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FAQs on Brackish Water Fishes

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Tetraodon suvattii. Rolf Bandsma photo.

Changing to brackish... 6/25/07
Hi,
I had pupfish (Cyprinodon) in a saltwater set up and as they did not appear to be doing well I've moved them into another tank to become brackish.
<Better... which species?>
The tank was set up totally from scratch... fine gravel, driftwood the kind that supposedly does not affect pH as much, artificial plants and a few river rocks.
<How was it cycled?>
The salinity was set the same as the previous tank they were in 1.020 and I added Marine BioSpira when I moved the fish into the tank. The tank has done well, no ammonia, nitrite or nitrates. It's going through the brown diatom algae stage. But to my total surprise I'm finding copepods all over the rocks and glass now.
<Neat>
I always assumed in a saltwater tank they came from the rocks and sand, but this was set up totally different, how can they appear?
<On, with something wet... could be with the water the fish/es originally came with...>
The fish had decimated the copepod population in their previous tank so I'm sure they'll enjoy them now. But as I begin to gradually lower the salinity to 1.010 will any other critters replace the copepod population?
<Mmmm, maybe>
Also, how gradually should I make this drop so that I don't upset the bacteria balance since my understanding is that different bacteria will take over at different salinities. Thank you. Debbie
<A thousandth of spg every few days... remove some tank water, replace with "just" water. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Cyprinodon, changing to brackish... 06/25/07
Bob,
<Marco here today.>
I believe the Cyprinodon may be variegatus, I'm not sure.
<For Cyprinodontidae ID please see http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/identification/specieslist.cfm?famcode=212&areacode= . Cyprinodon variegatus is kept in aquaculture, mainly as feeder fish (is not the best), because it is easy to breed. It’s also called Sheepshead minnow. They are somewhat euryhaline and occur in anything from fresh water to seawater (even hypersaline waters), but as you noted, they might do best in brackish water. 20 ppt (SG of about 1.014) was found to be the optimal salinity. They have one of the widest temperature tolerances known from fishes.>
I took them from my brother, who wanted the free tank but not the free 'saltwater' fish and wanted to get rid of them. Anyway... After weeks of research I at least found out they were pupfish. The neat thing now is in their new surroundings their colors are showing more.
<Good sign.>
In the saltwater set up they were always whitish and their stripes could barely be seen (which made identifying what they were even more difficult). Now the females are showing their markings all the time and of course the males show their mating colors more vibrantly. It's neat. But one other question I forgot to ask.. what should the pH be for their set up? Currently I'm doing everything the same as for saltwater because as a new setup I wanted the tank to be more stable before I started lowering the salinity. Does that (pH) need to be lowered as well?
<No. Around 8 will be fine for them, 7.5 should be okay, too. Keep it stable, however.>
Are freshwater or saltwater products used to keep the pH stable/maintained?
<Most buffers are the same or comparable (baking powder and similar salts). Crushed coral gravel/sand and calcareous rocks can be sufficient if the tank is not overstocked and regular water changes are undertaken. If the pH is dropping use a marine buffer product for short term improvement, but consider possible changes in the system/maintenance to reach a higher stability.>
Thank you, Debbie
<Welcome! Marco.>

Overcrowding a Puffer 5/31/07
<Hi Natalie, Pufferpunk here>
I have spent hours on this website, thank you so much for your expertise in the matter of brackish water info.
<We try our best!>
I had a 33 g brackish aquarium that had 2 mono's, 1 F8 and a GSP.
<Wow, that's a lot of fish! At adult size, your GSP will be happy in that tank alone. Have you researched the adult sizes of these fish? How about their requirements as far as whether they are schooling fish, like the mono? F8s prefer low-end brackish water, while the other species you have listed prefer high-end BW to marine conditions as adults.>
After reading the FAQs, I realized that I was most likely keeping everyone content by pure chance.
<Agreed>
I moved countries, left them behind and they passed away.
<So sad... Didn' you leave them in the care of someone responsible?>
My question is this: I'm currently in the process of cycling a 46g and doing research on the GSP.
1. I was going to use normal aquarium gravel (since its' what I used before with success) but I'm reading from many sources that sand is better and even as far as play sand found at Home Depot-type stores. Is this correct? If not, what type of sand do you use? Crushed coral?

This would present a problem, since I was going to use the gravel used from a previous aquarium to help with the cycling process.
<Unless the gravel is in a tank that has fish in it now, it will be useless. You can "seed" the new tank by putting a bag of gravel from a well-established tank, onto your sandbed & fishless cycle the tank (lots of good info on that subject at WWM).>
I was also thinking that the sand would show much of the waste and since GSP don't like much current it would be difficult for the filter to pick it up without a power jet, which is the reasoning behind my going with simple aquarium gravel. Is this bad?
<This is why I prefer crushed coral.>
2. I really want to focus on the GSP. However, in a 46g I think it would look kind of weird and empty only having one guy in there.
<Not really, if you add the ton of decor they prefer, so they are kept busy investigating everything. Otherwise they get bored. I think mine would have been happy by itself in a 55g tank. You'd be surprised how much room these football-shaped fish can take up in a tank. They swim a lot. They are messy eaters & high waste producers & require a lot of dilution to that waste.>
I know, I know, GSPs are best kept alone, however I was thinking of maybe putting him with a Silver Tipped Shark
<Grows to 18". Much too large for your tank. Also they are a schooling species.>
or two mono's (since they tend to be a quick and aggressive)
<Grows to a foot & is also schooling.>
or even a bumblebee that was suggested on some other website
<Will be eaten.>
as well as maybe a dragon fish.
<Too sedentary & will be chewed up by the puffer.>
Something to fill up the space aside from decorations.
<Your puffer will be thrilled to be in that tank alone.>
I know this must get monotonous but I really want to do this right and not go on my previous experience since apparently were completely wrong and apparently only managed to give me confidence that I could do this again, LOL. Thank you in advance for your help, time and most of all patience.
<Please research adult sizes of fish you are interested in. Also Compatibility, tank size, salinity, etc. All the info is at your fingertips.>
Yours, Natalie.
PS: I hope the English is better this around.
<Your English is perfect. I have corrected your punctuation & capitalization. ~PP>

