BW Fish, FW Fish & Iodine Q  7/3/06
I have put this one of the forums that you have on you web site already...  Not to sound too blonde, but when I posted it (originally) I was actually trying to send the question to ya'll...  Anyway here goes the question, please let me know if you can help.  Thanks sooo much the awesome site!!!  I have really, really enjoyed reading it!!!
I have a 37 gallon brackish water tank. In the tank resides a green spotted puffer fish (T. nigroviridis), a blue crayfish, three Bala sharks, three zebra danios and four neon tetras.
<What exactly do you mean by brackish?  There is only 1 brackish water species in there--the puffer.  None of any of your other fish would appreciate living in true BW.  As far as the amount of MARINE salt your puffer would need in it's tank, a rough estimate would be around a cup of salt/5g (& that's just when it's young).  As it matures, marine conditions are recommended for a GSP.>
I know that it is a really weird combination, they kinda go together like stripes and polka dots.
<<Why not toss in a zebra and a cheetah then? RMF>>
 I also know that you have reservations about puffers and crayfish living together or puffers and anything living together for that matter. My puffer, Calypso, is about 1 1/2 inches and my crayfish, Cozumel, is about 2 inches in length.
<There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that your puffer will eventually maim/eat the Cray, in addition to the neons.>
My Balas, Marga, Rita and Ville seem very happy they are apprx 2 inches in length. There is plenty of room for them to swim.
<They will eventually grow quite large.>
My crayfish has even started to come up to me when I'm at the tank!!  She and Calypso have gotten along very, very well. As long as I keep them both fed and plenty of hiding places. I also have a snail breeding tank, for Calypso and Cozumel, which they just love the escargot treats!!!
Okay so I do actually have a point. I have yet to find this anywhere, but not that Cozumel is having health problems, but just incase for whatever reason she may come down with something in the future, and I do give her the iodine treatment (Kent marine, one drop per every 10 gallons of water). Could this somehow affect Calypso or any of my other fish, also could it maybe affect the snails that I use to feed Calypso and Cozumel. I know that the snails are in my tank for only a short time before Cozumel and Calypso can smell them. Even so, would the iodine affect the snails and therefore in return affect Calypso and Cozumel after consuming the snails???
Like I said before, things are really good and my water is not off balance but if something were to happen this may help in the future... Thanks for your help, if you can.
<As long as dosed as instructed & not overdosed, it should be OK to use.  I'd rethink your species combo seriously though.  ~PP>
Also most of all thanks for the kick butt site!!! Not only is it informative but it is also fun to read!!!- - Arlyn

Eyes Bigger than Tank?  2/14/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Hey there, me again. Thank you for all your previous advice. VERY bad news, though. My tank is now broken (All fish are A-OK)! So that new tank might be coming sooner than I thought... Anyways, my point is, next year I was considering getting a ~100 gallon tank, and making it an archer fish tank. I was thinking six common archers (not seven-spot) in the bottom 75 gallons, and a cricket part on top.
<As archers grow to a foot, I would say you could maybe keep 2 in a 100g tank.  That's it.>
Would I be able to get ~4 scats that my LFS says will stay around 4 inches as well?
<Scats grow as large as a dinner plate, not 4".  Again, you could keep 2 in there, that's it & no archers then.>
Or maybe some gobies too... do you have any compatible suggestions of interesting fish for a brackish tank? It will be very well planted with tons of driftwood to simulate mangrove roots and have lots of java fern.
<If you are using real wood, then it is not recommended in a BW tank.  It will release tannins & lower the pH.  You want to keep the pH around a steady 8.  Best done by using crushed coral or aragonite substrate & no driftwood.  Petsmart makes really nice fake mangrove roots for a tank like that.>
Any fish/plant/decoration suggestions would be appreciated. Also, I cannot find any suggestions on how much salt to use! What salinity level should the water be at and how many tablespoons of Kent sea salt will I have to use per gallon?
<We are not talking teaspoons but more like cups.  It takes "roughly" a cup of salt/5g to raise your SG .005.  Depending on what kind of fish you get, some (like scats) need to have the SG raised over time, to eventual marine conditions, as these fish mature.  Always premix overnight & test with a hydrometer.>
I was also looking at freshwater lionfish for the tank (toadfish). Good choice, or not?
<If you're considering any gobies, the toadfish will eat them.  BIG mouth! I would suggest either 2 archers or 2 scats, or 1 of each.  Then if you want, you could keep a few knight gobies in with them.  There are lots of smaller BW fish, like figure 8 puffers, green or red Chromides, etc.  Just remember, some prefer high-end BW/SW as adults, others don't.>   
If you have any suggestions, please tell me. Also, I was wondering if you could recommend  any filters for this tank. Remember, I am pretty much limited to canisters
as other filters would not reach the low water level.
<I am only familiar with Eheim filters.  Have been using them for >20 years & still use the originals.>
Thank you, and take your time with this, as I am in no rush to begin this future project. Thanks again. -Eddy
<Yes, take your time to research different species--water requirements, adult sizes, etc.  Sounds like a fun project!  ~PP>

