater tank can be acclimated to brackish water at SG 1.005 or less without problems, so no trouble cycling this tank. Please have a read through the pinned topics here, or check out my FAQ for more.

Cheers, Neale

cuticom · May 14, 2007

Thanks for that, sigh now I'm annoyed none of those is in Aus apart from guppies, nothing available through the one and only online live fish store either.

I did have a look at the pinned ones, just figured I'd ask here to. I can get halfbeaks, dunno if there the same thing tho
http

/www.livefish.com.au/index.php?main_...products_id=779

Are there any other really common brackish fish? I have guppies and a part from being a pain in the behind well. Hmm maybe I should just stick to bumblebee gobies...

nmonks · May 14, 2007

You're looking at things from the wrong angle. In Australia you have shed-loads of excellent aquarium fish, right there to catch yourself. Gobies by the armful, as well as mudskippers, "gudgeons" (sleeper gobies), blue-eyes, rainbows, and all kinds of oddball perciform fish. Take a look at the ANGFA web site for some inspiration. Bruce Hansen wrote a long chapter on Australian brackish water fish for my book, and trust me, I'm jealous. So spend a little time reading up on native fishes, and then go shopping. If I wa sin Australia, I certainly wouldn't be wasting time with guppies!

Oh, the photo of the "gold half beak" appears to be Xenentodon cancila, not a halfbeak but a needlefish. In this case, a species that gets to about 25-30 cm and prefers neutral freshwater conditions though it tolerates brackish water just fine. It's a predatory fish but a very peaceful one and only really suitable for tanks with completely docile tankmates that stay at the bottom and won't alarm it. Also prefers to be kept in groups.

Cheers, Neale

cuticom · May 14, 2007

Really? I'm aware of our natives but I know some can tolerate full marine, but most seem to get 2-3 feet long. Another thing is, as odd as it sounds I refuse to take fish from the wild, and there aren't that many native Aussie fishes that are captive bred.

Hmmm I've always liked purple spotted gudgeon's...

Lol I take it the that the halfbeak/needlefish isn't suitable for a 20g, it looks kinda cool tho... LOL I may be getting a 6 foot tank later on this year, so guess I'll add that to the list of choices.

Maximus · May 14, 2007

Correct me if I'm wrong but,
you could keep a "stonefish" or toadfish,
in a 20g B)

Something a bit different!

DarkEntity · May 20, 2007

Arent those poisonous though (or am i thinking of something else)

Maximus · May 21, 2007

Yes they are, sorry I should have warned you :good:

andywg · May 21, 2007

The toadfish that fit in a 20gal aren't too much to worry about. The deadly stonefish (subfamily of the scorpionfish) are marine and a completely different family.