Bullying in a brackish tank 5/18/07
Hi, me again
<Hello 'me again'!>
I have a brackish tank at 1.010 gravity on 110 litres
<Very good.>
livestock: x1 mudskipper, x1 silver scat, x1 mono argenteus, x2 archers, x1 bumblebee goby. most fishes are around 4-6cm. except the goby of course.
<OK. The goby will eventually be archerfish food, and the mudskippers won't swim much with large fish in the water. And the scat and the mono and the archer all need much more space than 110 litres. Common archers will get to ~20 cm in aquaria, and scats about the same. Monos get to around 15 cm in aquaria. All these fish can get much bigger in the wild (archer to 40 cm, scat and mono to 30 cm) but for whatever reason don't seem to in home aquaria. Even so, I'd be planning on a ~300 litre tank at least for this selection of fish. Perhaps more, given you need some "land" for the mudskipper.>
I have 2 bullies in my tank:
<Oh dear.>
1) silver scat - picks only on the mono. now the mono hides in the back and i never see it. before the scat was added in it used to swim freely through the tank. now it just hides. the scat has grown quick and has become the largest. how do i stop him from bullying the mono. the scat is good for the tank as it seems to eat every single drop of food i give.
<Scats will eat every single drop of food you have in the house! Your problem here is uncommon, as scats tend to be fairly sociable. I've kept this species with *groups* of monos and never had problems, but that was in a ~750 litre tank. Adding more scats and monos should fix things, but you can't do that in a 110 litre tank. Likely the problem is boredom more than anything else, the scat needing to burn off energy with others of its own kind. Similar to tiger barbs in this regard. With a 110 litre tank, really all you can do is remove one fish or the other.>
2) the larger archer - picks on the smaller one chases him when he comes out of hiding. due to the stress he has caught fin rot twice already. i have him being treated in a separate tank. how do i stop the bullying so he stops catching diseases. do i need 3 or more archers to spread the aggression?
<Archerfish are notorious bullies, and should be either kept singly or in groups of 6 or more. Smaller groups never work, and eventually there is a very good chance the smaller fish will get bullied to death.>
or do i already have too much fish in the tank? as i plan to get 1 mudskipper and maybe 1 more archer if its beneficial?
<Yes, you have too many fish.>
also leads me to ask would a tandanus catfish or pleco be able to handle the salinity? i need a scavenger at the bottom of the tank... could you give advice on what's best to use.
<No, neither of these catfish will work. You don't need a catfish at all. There are plenty of brackish water catfish, but they're all quite large and more or less predatory (will eat the goby and mudskipper). They are also very active and need lots of swimming space. The best scavenger for your tank is the standard-issue hose pipe and water change: siphon out the crud as and when you see it. Better yet, don't overfeed. Scats are herbivores and should be given lots of green food. That'll fill them up without dumping masses of ammonia in the aquarium.>
i know the brackish fishes grow fairly large (20-30cms).. i will deal with it when they get to that size.
<Not an approach I recommend. The scat and mono will be close to full size within 12-18 months of age, though archers grow a little more slowly. In a 110 litre tank you'd have been much better off with small fish like gobies, sleepers, livebearers, flatfish, halfbeaks, glassfish, killifish, pufferfish, etc. As it is, you have a variety of more-or-less problematic fish that have dumped a bunch of problems on you. Ideally, the scat, archer, and mono would be moved to a tank 3 times the size. Remove one archer, and then add more monos. That's one tank. In the 110 litre you could keep the goby with the mudskipper. Add some more of either, as both types of fish are most fun in groups, when they chase each other and display. One last thing: try and ID the archer you have. There are three species commonly traded, one of which (Toxotes microlepis, 12 to 15 cm) doesn't really like strongly brackish water. The other two (T. chatereus and T. jaculatrix) are twice the size and need brackish water.>
Thanks again
Wil
<Cheers, Neale>

Keeping BW Fish in FW 1/4/07
Hello,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I was wondering if the Leaf Goblinfish (Neovespicula depressifrons) could adapt to a completely freshwater environment. I have read that they are found in freshwater, brackish, and even fully marine waters. Most sites have them listed as mainly brackish, can they thrive in a freshwater tank or even adapt to it?
<This species is considered BW. Many BW species do swim throughout the 3 systems (FW/BW/SW). Since you will be keeping it in an enclosed system, where it cannot swim up & down the salinities as it chooses, it is best to keep it in BW. Although it will "tolerate" a life in FW, it will be happier, healthier & longer-lived (stronger immune system) in BW. ~PP>
Thanks

Brackish water bottom feeders: who are they? 12/2/06
Is...
<Are>
...there any brackish water bottom feeders except the Columbian catfish?
<Please read here for a comprehensive brackish water species list:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracfishes.htm
Another good resource can be found here:
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?s=a64047193657883c4423c7267b06aa6d&showforum=48
Lots of information on the 'net be found out there...Jorie>

Re: Brackish water bottom feeders: who are they? Clown Loaches? 12/3/06
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracfishes.htm
Thank you for the help but one more question. On the site you said to go to it has clown loaches up there. I was wondering if they were brackish or not? 'Cause I have one now in a fresh water 55 gallon setup and I read that they are not tolerant to salt.
<Many people keep clown loaches in pure FW, but they truly are a light-brackish water fish. So long as proper, gradual acclimatization is done, they should be able to successfully live in pure freshwater, and brackish water up to 1.005 SG. In fact, you may find that a bit of salt in the clown loach's water will make them healthier and more resistant to common diseases such as ich. Hope this helps, Jorie>

Re: Velvet? - Ignore previous e-mail, P.S. Included here 8/24/05
PP,
Thanks for the quick response. He's doing fine again by the way, with no intervention from me.
<Glad to hear that. Just keep an eye on the bullies.>
Still discolored though, both of them. It does appear, as I watch them more closely, that the color comes and goes to some degree.
<Many fish change colorations due to moods & camouflage.>
I did rearrange with the water change. There's a few more
hiding places that are further split apart now. It's a hexagon shaped tank and I need to leave the middle open for the sharks, so I can't really break up the lines of sight too much.
Here's my plan and you tell me if I'm being realistic so far as growth rates go...
First a hospital/quarantine tank, 10 or 20 gallon, within weeks...
<Easily & quickly set up w/Bio-Spira or a bacteria source from an established tank & kept active by feeding w/ammonia. Another way to do a hosp tank is to keep a small filter on an established tank to move over for hospital/quarantine use.>
Then a 30 gallon to get the live bearers and glass cats out before
anybody gets big enough to eat them, probably within 1 or 2 months...
Then I'll get a 75g and move everything in the 55g to that, within 3 to 6 months. Within a year I'll set up a 125g in addition to the 75g. I'll probably leave the puffer an sharks in the 75g alone and go with archers, the scats and Monos in the 125g. This will eventually be home to the mollies a well, but I'll keep them in the 30 gallon, slightly brackish (about 1.004) until then. If I feel so inclined, I'll save the 55g and go with a cichlid tank at
some point.
Is this enough time to move everybody? Should I alter this plan in any way?
<I didn't remember you mentioning you have Monos & archers. Archers grow to 1' & Monos are schooling fish (5-6 min) that grow just as large. A school would require a 300g min tank. I still think you are not looking into large enough tanks for the species you want. ~PP>
Thanks for your help,
Erik in Oceanside