Mixing Fresh with Brackish fish 11/6/05
<Hi Anna, Pufferpunk here>
I have a very "unique" tank to say the least. I inherited a 90 gallon system originally drilled for reef use and then patched to work for freshwater. At the time I had just a few fish left over from a my 20 gallon (of which only one tinfoil and a fire striped dwarf gourami are still with me), so I took in a friends figure 8 puffer and a mono argenteus.
<Monos are a schooling fish that grow to around a foot & require marine conditions as adults.>
I decided to convert the tank to slightly brackish (1 tbs aquarium salt per gallon, I now use Instant Ocean to maintain the pH)
<Not nearly enough salt to call BW. Even to make low-end BW (SG around 1.005), it takes roughly a cup of salt/5gal.>
for the mono and invest in a snowflake eel. He is to the best of my knowledge, a Gymnothorax tile. I then got 2 Colombian shark cats and a large pleco.
<Plecos do not like salt of any kind. The Columbian sharks are schooling fish that grow up to 18" & require SW as adults, as does the eel.>
Recently, in an effort to make the 90 gallons feel more full
<Sounds like it's getting pretty full to me--you need to consider adult sizes of all your fish.>
I bought 3 breeding pairs of black convict cichlids who have done very well for the 2-3 months I've had them, I also purchased a lone green terror as an experiment to see if he could live with my less aggressive fish (he's also done very well with the salt and only bothers the convicts).
My dilemma now is that I have half brackish fish living in the proper water,
<Not exactly>
and half new world cichlids who have been acclimated but both groups having vastly different water needs.
<Definitely correct there>
I'm wondering what a good middle ground would be for pH? 7.0 seems to be OK for all of the fish as it is on the high end for the cichlids and the low end for the brackish fish
<Extremely low for BW--should be 8.>
but I'm afraid that as the eel requires a saltier environment (and a pH of 8) that the cichlids will begin to stress.
<and the other aforementioned fish that require SW conditions as adults. The puffer also likes a pH of 8, although does best at a low-end SG of 1.005.>
I also wonder if the cichlids can adapt to a harder water than is ideal for them? I was contemplating adding some Aragalive marine sand to the existing cichlid substrate to help maintain the pH, could they handle that?
<Cichlids are best kept in harder water & aragonite or crushed coral substrate is necessary to keep the pH around a steady 8 for BW fish.>
I am also curious is the salinity has any effect on the growth of the freshwater fish? My tinfoil especially seems to have stopped growing at 7" from 2.5" when I got him. I guess all in all this is a big experiment, both to see if the freshwater fish make it and if I can keep aggressive fish with my leftover community tank mates. I just want to try and make sure I'm doing all I can to meet their diverse needs. -Anna
<Sorry, it just can't be done. For the best health & well-being of your fish, you need to choose between the 3 types you have--FW, high-end BW & low-end BW. I believe you already see the results of keeping your fish in improper conditions... ~PP>

Brackish beginner - 12/11/05
Hi, I'm an slightly experienced freshwater owner.
<Hello... John here this evening>
After quitting the hobby for four and a half years, I'm ready for more! I was planning on making a freshwater aquarium with tetras, platies, and all the skittish fish. But I read a really neat article about Archer Fish. It appealed to me, and now I am seriously considering turning a 36x12x21" (40 gal) tank into a brackish aquarium. Is keeping a brackish fish difficult for a person like me?
<I don't know you ;)... but, no, it shouldn't be.>
Some other fish I'd like are monos, bumblebees, scats, and puffers.
<These can't go in together... a 40g is too small for monos or scats. Most puffers are best kept alone.>
If they grow too large, then I won't get them, but I'd really like Archer fish.
<I would recommend a larger system for archers... 55 gallons minimum... even larger is better, due to their size and need to be kept in groups..>
And one thing: I'm an 8th grader with a $10 allowance weekly, so tell me if I could afford it, too.
<I suggest you look into smaller fish - a couple of figure-eight puffers or a few bumblebee gobies for this system.>
Thanks ahead of time for your valuable response!
<You're welcome! Best regards, John.>

