I Could Use Your Insight, Advice, And Incoragment! Kinda Stuck.

[moonrose]

Hey everyone! Im new to the forums (made posts in help forum and intro) but it was suggested I try here. Im stuck our house curently has one fully up 46g tank for my dauchter. A quarintine tank. Hubbys settingup an aquascape (slow and steady) its gonna take a bit.... but I wanted my own tank. So hubby got me a 30g to sit on my desk.
The fish I love wont work in theres. And what iv been told last few days im not sure im even gonna set it up at all anymore.
To start I wanted eels...woudnt work in my daughers...ohh munch munch.or.my hubbys and they would be to big for mine.

so k thought sharks!, but found the bala shark (I know im wierd) needs 3or more preferably 6...NOPE!!

so my other loves afe PUFFERS!!!!! Gobys, starfish, crabs, sail fin mollys.

I dont think im good enough to do a full salt tank. so for months I had my "perfect" tankin mind 30g brackish with 2 figure 8s and 3 knight gobys with possibly 1 or 2 sail fins. The molys are maybe depending on how fiesty my puffer and gobys are. Some sights and books say great others no.

but then I went into a local fish store (not a chain) and the guy said id hate brackish snouldnt do puffers and my knights get to 36in! He is usually very knowledgable and is the main person in town to go to but....he cant be right...right. he tried to talk me into salt saying id need (not sure on terms) a second tank with live rock and a good pump so there is extra water for my 30g.....I reeeaaaaly dont want to do that. And I know I dont want a reef. The idea of starfish is nice but....I really want my brackish. I had thought a 5g bucket with 1/2-3/4c salt every 6 days for water quality and salinity would do it.....I know 5g isnt 25% but thats why I tjought doing every 6 in stead of 7.


but really im kinda lost. What I like and what I want just dont seem to work. Please help!!

 

[Ninjouzata]

I really have no idea about brackish, so can't help you much, if at all.
Is this the knight goby you're referring to? http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/stigmatogobius-sadanundio/

 

[moonrose]

I really have no idea about brackish, so can't help you much, if at all.
Is this the knight goby you're referring to? http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/stigmatogobius-sadanundio/

Thats them!! Arnt they awsome!!! And so pretty!!!

 

[Ninjouzata]

 

I really have no idea about brackish, so can't help you much, if at all.
Is this the knight goby you're referring to? http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/stigmatogobius-sadanundio/

Thats them!! Arnt they awsome!!! And so pretty!!!
 

They're very pretty! So I hope the information on there helps you, as you can see, they get 3.6", not 36". So that one guy is wrong
Do keep in mind though, and I think someone mentioned it on your other thread, that these guys may prefer freshwater over brackish. Imagine some research is needed.
I do hope you're able to do what you're wanting. Don't listen to the whole oh you'll hate brackish thing. No one but you knows what you'll enjoy!

 

[lrhodes]

They do make freshwater puffers, no? You could try those! I have heard that brackish is even harder than salt... a lot of chemistry involved there....

 

[Ninjouzata]

I've heard the same thing on difficulty of doing brackish tanks, Irhodes.
 
OP, here is some more info on the figure 8's http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/tetraodon-biocellatus/ As you can tell I like SF Usually pretty good and accurate information.
 
As has been said there are freshwater puffers as well, one that I am wanting to get whenever we get a 10g will be a Red Eye Puffer (Carinotetraodon Lorteti). This is quite agressive though and usually shouldn't be with other fish.
I wish I had more suggestions for you on what you could do but just don't know much about brackish

 

[DrRob]

Don't be disheartened. Brackish tanks can be hugely rewarding, and cheaper to maintain than full marines as they need less salt (a lot less salt).
 
There's a UK based fishkeeper called Neale Monks, used to frequent this area, who has a nice little FAQ on brackish tanks here. I'm sure he'd also like me to tell you that he has a fairly recent book out.
 
If you want to go brackish, then do it, it's a highly neglected part of the hobby.

 

[iliveinazoo]

All 3 fish would be fine at SG1.002-SG1.005@ 25degC but compatibility wise there are risks; puffers can be aggressive and untolerant of others and may be tempted by the flamboyant fins of the others. I've heard of figure 8s killing mollies but I've also heard of mollies bullying figure 8s.

My figure 8s have both been docile and have co-habited with bumblebee gobies very well. 2 figure 8s would stock the tank & if you want a couple of species then personally I may risk a single f8 and a couple of knights or orange chromide. A more peaceful tank could be a f8 with bumblebees as many report success with this combination.

Brackish water especially at such low salinities is easy and doesn't use much salt - just buy the biggest bucket of the cheapest marine salt you can find. It should be about 2-3 tablespoons to every 10litres of water you add but get a hydrometer or refractometer to be sure. Always keep salinity changes to less than SG0.002 as greater swings could kill off the nitrifying bacteria in your filter.

Use an aragonite or coral sand substrate to buffer your water and jobs-a-good'un.