Re: Velvet? - Ignore previous e-mail, P.S. Included here 8/24/05
PP,
30 minutes after I replied to you, I'm sitting and watching my fish and what happens? A scat chases the Betta down, grabs it by the tail and shakes him like a dog with a stuffed toy.
<Yup, not surprised.>
I moved him immediately to a fish bowl. I'm going to the LFS tomorrow to get my hospital tank started. I'll keep the Betta and platies in there (Bio-Spira for me, I have no patience for cycling). Once again, the WWM crew's wisdom prevails over my newbyness.
That being said, I have to question your estimation that I need 150g for 3 scats though. I've done quite a bit of reading and never heard such a large requirement for these guys. If that's the case, as much fun as they are, they are officially up for adoption.
<some species grow as large as your outstretched hand, others as large as a dinner plate.>
I'd rather keep archers and Monos or reevaluate my infatuation with BW fish.
<I'd reevaluate that decision also, as archers grow to 1' & Monos are schooling fish that grow as large, requiring a 300g min tank for a school (5-6). ~PP>
Erik in Oceanside

Bettas and brackish
This question is threefold, but background first.
I have a two-year running planted tank with just about the easiest to grow plants in them (hornwort and Cabomba weeds) and a Betta (who is in
heaven). Ten gallons, inexpensive waterfall-type filtration turned all the way down to keep the water filtered but generally undisturbed at the
surface, temperature at 82-84F, full spectrum lighting (as I pretty much used to use it as a plant-isolation tank to get the snails out of
them... used to have a swarm of apple snails, which has since stabilized as the Betta tends to eat the egg sacs and young snails... basically
anything he could fit in his mouth). It was my first foray into plants and gave me the knowledge I needed to go into planting my goldfish tanks.
<Outstanding>
I am now interested in getting some (generally) bottom-dwelling small crabs, and according to the research I have done, while they can
tolerate freshwater (poorly), they prefer brackish. <Most of the species sold in the trade, yes>
I've done research into setting up a brackish system and I feel ready for it. I've also been briefed in the requirements of the types of crabs I'm considering
(but will eventually settle on a single pair of a single type, most likely the small red-clawed crabs) and feel ready to meet them.
<Okay>
Question one is: Can the Betta tolerate a brackish or slightly-less-than-brackish salinity?
<Yes... as can the hornwort/Ceratophyllum... but the Cabomba may well do its falling apart act>
I'd like to keep him (I got him as a fry and know he is around 19 months of age now) where he is, and
possibly just slowly up the salinity to desired levels to get him used to it, as well as letting the microorganism population adapt to the change.
<Good technique>
Question two: Would the Betta be socially compatible with these scavengers? He generally will sleep on the plants and I've almost never seen him sleep on the gravel (I work nights, and keep the room dark on my nights off, so I have observed him during the 'night' part of his cycle).
<The Betta should not harm the crabs, but the reverse may well not be so... almost all crabs are opportunistic omnivores... and if hungry, might attack, consume the Betta>
Question three: Answered on your brackish plants page, no, the plants will stick around.
Thank you,
Dan
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Monos & scats.. Marine
Hi,
<Hello there>
I have a 70 half cylinder with 3 Monos ( not the saber!), 1 figure 8 puffer, 2 knight gobies, 2 green scats and 2 red in it
<Okay>
The tank has made the transition from brackish to marine wonderfully.
<Good>
I plan on adding a flame Hawkfish and was wondering if you have any fish recommendations.
<Mmm, I would not keep a Hawkfish with the Knight Gobies... too likely to be eaten, harassed... Please take a look on WWM, the Brackish subweb for other fish, non-fish livestock ideas>
Ideally there would be some coralline and possibly inverts, But I cannot find out enough info.. Can you folks lend some advise?
<Keep reading. Bob Fenner>

Brackish Fish 3/3/05
Thanks PP
<Sure!>
However, if frontosa cichlids aren't brackish water fish, then someone ought to ring up Petco, who sells them with other African cichlids as brackish water fish!!

The frontosa's been doing extremely well in my brackish water tank...
<For now--they are not BW fish & are not equipped to handle the salt, long-term. Especially the salinities GSPs require.>
...with the silver- tipped cat sharks either way, eating small pellets and guppies. So now I have four 4 silver- tipped catsharks, 4 African cichlids, and one frontosa. Again this is a brackish tank. I have been adding one whole box of sea salt for my 36 gallons of which I change the water every 2 1/2 weeks.
<You really need a hydrometer to know the exact specific gravity of your water.>
I want to return 3 African cichlids and add 2 BW figure 8 or spotted puffers.
<Sorry to tell you, but that tank is only large enough for 1 GSP, as they grow to 6" as adults & need a minimum of 30g ea. Didn't I give you the link on their care? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm The catfish will grow to 18" each, so I'd return them too.>
Please advise, -Raulph

Are These Fish Brackish? 1/17/04
<Hi Chuck, Pufferpunk here>
Can you inform me if my Semiprochilodus insignis and Dianema longibarbis can thrive in a brackish water environment?
<Neither of those fish are brackish, nor will they appreciate the high pH hard water that is brackish. Both prefer soft, acidic water.>
I am thinking of switching my fresh water aquarium over. Thanks in advance.
Chuck
<If you want a BW aquarium, you must stick with existing BW species. It is not a good idea to force a FW fish into BW. ~PP>

Fish for Brackish Tank? 6/04/04
Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a 29g that I have setup as a mangrove look, and planted with several stocks of anacharis (Egeria densa I think but not 100%) and 3 clumps of java fern, with a crushed coral substrate (I was originally planning mid- to high-end brackish but re-considered). I have a H.O.T. Magnum canister for filtration, may add a small bio-wheel as well. I currently have 3 Rainbows in the tank.
I am leaving open in the future a conversion to low-end brackish but not quite decided on that so I would like to add some fish that would tolerate low-end brackish (no more than 1.005) just in case, along with fitting the current mangrove look which is most important. I am considering a few fiddlers (depending on the other livestock of course), they will be able to be out-of-water on the faux mangrove stump top. I am also considering some dwarf puffers and possible glass or other freshwater shrimp (supposedly the dwarfs will be too small to bother either?). I would also like to get some sort of eel, or ropefish, or similar, just plainly for effect, though again an eel would depend on being true FW or not, his maximum size, and whether I have any inverts or other potential snacks in the tank or not. I am also considering adding a couple more Rainbows for schooling effect. As the anacharis seems to be growing nicely, some over 3inches in just over a week, some plant nibbling from the fish would not be a problem
Any ideas on the above and suitable or similar livestocking will be appreciated.
<Hmmmm, this question seems vaguely familiar... Maybe you posted it at another forum? In that case, the answer I gave before still stands. If it wasn't you, I sill state again: dwarf puffers are strictly FW & will tolerate no salt at all. That's how I killed my 1st 2 dwarves, many years ago. There are no BW eels, especially a FW ropefish (which isn't an eel at all). Most rainbowfish are not BW either, except the Celebes rainbow. Your anacharis will "melt" in any amount of salt, it is not a BW plant, although you may have some success with java fern <1.005. Fish good for a low-end BW tank would be the Celebes rainbows, glassfish (not painted!), knight gobies, bumblebee gobies, or figure 8 ;puffers. I have a lovely low-end BW tank with 3 F8 puffers, 4 knight & 6 bumblebee gobies, with the mangrove root like you describe. You can see it here: http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRequest=userview&userID=1918 The shrimp & crabs you are interested in are also fine in BW. Just be sure to buy only female crabs (2 small claws) if you want other creatures in there, or the males (1 large claw) may grab them at night.>
Patrick
<So what you really need to do is decide if you really want BW or FW fish. Do more research. Good luck with your planning! ~PP>