Mixing Fresh with Brackish fish 11/6/05
<Hi Anna, Pufferpunk here>
I have a very "unique" tank to say the least. I inherited a 90 gallon system originally drilled for reef use and then patched to work for freshwater. At the time I had just a few fish left over from a my 20 gallon (of which only one tinfoil and a fire striped dwarf gourami are still with me), so I took in a friends figure 8 puffer and a mono argenteus.
<Monos are a schooling fish that grow to around a foot & require marine conditions as adults.>
I decided to convert the tank to slightly brackish (1 tbs aquarium salt per gallon, I now use Instant Ocean to maintain the pH)
<Not nearly enough salt to call BW. Even to make low-end BW (SG around 1.005), it takes roughly a cup of salt/5gal.>
for the mono and invest in a snowflake eel. He is to the best of my knowledge, a Gymnothorax tile. I then got 2 Colombian shark cats and a large pleco.
<Plecos do not like salt of any kind. The Columbian sharks are schooling fish that grow up to 18" & require SW as adults, as does the eel.>
Recently, in an effort to make the 90 gallons feel more full
<Sounds like it's getting pretty full to me--you need to consider adult sizes of all your fish.>
I bought 3 breeding pairs of black convict cichlids who have done very well for the 2-3 months I've had them, I also purchased a lone green terror as an experiment to see if he could live with my less aggressive fish (he's also done very well with the salt and only bothers the convicts).
My dilemma now is that I have half brackish fish living in the proper water,
<Not exactly>
and half new world cichlids who have been acclimated but both groups having vastly different water needs.
<Definitely correct there>
I'm wondering what a good middle ground would be for pH? 7.0 seems to be OK for all of the fish as it is on the high end for the cichlids and the low end for the brackish fish
<Extremely low for BW--should be 8.>
but I'm afraid that as the eel requires a saltier environment (and a pH of 8) that the cichlids will begin to stress.
<and the other aforementioned fish that require SW conditions as adults. The puffer also likes a pH of 8, although does best at a low-end SG of 1.005.>
I also wonder if the cichlids can adapt to a harder water than is ideal for them? I was contemplating adding some Aragalive marine sand to the existing cichlid substrate to help maintain the pH, could they handle that?
<Cichlids are best kept in harder water & aragonite or crushed coral substrate is necessary to keep the pH around a steady 8 for BW fish.>
I am also curious is the salinity has any effect on the growth of the freshwater fish? My tinfoil especially seems to have stopped growing at 7" from 2.5" when I got him. I guess all in all this is a big experiment, both to see if the freshwater fish make it and if I can keep aggressive fish with my leftover community tank mates. I just want to try and make sure I'm doing all I can to meet their diverse needs. -Anna
<Sorry, it just can't be done. For the best health & well-being of your fish, you need to choose between the 3 types you have--FW, high-end BW & low-end BW. I believe you already see the results of keeping your fish in improper conditions... ~PP>

GSPs Living with FW fish?  4/26/05
HELLO:
<Hi Mike, Pufferpunk here>
I have a question about moving from BW to SW, I know from your site that GSP's like full marine as adults. I would like to keep all these fish together if I could. I have 1 Pleco approx 6", 2 GSP's (1" babies), 2 Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid (1.5"babies) and 2 Jewel cichlids (1.5"babies), I would also like to get 2 electric yellow cichlids.  Will these fish live in a SW tank if raised slowly?
<Absolutely not!  All the fish you have, other than the puffers are strictly freshwater fish & will not even like brackish water, never mind marine water.  Don't confuse cichlid salt with marine salt>  
If not, what is the highest SG I can raise it to keep all happy and healthy?  
<Please don't even consider trying to keep FW fish w/BW-SW fish!>  
My current tank (30 G hex) set up is pH 8.0, SPG 1.004,ammonia is 0 (or near 0), nitrate is 0. nitrite is good and the water is a little on the soft side (soon to add crushed coral to help).  My Filtration is 1 emperor 280 with a BioWheel and a 6" air stone bubbler.
<You say your water is soft, but your pH is 8?  That's a little confusing.  You tank is already fully stocked (as far as FW fish), I wouldn't add any more, as the fish you have will grow & get very aggressive, especially if they pair up.  There is a smaller "footprint" on a hex=less swimming room.  The Pleco will definitely outgrow a 30g tank at 18".  The BioWheel isn't usually recommended for BW-SW tanks, as the salt spray from the wheel will make a huge mess.  How was the tank cycled?  You should be showing some nitrAtes & never any ammonia, ever.  I would consider cycling a different tank for the GSPs (at least 20g) & make it BW for now.  As they grow up, you can upgrade (they will need 30g each as 6" adults) & turn it SW then.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm  ~PP>
Thank you again for your help, Mike