Keeping Batfishes in Captivity 12/2/04
<Pufferpunk again>
It's on WetWebMedia in the brackish section
<I don't see it there. What I do read about the more commonly available species is this: "proves almost impossible to keep alive, generally refusing all food. This species is secretive in the wild, found hiding in wrecks and other dark spots, and should be left there. In my estimation, less than one hundredth of pinnatus bats live more than a month in captivity." & on spadefish: "Spadefishes can be summarily ignored by aquarists on a handful of damning characteristics. 1) They're very skittish in captivity; nervousness showing in difficulty in adjusting to small volumes, poor eating, "mysterious" deaths. 2) They're really only happy in groups... and 3) They get pretty darned big, some more than two feet long, and at least that tall." In addition to their being marine fishes.>
-is there any marine fish that can be kept in brackish water?
<Many marine fish visit BW occasionally, but are not to be kept there long-term, by any means. Even most BW fish wind up needing SW as adults. Please research the fish you choose carefully. ~PP.

Needlefish
Hello,
<Hi, Magnus at your service.>
 I was hoping you could help me with a small kink in the planning
of a mangrove tank simulating Sulawesi.
<I'm here to help.>
I am looking at putting archerfish, scats, needlefish, and maybe Monos in a saltwater mangrove tank.
<Most of these fish are heavy brackish fish. Archers tend to live best in a specific gravity below full marine conditions. Scats and Monos enjoy full marine conditions when they have reached adult size. I have never kept needlefish, but I do know that they are found in Marine waters as adults.>
I know they are brackish fish, but I have heard that you can acclimate them to salt.
<it's a gradual process. It takes months to raise them up properly to marine conditions. I simply did it by doing water changes every so many days and raising the salinity a small level. giving them a break every 3-4 water changes, so they could get used to it. Eventually the tank was up to marine conditions.>
Also I can't find the species Strongylura urvilli in the aquarium trade near me.
<It's extremely hard to find anywhere, I have never seen one for sale at any of the stores (in person or online) I have visited.
I can only find Xenetodon cancila. Do you know if the first species is available and from where?
<Sadly I do not know any place. I would speak to your Local Fish store. they have a list of fish available. Just because they don't have it there doesn't mean they can't get it. Ask them, and see if you can specially order them.>
Will the second work just as well?
<Xenetodon cancila, or the Freshwater Gar, or called Silver needlefish, are nice fish, but I believe that they aren't typically found in full marine conditions in the wild. They are considered Brackish fish, and I have never seen anyone have one in a marine tank before. Fishbase.org dose list them as possibly going into marine conditions, so I imagine if acclimated slowly it would be able to. But, I'm not sure if that will be good for the long-term health of this fish.>
Thanks, Daniel
<Good luck with the tank. -Magnus>

Yellow tail trumpeter? (03/11/04)
<Hi! Ananda here this morning...>
Hi, your site has been great in helping me set up a native brackish tank.
<Australia has some fantastically cool fish... (presumably you're there, given the email addy)>
I am curious to know if you know whether yellow tail trumpeters are typically aggressive to each other or with archers/scats.
<I'm not certain which fish you're referring to -- Sillago maculata? One of the other Sillago species?>
I have a 6x1.5x2 foot tank and want to stock it very low, and planning on 2 trumpeters. Do you know if they are likely to fight and should keep either more or even a single specimen?
<Without more information, I couldn't begin to guess. Do check out http://www.fishbase.org, http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=307 for some basic info on the fish, once you know a genus and species for this fish. Many entries list "food items", and you could get some clues from there. If these won't work out, maybe some gudgeons might interest you... there are several gorgeous species. And if you haven't found this site already, spend on planning some time perusing it: http://www.nativefish.asn.au/ :-) >
Thanks for your help and website! Regards, Rob
<You're welcome. --Ananda>

Re: Article Submission
I am actually planning on writing other articles, is there need for an
article on figure 8 puffers? This should not be a problem, maybe I can shed
some light on the freshwater/brackish water debate.
<IMO there is a huge need for informational, inspirational material on brackish systems and livestock... most of these set-ups and their inhabitants are and have been "bumped off" through ignorance...>
I have sent this article to Brian Scott at Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine.
<Outstanding>
Are there any other contacts for other hobbyist magazines I should try?
<One at a time per any given article... "Multiple submissions" are a giant "no no" in the print biz. If you have other articles, and TFH can't run them (due to space, time, interest), I encourage you to try FAMA next... Sue Steele there is a delight to work with. Bob Fenner>
Thank!
Heather Cooan

Brackish loaches? (1/6/04)
Hello Bob. I enjoy your site immensely.
<Me, too. Ananda here tonight...>
I currently have a system set up for Archerfish, and as it establishes, I've been researching potential tankmates. As a beginner to brackish water fishkeeping, I've found it to be the most informative single resource on the net.
<So did I. Thanks!>
I do however have a few questions that aren't covered on the site: (My substrate is an even mix of sand and crushed coral, with a small amount of smooth pebble-sized gravel. The specific gravity is about 1.005, and the temp is 80F)
Your section on brackish fishes mentions that loaches, and in particular the Clown Loach are happy in a brackish environment. However, I've found other resources that say loaches are extremely salt-intolerant. Do you know what the real story is?
<I believe that clown loaches may venture into brackish water, but do not stay there long-term.... Most other sources say *all* loaches are salt-intolerant, and I know that's not the case (more on that in a bit). I have clown loaches, but haven't had the guts to try turning their tank into a brackish system.>
I've always liked loaches in my freshwater community tanks, so I'd like to add a few. If they do tolerate salt, can you tell me what their upper limit of salinity is?
<I know they will tolerate 1.003 for at least a few weeks -- a friend treated her loaches for ich by adding freshwater salt, adding it slowly (over a couple of days) until she got to 1.003, and increasing their tank temp to about 86. I have heard of people who've had success keeping yo-yo loaches, Botia almorhae (formerly B. lohachata) in systems up to 1.006.>
I'm also a big fan of mollusks, and apparently "freshwater" clams such as Corbicula fluminea can adapt to fairly high levels of salinity. Do you have any experience or comments on keeping these clams (or similar species) in an aquarium setting?