Keeping BW & FW fish together  4/27/05
Hello:
<Hi, Pufferpunk again>
Thank you for all your help. My LFS has steered me VERY wrong,
leading me to believe my cichlids (electric yellow, jewel, blue Johanna <I think>) are brackish water fish......
<As I mentioned before, cichlid salt is not the same as the marine salt, used to make BW.>
OPPS, I also have 2 GSPs. My question is, although I know GSP's Like full SW as adults will they survive in a light brackish tank i.e. 1.004-1.008?  
<As juvies yes, but your other fish won't appreciate those conditions.  Also, as they get older, they will get meaner & bother your other fish (fin-nipping, possibly killing).  For GSPs to thrive (not just survive), they will need a much higher SG.  Not necessarily SW, but high-end BW.  One of the he reasons for getting it up to SW is, that a protein skimmer can then be utilized, which is a great filter to use for fish.>
I would love to keep them and the cichlids together, I now have a 30G hex BUT looking for a 55-75 G Tank.
<You'll need at least a 55, just for the puffers as 6" adults.>
MAN, I started out with guppies. LOL! The money adds up.  VERY addictive.
<Boy, are you ever right!  I now have 9 tanks & 15 puffers!.  Please don't keep FW & BW fish together.  ~PP>
Thanks again for the help I am slowly learning and appreciate the advice. Mike

Brackish System Livestock  6/24/04
Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I am in the process of setting up a brackish system, 29 gallon.  I have looked over your website and the internet and have problem finding much useful information on compatible livestock, especially on the smaller side and for invertebrates.  As this is a 29gallon most of the fish described as brackish are just too big.  I currently have 2 black mollies in for cycling the tank.  I am currently in the process of slowly "salinating" the tank, and am thinking of maybe adding a few small live rock and a small layer of live sand over the current coral rubble bottom, depending on my final "salinity" level.  
<Live rock & sand will not "live" in BW conditions, only SW.>
I am somewhat very loosely modeling a shore-side mangrove environment. (faux mangrove on left, skeletal stony coral on right - (coral was bought as dried/dead many years ago).  I am very interested in what invertebrates I could keep in the tank.
Depending on the salinity needs and compatibility I have been considering small fiddlers (the faux mangrove does sit slightly out of the water but worried about their aggressiveness), various shrimp, possible anemone.  
<Anemones are SW & extremely difficult to care for.  Fiddler crabs are BW & would fair well in a part land/water BW environment.  They may crawl out of the tank, if the land portion was on top of the mangrove root.>
On the fish side  I need something suitable for a 29g, and would like something in the catfish family and possibly something in the Ropefish and/or eel family.  
<All of which are FW.>
I want to weight the tank heavier to the invertebrate side with just a few fish but without knowing compatibility and availability on either side of "salinity" I am not sure which way to go.  This is probably a very generic and open request but any help and suggestions will be appreciated
<Inverts/crabs don't mix well at all with fish.  It is highly likely that most fish will pick at smaller inverts, like ghost shrimp & fiddler crabs may grab a fish dinner (unless you have the smaller clawed females). I have a lovely 29g tank with 3 figure 8 puffers (see: http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/8puffer.shtml), 4 knight gobies & 6 bumblebee gobies.  I have crushed coral as a substrate & fake corals & anemones, with a fake mangrove root in the middle.  You can see my tank (& many others of mine) here: http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRequest=userview&userID=1918  It is photo #19.  You really need to do more research on BW fish.  Here's a good site for starting a BW tank: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html>
Patrick Glenn
<Good luck in your hunt for the perfect fish!  ~PP>

Combining BW & FW Fish?  5/8/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a 20 gal hex brackish water tank with 1 tbls salt per 5 gal and good nitrite and ammonia levels.
<That is hardly what I'd call brackish.  I bet if you measured that salt with a hydrometer (which is necessary for BW) it would barely  register.  Are you using marine salt?>
My temp is 78-80 f. and I have an Emperor 280 filter which works wonders in that tank.  My ph is 7.4-7.5. I have Sailfin mollies in it 2 males and 2 females left. I lost 1 female Sailfin, 2 small clown loaches and 2 small algae eaters. This is an ongoing battle.  I love these fish and cannot seem to keep them alive in my tank.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. When the fish die they look normal and usually are fine one minute and floating the next.
<1st of all you have BW fish (mollies) combined with soft water loving fish (loaches & algae eaters).  It's hard to diagnose a problem without any symptoms.  I would decide if you want a BW tank or a FW tank.  Those clown loaches will grow to around 12" & not knowing what kind of algae eaters you have, I can't tell you about them, except that if they are common Plecos, they grow to 18".  If they are Chinese algae eaters, they are monsters when adults.  They stop eating algae & start attacking other fish eating their slime coat.  Are you doing regular weekly water changes?>
Also I LOST an African butterfly. It simply disappeared.  
<I guarantee you it is dried up on the floor somewhere.  I won't keep those fish anymore, due to their jumping ability--being able to fly several feet through the air to catch bugs in low-hanging branches over the water, in their natural habitat.>
Can you help???
<Sounds to me, like you need to do much more research on the species you are interested in, before purchasing your fish.  Check the species profiles at WWM & other fish sites.  ~PP>

Brackish stocking
My girlfriend has a Fresh, Brackish and Salt tank.  She wants to add some spice to her Brackish tank. She keeps the salinity very low. She has a Scat, Mono, Puffer and Archer, all fairly big.
<Sounds pretty spicy already!  Those are all cool fish! Monos are schooling fish, so if she could find some the same size, it would be cool to see them schooling, but they grow to 1' a piece & would need around 600g for a school of 5.  Most of the fish mentioned need SW as adults.  You said they were fairly large, so I assume they are approaching that age?  Monos, scats & green spotted puffers (T nigroviridis--you didn't mention what puffer you had), are all are born in FW, then they migrate through the estuaries (streams) between FW lakes and the ocean, to live out their adult lives in saltwater. I'm not sure about archers.>
She wants to add something else like some type of catfish, a clown
knife, Bala shark or a cichlid. Can any of these fish be acclimated to a brackish tank with low salinity?
<absolutely not!  Most catfish & the clown knife (CK grow over 4'), come from soft waters, the opposite of BW.>
Are there any other Brackish fish she can get? Scott
Michael mentions that a white spotted grouper can go
brackish, but at 1.014 or higher. I think she keeps
her tank at 1.004. Are there any other marine fish
that can go brackish?
<You'd be better off making that BW tank marine.  I would raise the SG .002/week, so as not to destroy the FW nitrifying bacteria faster than the SW bacteria can grow (they are different animals).  Then you could add some SW fish.  My 6" adult GSPs live in a marine tank w/damselfish & a tomato clownfish.  Just beware--if a GSP the puffer you have, it can kill most any fish it can catch!>
What about Damsels? Thanks.
<How big is that tank anyway?  Scats grow as large as your outstretched hand, archers--1'.  Puffers & scats are messy eaters and high waste producers. Extra filtration is necessary for these dirty fish.  Immaculate aquarium upkeep is a must. ~PP>  

A new brackish aquarium (10/19/03)
Hello there...
<Hi! Ananda here tonight...>
my name is Robert Baxter and I've got a few questions about the proper maintenance of a brackish aquarium I just set up. I have two aquariums, one 55 gallon and a 10 gallon. Just recently a plague of Ich wiped out half the fish in my 55 while all the fish of the 10 gallon survived. In the large one I originally had two Oscars, two angels (very veteran angles, have lived with two 12" Oscars before, two 8" Pacus at a later time, and now with the two baby 2.5" Oscars), a two Raphael catfishes, a fat fin catfish, three zebra Danios (originally cycled the aquarium, Oscar chow), a large plecostomus, and two convicts. Both Raphael's, the convicts, all the zebras, and the fat fin catfish died before the Ich was suppressed with advice from a real expert.
<Let me see...leaving the 55 with the Pleco, angels, and small Oscars?>
Having taken her advice as the resident brackish nerd in the city and probably the entire area, I decided to move all my little fish from my 10 gallon aquarium (two tiny Plecos, an albino Cory and 11 neon tetras to re-cycle the aquarium after a total cleaning) into my 55 gallon and start up a brackish aquarium.
<Uh, neon tetras are definitely *not* what I'd use to cycle a tank... and those Neons may be destined to be Oscar lunch.>
Now my large aquarium is good with my Oscars happily fed many Neons and a new catfish to clean the floor (the two extra Plecos will be adopted by a store where I'm good with), and I just got the 10 gallon set up. With black volcanic sand and a few plants to help stabilize the water, I put in two bumblebee gobies and a pufferfish of equal size. Now at the pet store I was told that the gobies eat shrimp food pellets (or at least that's what they feed them at the store), but after having read articles about gobies here on these Q&A pages, I am worried that I don't have the right food.
<If you've got the gobies eating dry food, you're in luck. Most bumblebee gobies will not eat dry food. You can add some fishy vitamin drops to them to make them more nutritious.>
The pufferfish has delightfully been eating all my remaining frozen blood worms from a deceased eel, but I don't know if he will continue to like that or not.
<Puffers can get bored of some foods. And they *need* hard-shelled foods, including seafoods, snails, and the like. Check out the assorted "Puffer Feeding FAQs" on the WetWebMedia site.>
Ok, here's enough beating around the bush. What is the optimal hardness, temperature, and food for this tank to be set up for breeding?
<For breeding the bumblebee gobies?? It probably depends on the specific species of bumblebee gobies -- there are several similar species. Your first step would be to identify the exact species, and then check http://www.fishbase.org for more info about that species.>
There are only about 4 pet stores in this city where I could look for frozen or live foods, but I wouldn't expect to find anything exotic here. Professional suggestions?
<The frozen seafood section at the grocery store is going to be a primary source of foods for your gobies & puffer. For example, one of my puffers' favorite foods is shrimp tails. I buy tail-on shrimp, chop off the end of the shrimp for the big gobies, and the puffers get the tail sections, with the shell still on. Just take care to freeze any fresh seafood for about a week to kill off any nasties it might be carrying. --Ananda>
Robert Baxter