Also, I've been searching for a type of snail that would be suitable for such an environment. Everything I can find on the net seems to be purely freshwater or marine. Any suggestions?
<Malaysian trumpet snails, also called cone snails, do just fine in brackish systems. They will reproduce to near-plague proportions if you give them a chance. Going from the other end of the spectrum, I've heard that some turbo snails can be adapted to brackish systems. Doing so, however, is a matter of weeks, if not months. And Pufferpunk recently got some freshwater Nassarius snails, so they, too could be adapted. Again, however, the process would be slow.>
Thanks in advance,
-Brian
<You're quite welcome. Do check out the WWM brackish forum at http://wetwebfotos.com/talk --Ananda>

Are Monos Reef Safe
Can you tell me if Monos are reef safe
<Mono Sebae (aka African Moony) though semi-aggressive and nippy to some of it's tankmates can be kept with caution in reef tanks. Though the don't typically bother some of the LPS corals, they have been known to "sample" the smaller polyped corals, and some leathers. Though I have known a few people with Monos that never had issues with them in their reef tanks. The issue with Mono's in a reef tank is that they can and often times do pester the shrimp/crabs/snails in the tank. Mono argenteus (or Fingerfish) are a bit larger than the others, but are found to be less aggressive and picky towards reef type inhabitants. Though, I have never raised this myself. But both of these fish if well fed with flake/pellet/dried seaweed and brine shrimp diets, they shouldn't feel the need to bother the rest of the tank. -Magnus Champlin>

New Brackish water tank
I will be setting up a new tank up in about 2 weeks.
<Are you fishless cycling your tank? Here's some great info on setting up a new tank: http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquasource/newtanksyndrome.shtml Please read all the recommended links in there too. (I apologize if you are already experienced in this matter.)>
My plan was to set up a freshwater tank (not brackish). I wanted to get figure eight puffers, spotted puffers, and Bala sharks.
I have been on my computer for hours every night doing all my research to make sure I know all I need to know about my puffers but I am going in circles.
Every site tells me the opposite of the other.
<It is a great thing to do research, but info on the net can be very confusing & misleading & just plain wrong>
I want my tank to be freshwater but can they be without the salt??? and can the sharks handle salt if I need to have it in there??
<Bala sharks are freshwater fish. They also are schooling fish that grow quite large.>
I just don't want to get the puffers and then them die on me....I would feel horrible....The pet store in my home town said to put them in freshwater and not brackish.
<Figure 8 puffers (Tetraodon biocellatus) & Green Spotted Puffers (t. nigroviridis) are both brackish water fish. F8s prefer light BW (a specific gravity of 1.005-10) & GSPs prefer high-end BW-SW (1.015-22). All the difference between FW & BW is some marine salt & a hydrometer. As your LFS is obviously keeping them in FW, you can add the salt slowly, raising the SG .002/weekly water change, until the desired SG is reached.>
(I am oh so confused.........I will take any suggestions I can get.
<Here's a whole lot of info to keep you busy for a while:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/intropuffer.shtml
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/8puffer.shtml
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/4742/puffer.html
F8 puffers grow to 2 1/2-3" & will need at least 10g/puffer as an adult. They are best kept singly, or 3 or more. GSPs grow to 6" & need at least 20g/puffer as an adult. Because puffers are aggressive fish, I do not recommend putting these 2 species together.>
Thanks a bunch......Angela
<You're very welcome. I'm happy to answer all your puffer questions! Pufferpunk>

Brackish fish list? (04/16/03)
I planning on setting up a brackish tank and need some help on the type of fish I should add. Please advise on the type of fish I can use in a 38 gal tank.
<Hmmm. Part of the answer to your question depends on what your long-term goals are for the tank. There are many brackish fish to choose from... do check out the various fish listed on the pages linked from http://wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm ... figure out which ones are your favorites, then research those fish in more detail. Do check out the WetWebMedia chat forums at http://wetwebfotos.com/talk and post on our brackish board! Several brackish fans, self included, check the board frequently (daily, if not more often). --Ananda>

A mixed bag of used fish
<Ananda here today answering the brackish questions...>
I am going to buy a second hand aquarium with all the fishes
size 5'9'' by 2'
<Hmmm...how tall is this aquarium? Do get help to move it and set it up -- more info at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/movingaq.htm and the linked FAQs, underlined in blue at the top of the page>
fish: 2 silver dollars
<See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/serrasalminae1.htm and the linked FAQs>
 1 mono
<See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/monos.htm and the linked articles and FAQs>
 1 puffer
<See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/fwbracpuffers.htm and the linked pages>
 2 silver sharks
<See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ariidcats.htm and the linked FAQs>
 1 scat
<See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Scatart.htm and beyond>
 and others I do not know
<Danger, Danger Will Robinson! You should always know which fish you are buying!>
1st question is it true that Monos and scats are brackish fish???
<Yes. And the puffer is possibly a brackish fish, also, and one that may nip the fins of your other fish. More brackish info here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm>
2nd can I make Oscars with those fish????
<Oscars are not brackish fish. Whether or not they would be okay with your other fish, I can't say, as we don't have your entire fish list yet.>
3rd what is the best ph????????
<That varies with the type of fish, and should be available on the pages listed above. --Ananda>

Brackish, fresh, brackish?
So I cannot leave them in normal water forever because I risk that I kill
them or not?
<It may not kill them directly, but their lifespan will be much shorter than it could be.>
I do not wish to change to brackish system it is too complicated.
<My very first tank was a brackish tank. I have freshwater, brackish, and saltwater tanks, and honestly, I think brackish is easier than freshwater! (Many of the things that cause disease in freshwater fish cannot tolerate brackish water.) The only thing you need for a brackish tank that you don't need for a saltwater tank is a hydrometer and salt. Just mix the salt in the water for each water change -- that's the only "extra" work you have to do for a brackish tank that you wouldn't do for a freshwater tank. You don't need to measure all the stuff that people doing saltwater tanks worry about!>
I like Oscars are they difficult fish ?what other tank mates<big>
can I do with them. it is difficult that I will have babiesfrom Oscars? how I am going to distinguish a male with a
female ?

Tank you
<You're welcome. --Ananda>

Brackish, fresh, brackish?
<Ananda here...>
the owner from which I m going to buy the aquarium had no problems when he
made them live for approximately 2 years in fresh water (not brackish). How
come this was possible ?
<Many fish that are considered brackish start their lives in freshwater, migrating to increasingly salty water as they mature. The mono, silver sharks, scats, and possibly the puffer (depending on species) fall into this category.>
What shall I do with the fish now ?
<If you wish to keep the majority of the ones you have listed, I would suggest you sell, trade, or give away the two silver dollars. Once you have the tank established in your home, you can slowly raise the salinity of the system. My favorite method for doing that is topping off the tank (replacing the water lost to evaporation) with brackish water rather than fresh water.>
thanks for your immediate reply
Aldo (Malta)
<No problem. I do hope you enjoy the brackish system -- I would love to have one that size! -- and I encourage you to read and join the brackish forums on http://wetwebfotos.com/talk. --Ananda>

Re: Creating a Brackish Tank . . .
I'm converting my 55 gallon tank into a brackish tank. I've bought a
floating hydrometer, and a bag of instant ocean. I'm planning on the
substrate being a mixture of silicate sand and the small gravel I
originally had in the tank with a small amount of live sand placed on
top. probably going to add live rock and plants as well.
<I would not use silicates as substrate here. Please read through the
various articles and FAQs files on brackish system set-up posted here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm>
Thought this site was where I had seen silicate sand recommended, but
apparently not. The site that recommended it said it would catch pockets
of gasses under it that would be useful to plants, thus my plan to use
it. Silicate sand is out, gotcha. Most of the brackish info I've gotten
was here. Great site!

I basically got
into aquariums three years ago when I saw a display of oddball and eel fish
at Wal-Mart and I had gotten away from that kind of fish, but they've always
been my favorite. Since most of these fish are really brackish I'm going
to try to do it right this time. I'm considering a freshwater moray, a
couple of rope fish, and a dragon fish (violet goby) with possibly a F
lionfish or banjo catfish as well. I know I'll need to add them
slowly. Will these fish do alright together?
<Mmm, no. Please insert the common names of these fishes into fishbase.org
and/or www.WetWebMedia.com search tool and read what their water chemistry
ranges are...>
I was planning on having a
salt level of 1.005 and a PH of about 7.8. Does the setup sound
O.K.?
<No... the Ropefish, banjo cat live in acidic to neutral water...>
I went to fishbase.org like you suggested and it says the whiptail banjo
cat (which is the only one I'm sure is brackish) has a pH range: 6.8 - 8.2
which would fit fine with my plan. I should have specified the banjo I was
referring to, but I've never heard of any other banjos referred to as
brackish fish before. I posted this on one your boards and someone talked
me out of the banjo anyway.
<Good. This, these species are very slow, difficult to keep fed placed with more eager eaters.>
Just taking up room at the bottom of the tank.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Platystacus&speciesname=cotylephorus
It says the Reedfish has a pH range: 6.0 - 8.0.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Erpetoichthys&speciesname=calabaricus
Not much info given on the FW lionfish (aka three-spined frogfish). It
gives a minimum temp (same as others), but no pH range.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Batrachomoeus&speciesname=trispinosus
Again, nothing about pH on the violet goby (aka dragon fish), but good reading.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Gobioides&speciesname=broussoneti
Not much listed about the Moray Eel either.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Gymnothorax&speciesname=tile
I'm a little worried that there might be too many fish at the bottom
of the tank though the rope fish and moray will explore the range of the
tank at times. I really know nothing about the banjo cat or FW
lionfish. I've read what your site has on the lionfish (toadfish), but
couldn't find anything on the banjo at all. I've kept rope fish, dragon
fish, and a moray before and have read everything I could find on the web
about all three. I think all of these fish will at least be safe from each
other and at least the three I'm familiar with will eat similar foods. Any
help would be appreciated!
Chris Jones
<Study for now, ahead of purchasing your livestock. Bob Fenner>
I've had Archerfish suggested to add some thing to the top of my aquarium
and either Mollies or Guppies to supply fry. Would any of these do well to
stop my tank from being so bottom heavy?
<Yes... and many more possibilities for brackish livestock exist, are available. We list several on WetWebMedia.com and there are other brackish websites>
Would they survive? They all fit
the pH range and brackish requirements.
<Archers, mollies, guppies? Yes. Bob Fenner>
Thanks!

Creating a Brackish Tank . . .
I sent this directly to Bob Fenner on Monday, but hadn't gotten a reply,
<Mmm, strange. Don't recall seeing.>
so
I'm resending it to the group at large. Sorry if you've already read this,
I was just afraid that my first email might have gone to the wrong
place. Alright, here's the actual letter and questions:
I'm converting my 55 gallon tank into a brackish tank. I've bought a
floating hydrometer, and a bag of instant ocean. I'm planning on the
substrate being a mixture of silicate sand and the small gravel I
originally had in the tank with a small amount of live sand placed on
top. probably going to add live rock and plants as well.
<I would not use silicates as substrate here. Please read through the various articles and FAQs files on brackish system set-up posted here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm>
I basically got
into aquariums three years ago when I saw a display of oddball and eel fish
at Wal-Mart and I had gotten away from that kind of fish, but they've always
been my favorite. Since most of these fish are really brackish I'm going
to try to do it right this time. I'm considering a freshwater moray, a
couple of rope fish, and a dragon fish (violet goby) with possibly a FW
lionfish or banjo catfish as well. I know I'll need to add them
slowly. Will these fish do alright together?
<Mmm, no. Please insert the common names of these fishes into fishbase.org and/or www.WetWebMedia.com search tool and read what their water chemistry ranges are...>
I was planning on having a
salt level of 1.005 and a PH of about 7.8. Does the setup sound
O.K.?
<No... the Ropefish, banjo cat live in acidic to neutral water...>
I'm little worried that there might be too many fish at the bottom
of the tank though the rope fish and moray will explore the range of the
tank at times. I really know nothing about the banjo cat or FW
lionfish. I've read what your site has on the lionfish (toadfish), but
couldn't find anything on the banjo at all. I've kept rope fish, dragon
fish, and a moray before and have read everything I could find on the web
about all three. I think all of these fish will at least be safe from each
other and at least the three I'm familiar with will eat similar foods. Any
help would be appreciated!
Chris Jones
<Study for now, ahead of purchasing your livestock. Bob Fenner>

Batfish in Brackish Tank
Hi everybody, how are you tonight?
<very well... thank you. I hope this finds you in good health and spirit as well>
I was in my favorite pet store today, and I absolutely
fell in love with two little two inch long batfish. I
have read they can live in brackish water.
<err... some species and only as juveniles for a matter of months. They are marine species and if bought in seawater... they stay in>
I was wondering just how brackish it had to be?
<too heavy for most other brackish species and the tank will need to go to full seawater in 8 to 18 months>
Would I be able to keep them in my 125 gallon show tank with a
few assorted large cichlids?
<hehe... if it was any of the common Platax batfish species... then without the cichlids they will still outgrow your 125 gallon in 3-5 years! They are huge ugly adults... reference a picture of these big grey diamonds as adults>
I have about 1/4 cup of sea salt per gallon in there. About half the salinity of my salt water tanks. I've had a scat in there for
a few months now, and he's doing fine with that setup. So I thought maybe the batfish would be all right with it too. What do you think?
<too salty and too big. I'd pass on it. Batfish make freshwater Oscars look like slow growing minnows!!!>
Thanks for your help, and Goodnight, Kristen:)
<best regards, Anthony>

Brackish fish
I am trying to find out if you can put Lo vulpinus/Foxface/Rabbitfish and
Acanthurus blochii/Surgeonfish in a brackish tank. I have set up a 55 gallon
tank for Brackish fish and am researching different species to put in my
collection. If you know can you email me at XXX with the
answer?
Thanx
Crystal
<These species are not really suitable for a brackish system... or one of only fifty gallons. Real brackish water choice information can be found on the Net, including our section on WetWebMedia.com
Bob Fenner>