Eating Problems with an African Fahaka Puffer/Brackish Fish Compatibility
Ananda,
<Yep, I'm back...>
First off, I just wanted to thank you for getting back to me. Getting
advice when you really need it is better than not knowing what to do next, so
thanks.
<You're welcome. :-)>
So the puffer, he/she is eating now. I don't know if it was the formaldehyde that I put in the tank or if it was a change in diet, but it is now eating like it always did.
<I would guess diet.>
I changed to krill and he/she seems to like it.
<I have heard of extremely few puffers who turn down krill.>
You had mentioned that his teeth may need some work, I read the links you had included in the email, not for nothing but a Dremel tool seems a little over the top, I don't know if that is the road I want to take.
<Okay, but then you'll need harder-shelled foods than krill....>
I also read that you can put crabs, clams and or mussels in the tank, is that a possibility for my tank?
<Yup. I would avoid freshwater mussels that have not been frozen, however...there is some anecdotal evidence that these can be disease carriers.>
What would you recommend? He does have a set of teeth on him, but I don't think it is restricting him from eating.
<Try some other foods and see how he does. Shrimp tails are an easy one to start with, as are crab bits (especially the pointy ends of the crab legs).>
You mentioned that my tank may be a little small (20 gal) for the fish that I have in the tank.
<For their adult sizes, no "may be" about it.>
How many gallons would you recommend for them.
I have the Fahaka puffer, <Pufferpunk just got a 125 gallon tank for hers.> 2 Mono's, <Long-term, 75 gallon, minimum...also depends on what other fish you keep in with them, since they need a brackish tank going to saltwater> one yellow Labidochromis <Probably a 55 would be sufficient> and a Pleco.
<Long-term, maybe a 90 gallon -- what the fish stores don't tell you is that these guys can get to be 2' long. It *might* be able to share the Fahaka's tank, if the Fahaka will leave it alone.>
I think you said somewhere around 55 gal?
<It depends on the species in the tank....>
You also sad that as the Mono's mature, they will need brackish water and eventually salt water as they approach their adult size. How long does it take to reach their adult size, how salty should the water be, can they remain in the same tank as the other fish, and how can you  tell if the fish already needs saltier water.   
<It should probably have saltier water now. How big is it?>
More questions, what should the average temperature, of the tank I have now, be considering different types of fish?
<Most people I know go with 76 degrees for most of their fish. Some particular species like warmer temps, but 76 should be good for now.>
Sorry about the length of this email, but I figured that I should ask as many questions I could based on the helpful response I received from you before.
<If you'd like more peoples' opinions, do check out our brackish and freshwater forums on http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/!>
I know I may be doing some things wrong with the tank I have now, I would rather know what I am doing than do further damage to the poor little fish.
<And we are happy that you're investigating things now, *before* those fish have difficulties.>
Thanks again,
Chris
<You're welcome. --Ananda>

Puffer confusion (09/17/03)
<Hi! Ananda here today...>
I have had a Fig-8 puffer (2 inches) in a brackish system (29 gallon, SG=1.008, pH=8.2), with a green scat (3.5 inches ), and five bumblebee gobies.  Everything was going good for a while, until my scat became a little too comfortable, and aggressive.
<They get big, too... too large for a 29 gallon, eventually.>
I don't know what I was thinking, but when I was at the LFS, I fell for what they called a Jade Puffer (about 3.5 inches; also known as Ceylon puffer, and same genus/species as fig-8).
<I'm not certain they're the same species... they are sometimes sold as the same genus/species and have some similarities, but are from very different areas.>
I tried the new puffer in my existing tank after a slow acclimation.  Once in the tank, aggression was higher than before, but I probably should have been anticipating that, so now the Ceylon puffer is alone in a 20H.  The scat is scared for his life right?
<Well, that may be getting a bit anthropomorphic, but possibly...>
I know your site says fig-8's are freshwater, but I have read both sides of the matter.  
<Me, too.>
I would like to get rid of my scat, and go freshwater with both tanks if possible.  
I would appreciate any help.
Ian
<Hmmm. Your bumblebee gobies are definitely brackish. If you wish to keep them, you should have at least one brackish tank. --Ananda>