African cichlids kept with brackish species
Robert, Great web site. I would love your expert opinion on a number of
questions that I've accumulated over 20 years of aquarium keeping.
<Ask away>
I'm having success keeping scats and Monos with my African cichlids.
<Good mix temperamentally, in terms of water quality preferences>
I maintain salinity at 1/2 teaspoon/gallon. What is your opinion of the
salinity level with respect to the ongoing health of both types of fish?
<If this is working for you, I'd stick with it... An important mention should be made that there may be substantial salts in your source water to start with... I would shoot for a specific gravity of about 1.005 or so...>
Should the brackish fish have a higher salinity level? If so, at what point
will the increased salinity start to harm the Africans?
<Once again, we need to define a few terms... all this depends on the type of "salt" you mean... not just sodium chloride... the brackish fish groups you keep live in a varying mix of natural sea salts... Malawi cichlids live in a very different mix (and Lake Tanganyika ones very different still)...>
In order to keep brackish fish for a long time, i.e., more than 4-5 years, is
it necessary to eventually raise the salinity to full sea water?
<No>
What is the ideal salinity level for brackish fish?
<Please take a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm
There are widely ranging tolerances/preferences by species... as stated, a spg of about 1.005 made with synthetic sea salt/s... is best for you, your livestock mix overall.>
Any help, especially with the first question, will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

Re: the "spinning top" molly...
Hello! Thanks for including all the brackish stuff on your site -- it's
easily the *best* brackish site I've found.
<! and it's just barely begun... much more to come.>
Wonderful. Would you be interested in contributions? I was thinking of
doing a "brackish.info" site until I found yours.
<Don't know how to "do this" just yet... Perhaps a link to your site, place of storage... Will have to ask friends Mike and Zo who help put the sites together how we might go about this>
I've got an orange Sailfin molly female that's been acting bizarre the
last few days. She goes absolutely berserk and swim/spins like a wobbly
top for a moment, and then acts normal for a while.
<Not good.>
She's been pretty placid in the isolation tank, but I'm not sure she's
eating, either.

She's not moving around much, typically hanging out at the bottom of the
tank. I'm starting to think it might be some sort of swim bladder
disorder.....?
<<Possibly. "Fancier" livebearers seem to come up with these complaints more and more as the years go by.>>
>I keep having trouble with high phosphates and red-brown algae.
><Mmm, I would try some live rock, growing plants to greatly reduce
>the
>phosphate>
Live rock?!? I thought that had to be in full-strength marine water...
hmm. For the tank with the sand substrate, would live sand work as well?
<<Yes... and/but as with marine systems, all substrate becomes "live" to an extent over time. Adding some "live rock" speeds this along>>
Meanwhile, my husband is thrilled that you're suggesting plants. He's
wanted to have plants in the tanks from the start, but everyone has
always told me you can't grow them in brackish.
<<Not so, there are many plants that do fine, especially in the lower range of spg (1.005). Please read the Brackish Plants piece: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackishplts.htm>>
><Do read through what you can find on the internet re culturing
>foods
>like Brachionus...
>You need useful foods of the right size available immediately when
>the
>young hatch out. Look to "The Breeders Registry" for much input.
>Link
>on our Links Pages>
For food, I've been using Liqui-Fresh so far.
My three screw-ups:
1: far too much water movement -- using a sponge filter on its own
smallish air pump
2: still too much water movement -- using a sponge filter, but sharing
an air pump
3: adding a filter bag containing charcoal to the tank -- after the fry
had already hatched....(Doh!)
I checked The Breeders Registry, and they have only a handful of
breeding reports on gobies. I've been considering doing an article or at
least a write-up on my tank conditions and the knight gobies' breeding
habits. Should I submit a report for my gobies, even though they're
brackish and this is a marine breeders' registry?
<IMO yes. Direct this to Stanley Brown who runs the BR... and send your article/report into FAMA Magazine... and if they don't have time/space for it, TFH, AFM...>
...is there a brackish
breeders' registry anywhere? Fishbase.org doesn't have a whole lot,
either.....
<Not as far as I'm aware... perhaps you will start one. There are hobbyists who have "brackish sites" with some very good material on them... but none I've found that are very complete. Am continuing to work about at topics in the field... more of the Rainbows, Melanotaeniids this AM. Bob Fenner>
Many thanks,
Ananda Stevens

Marine fish to brackish?
My Man
I've been receiving mixed reports; wondering which (if any) "marine"
fish can be acclimated to a brackish tank...
<Mmm, good question. Think we'd have to begin by defining or at least describing what we mean by "brackish"... as there are many groups of fishes that can/do live in-between marine and fresh, or can/do make periodic forays into these regions>
current residents include 5
young Monos, (about 2" each), some bumblebee gobies, 2 figure 8 puffers
and 2 green spotted puffers, 2 scorpion (wasp) fish, 2 orange Chromides,
and 2 night gobies. most of these fish are small (though I know the
Monos will grow, fast) and there is still lots of room in the 70-gallon
tank. I have been wondering about the "dog-faced puffer" as well as
batfish, both of whom I've heard can make great brackish aquarium
additions provided they are introduced as juveniles and receive a proper
acclimatization...clown gobies as well...what's the deal?
<Mmm, not in agreement on the Clown Gobies... and the Puffer and Batfish I'd leave out due to their getting much larger, more rambunctious... eating all the food if not their tankmates>
are there any
other recommended "marine" species I can think about?
anemones?....thanks for any help you can offer...
Toronto fish nerd
<Do have to write up more on the brackish water index on our site: hopefully some of the introductory pieces this month. Please see the few livestock pieces, their references posted there now. One is of a nice Internet site which lists marine/brackish water fish species. Bob Fenner>

Target fish Terapon jarbua
Mr. Fenner, my name is Ruben Teurbe-Tolon, and I want
to ask you if I could use the picture of the
Targetfish (located in the Scat section) for my
homepage which is a basic page for Brackish fishes--it
is not a commercial page and the picture would have
the proper credits. The page is at
http://www.geocities.com/rubentolon/index.html
<Yes my friend, certainly. Will look around for better images. And add your site on the Brackish Index on WWM. Well done. Bob Fenner>
Sincerely,

Brackish to fresh
hi. I've got a friend who is trying to convert what
few fish she has left from a saltwater incident into a
new freshwater tank. She has some brackish fish which
she needs to know how to convert to freshwater, and
which have been living in the saltwater. I would
appreciate any advice or referral you could give me.
thanks for your help
<Hmm, some species can make this transition easily... or at least more easily than others... Might you know what types of fishes these are? The general approach is to lower specific gravity about a thousandth per every day or two... and pH to tolerable levels about two tenths per week... but not too low. Fishbase.org will give you the values for pH, dKH... Bob Fenner>
Dan Frederick pits