Help with my brackish water tank
Bob
<Amanda>
I read your recommendations on plants for brackish water and I just wanted to see if what you thought about my situation... I recently introduced
bumble bee gobys to my formerly VERY happy fresh water tank ... now after some research I am learning they need brackish water...
<Yes>
ok I don't want them to die... but the tank is doing so well ... I have some Japanese shrimp, vale, Sagittarius, and neon tetras... plus the new bumble bee's will everyone be ok with a little more salt?
<Actually... most all, but not the Neons. I would put them in a system with softer, more acidic water... with no added salt. Bob Fenner>
Thank you
Amanda

Re: brackish water question...
Here is my problem... I recently bought five bumble bee goby's even more recently I learned they need brackish water... (no one at the pet store said
a thing)
<Mmm, must be the same tank, Amanda>
The tank they are in is my favorite - it is well planted with fast growing Val and Sagittarius... there are two Japanese shrimp and about ten neon
tetras... will adding a small amount of salt for the bumble bee's harm the others?
<Just the Neons>
I am hesitant because the tank is so well balanced I never have to clean any algae ... just remove the Val when it starts to take over...
Thank you so much for any ideas....
Amanda
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Brackish Livestocking Formula
Dear Bob,
Is there a specific formula for how many fish you can fit in a brackish water aquarium. 
<No real formula... same sorts of general rules per thumb... an inch maximum per 2-3 gallons...>
Is it the same as a freshwater aquarium? Irene
<More conservative... due to their typically more active metabolisms, tendency to be more aggressive. When/where in doubt, allow more room is a commonality. Bob Fenner>

55 gallon tank (brackish livestocking mainly)
Hello again! <<Hi... JasonC this time.>> I wrote just yesterday and you replied instantly! thank you so much! Well, I went out and bought some furan 2 for my sick Arius seemanni, but by the time I got home it was too late, he had died while I was gone. His physical condition had diminished so fast and when I finally realized what it was, it was too late, but thank you so much for your help! <<I am sorry to hear of your loss.>>
On a lighter note...I have been reading massive amounts of articles and care sheets - you name it! and everything conflicts horribly and I haven't been able to pin down exactly what I should be doing... I am relatively new to brackish keeping and I am very new to large aquaria (I'm used to small tanks with cheap livestock - goldfish!) so I'm not really sure where my inches to gallons should sit. I have heard 1 inch per gallon for fresh and 1 inch per five gallons for marine, but brackish is neither so...??? <<Erk... I'm not at all a fan of inch-per-gallon ratios. They are a poor guide and typically lead to overcrowded systems.>> what do I do? <<Be conservative, stock less than you think you should.>> Or maybe better is to give the fish I would like to have and maybe you can let me know if there are too many! I would like to keep 3 mono Sebae, 3 marbled gobies (really a brackish fish? the LFS says yes, but is the SG too heavy for the Monos or the gobies?) and one dog faced puffer. <<Hmm... well, you are actually leaning more towards a marine system here. The puffer and Monos would all need a specific gravity of 1.021-1.025 to thrive. As for those gobies - they reach a maximum of two feet and probably aren't really suitable for anything but the largest aquaria. In addition, these go towards the more freshwater end of brackish rather than close to marine. All that being said, you didn't mention the size of your tank.>> The puffer is actually one of the problems! I placed an order for fish and I just asked the woman to put me down for a dog faced puffer (my intention was A. hispidus), but apparently nearly all of the Arothron species are called dog faced puffers and so I could be getting anything! I have seen a lot of pages and say the nigropunctatus are the most commonly available but that they are also marine, should I decline the fish if that's what it turns out to be or will he adjust to heavy brackish? (1.011) <<It may adjust for a little while, but in the long term will not survive such a low SPG - these are true marine fish.>> I have tried to find info on my own but I haven't found anything specific. <<Try reading up here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/monos.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tetraodontpuffers.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracgobioids.htm >>
I'm worried! puffers are amazing fish, and I certainly don't want to put a little puffer into a brackish tank where he'll be unhappy or maybe even die! <<Perhaps consider a marine tank.>> I've heard they're very adaptable, but I don't want to make him miserable! At any rate I have a billion more questions but I don't want to bother you that much at once! <<Well... you've got some reading there. Do check out those articles and the FAQs beyond - could be your questions have already been asked and answered there.>> Thank you again for your amazingly quick reply on the last email, you rock! Have a great day and thanks for your patience with me! Sincerely, Rachael
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Sick Arius seemanni
Hi Bob
We have 3 Arius seemanni in a 46 gal. hexagonal tank with 10 African cichlids, 3 tiger barbs, 3 golden barbs, 4 cherry barbs, and 2 common places.
<wow... what a truly bizarre mix <G> of fishes from Africa, Asia and South America. Really, you have fishes needing three different water qualities here: African for hard, alkaline and mildly brackish... neutral Asia water quality preferences... and soft acidic south American demons (Pleco). It is difficult if at all possible to maintain all such fishes in good health in the long run under such compromised water quality>
The water is brackish. ph 7.8, ammonia-norm, nitrate-norm temp -80. we have two fake plants and lots of brook rocks, and crushed coral on the bottom, 
<all conducive to the African cichlids>
a magnum 350 filter, and two 6" air stones. 
<is the magnum the only biological filter?!?! If so... it is very poorly suited and undersized for the job. Really just a good mechanical and chemical filter instead. Do add much better biological filtration (like an Eheim with ceramic noodles and course foam or a wet/dry filter>
The catfish have developed white spotty lumps all over their bodies and are not active as when we bought them a week ago they also have not eaten for about a day. Do you know what this is and if so what can we do about it?
<hmmm.... likely a bacterial infection, but do review the archives on disease to see if a photo or description can help: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mardisease.htm>
Thank You, Jenessa
<best regards, Anthony Calfo>