Bumblebeefish (Gobies), salt, gear in S.A.
Hi Bob,
I've got a tropical, community tank. I have a few bumblebee gobies and wondering if I should put any salt in the water and if so how much and what sort?
<Yes to adding salt here... best, a type of good marine aquarium synthetic (not just sodium chloride)... and a teaspoon or so per gallon (not all at once to start with... a few teaspoons per day, replaced when doing water changes. This is stipulated your other livestock (fish, invertebrates, plants) can tolerate salt... otherwise do keep your pH elevated and alkalinity sufficient to maintain it stably>
also I'm getting a 5ft aquarium and I was wondering if you could give me a list of equipment I would need and if you know in cheap places in S.A. to buy accessories?
<Hmm, please read over our site: www.WetWebMedia.com for the former, and I'll post your message and address on our site in hopes that others will contact you with information re the last>
Thanks a lot Matt
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

Marine and Brackish questions
Hi Bob,
Great site. I have spent countless hours reading through the articles
and FAQs on your site. It is a great service you are doing for the hobby. <Thank you. Great to hear/read.>
I have a 55 gallon acrylic with a 10 gallon sump, running a Red Sea turbo
skimmer. For lighting, I have 2 Triton 40 watt fluorescents and 1 blue moon
40 watt fluorescent. I am currently curing about 65 lbs. Florida manicured rock
and about 40 lbs. Tonga Branch and about 10 lbs. Tonga Slab
rock. The Florida and slab had been curing for about 3 weeks when I added
the branch rock about a week ago. I am waiting for the rock to cure
before adding any substrate. Everything seems to be going fine...ammonia
remains barely detectable and nitrite is around 3 ppm, but there is still
considerable visible die-off on the branch rock, so I am going to give it a
few more weeks to make sure it is cured before adding anything else.
<Good idea>
Temp. is about 78, Ph about 8.1, SG about 1.025, calcium about 350 ppm. My question is this,
last night I was staring at the rocks, looking for little critters and noticed very
tiny, white flea looking critters - most that I can see are on the front
glass, where there is a small amount of algae growth. They are so small, I didn't think they were
living until I watched closely enough to see them moving along the
glass. I am worried that they are parasitic or something, and want to make sure before I think about adding fish or inverts.
<Not to worry... likely just an innocuous type of crustacean... perhaps amphipods... much more likely to be beneficial... as food, scavengers...>
Can you tell me if these are problematic,
and if so, what to do to get rid of them?

While I am here, I wonder if you could critique
my plan for livestock. I plan to start with a pair of clown fish, for
which I will eventually get
an anemone. (should I wait a while before adding this?)
<Yes, a few months>
I know I will need
to put the anemone close to the top of the tank, to be closer to the
lights.
<It will move itself to where it should go.>
Along with those,
I would like to get about 3 blue-green Chromis, one Hippo tang, and maybe a
fox face rabbit fish. For inverts, I was thinking of getting one of the
clean up crew specials
from FFE or something along those lines. Do you see any flagrant fouls as
far as the mix of species I am planning?
<No, looks fine...>
The last question I have is for my 10 gallon Brackish tank, which houses 2
green puffers. They are very healthy and eat with gusto at every
chance. I have been
feeding them freeze dried shrimp and they are very messy and wasteful.
<Yes, akin to government bureaucracies...>
I was hoping you could recommend some kind of hermit crab or snail or bottom feeder that could hold its own against these guys. They are both about an inch in
length and very healthy. My LFS suggested a freshwater catfish, which I
acclimated to the
Brackish conditions. He was fine for a few days, but they ended up eating
him. Any thoughts?
<About the catfish? Just joshing. I would just increase your water movement, filtration here... perhaps an added outside power filter... a vigorous hang on type... to keep more stirred up, mechanically remove particulates... and the requisite regular weekly gravel vacuuming, water changes, replacement with pre-made water of same make-up...>
Thanks again for your help and the great site! Jason Beloncik
<Thank you my friend. Bob Fenner>

Lymphocystis???
Hi Bob. I have two Periophthalmus in my tank. One of them have a strange formation on his fins – one on the tail fin, one on the chest fin, and one on his back fin. It looks like a clump, which consists from small bolls, about 0,5 mm diameter (like ick). And there are some “bolls” on his back skin. Those clumps are white, with a pink nuance. Another fish have no signs of illness. Both fishes are so healthy, have a great appetite. It is in progress about two months. I think it must be Lymphocystis. I don’t know what can I do for my lovely fish, would you please to help me? Victoria, Moscow, Russia
<I really like these fishes... and they can be incredibly robust. I do hope you are keeping them in a brackish water environment, doing very regular water changes... These growths could be what is popularly called lymphocystis (a viral/environmental complaint of many fishes)... I would attempt the "pinching off" remedy if you have occasion to handle these fish... otherwise, increase (slowly, a thousandth a day) the specific gravity of their water... increase the rate of water changing... perhaps supplement their foods with vitamins... There is some pioneering (experimental) work with this sort of situation and the anti-viral agent, Acyclovir... Bob Fenner, who refers you to the Lymphocystis section on the site: www.WetWebMedia.com, Marine Index.>

Re: Lymphocystis???
Dear Bob, It is very kind of you to reply me so fast. Don’t worry, certainly I keep Periophthalmids in brackish water.
<Ah, good. I had to ask to be sure>
They live in aqua terrarium that closed almost hermetically. I do water changes weekly like in my other aquariums. T 25`C, Hagen Repti-Glo with UVB, internal filter with biologic filtration, etc. I am planning to make a big aqua terrarium or paludarium. Their food: Sun, Vipan, Granumix by Sera, and every day alive food (mosquito grubs? Sorry, I’m not sure it is correctly name in English) + Sera fishtamin.

I receive these fishes like dogs. From time to time I touch them; they eat from my hands. They always recognize and look out me. I so fear to heart them. In any case it seems to me that it’s impossible to remove all fragments wholly.
<Yes>
Is it really important?
<Not really... perhaps some of the same sorts of mechanisms work here as for "warts", other viral-mediated growths of humans, other animals... in that response within the host is "woken up" by their viral colonies disruption>
Would you please to write me about a treatment by Acyclovir?
<Wish I could... only can recall reading about same... no further knowledge. Perhaps a computer search?>
I believe it’s a perspective methodic. I can use an injection solution. What do you think about Ciprofloxacin? Does it work with viruses or just with bacteria?
<Directly, only with/against bacteria. Perhaps indirectly?>
Periophthalmus is an infrequent fish in Russia, I saw them in Moscow zoo only, and it is very difficult to find companion-in-arms. So I am happy you reply me. Looking forward to continued cooperation, I remain, Victoria, Moscow, Russia
<I had a roommate in college who did physiological experiments with these "mud-skippers"... and have seen beautiful specimens, mainly in public aquariums, vivariums about the world... Intelligent, comical, very fast moving fishes. Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

Lymphocystis???
Dear Bob, please accept my sincere appreciation for your help. I’ll try to follow all your advises and will report you about results. Wishing you the best of success, I remain, Victoria, Moscow, Russia
<Thank you my friend from the East. Will endeavor to place my materials on the Periophthalmids on the website: www.WetWebMedia.com and notify you of their arrival. Bob Fenner>

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