brackish water fish to freshwater
Hi Bob,
I am thinking about starting a new aquarium and I was wondering if you could answer a quick question for me. The question I wanted to ask was: Is it possible to keep brackish water fish in a freshwater tank? If you could give me some feedback I would really appreciate it.
<Some species, yes... as long as the water is hard, alkaline... Please take a read through our Brackish Subweb: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm
and chat with other "brackish aquarists" on our chatforum: http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/
Bob Fenner>
Chris Saiz

Brackish Anemones
Just curious if you have any information on the plausibility of keeping anemones in a brackish water tank? I've heard that the Beadlet, Snakelock, & Starlet anemones
can be acclimated to a brackish environment. 
<Only have some notion as to the actual species you mention, but yes, do know of, have kept actinarians in (even collected same from) brackish water systems... and will get off my duff and write, post more on these topics soon (did outlines for "components", "set-up", "maintenance" during a recent trip away), onto actual livestock groups. The ones thus far: http://wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm>
I plan on setting up a tank w/ a specific gravity of approximately 1.01. I do not want to cause any undue stress on the
animals and I can't find very much reliable information on the subject (not a good sign). Any information you could send my way would be appreciated. Thank you for your
time.
<There have been many articles over the years, even a couple of small book/lets on brackish biotopes... but not much that is/was complete... Perhaps you will be the one to "put it all together". Bob Fenner>

Brackish Questions
Been slowly lifting the salinity of my brackish tank; targeting .017, .018, etc...
any advice on which marine fish can tolerate (or even thrive) in these conditions? I've been told the damsels do well, so I'm wondering about any other fish and/or anemones...
<<If I were you, I would post this question on the WWM discussion forum, in the brackish area. There are some avid brackish drinkers there who probably have some experience with this. http://talk.wetwebfotos.com/  If you prefer, I can post it for you...>>
as well, the water went cloudy and all the fish became aggressive toward each other (this is in another brackish tank) after living healthy and peaceful lives for months. I've changed the water a few times, cleaned the filter (canister type), tried feeding less, etc...but the cloudiness hasn't really changed. lots of orange-brown algae starting up as well.....
what to do?
<<for this, I would start with some activated carbon, if you haven't run some already.>>
thanks for any advice
Toronto fish nerd
<<you are quite welcome. Cheers, J -- >>

Brackish aquariums
Do you know which fishes I can keep together with a mudskipper in a 60l aquarium, with a water depth on 15 cm, Ph 7, sg. 1.005-1.015 and with a hard water quality?
<please begin to research your interest in brackish aquariology at:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm Best regards, Anthony>

Re: Sourcing Livestock, FW
Do you any where that I can buy a white molly?
<Contact your local stores... or the etailers on WetWebMedia.com Links pages>
What's a good site to buy brackish fish?
<Need to look about. Ask the folks on our chatforum: http://talk.wetwebfotos.com/
Bob Fenner>
thanks

Hey Mr. Fenner (livestocking a brackish system)
I am wanting to keep three Monos (Monodactylus Argenteus) and a puffer.
Nigroviridis) or two in a 75 gal aquarium, would this work? and I'm thinking about whether to get sand or gravel for my bottom and a canister or one or
two box filters. any suggestions?
Should do okay... Please read through the various Brackish Water Set-Up et al. pieces on our WWM site: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm
I would use a calcareous substrate, and a hang on filter... or sump type.
Bob Fenner>

Re: Hey Mr. Fenner
any suggestions for the substrate?
<Please use the search feature on, read over WWM here. Bob Fenner>

Re: Hey Mr. Fenner
oh by the way, I think your site has a pretty good layout:)
<Thank you. Suggestions for improvement gladly accepted. Bob Fenner>

Brackish Livestock Selection
Dear Sir:
<Just Bob, please>
I have an established 35 gallon tank with 6 Gouramis approx 2", five black mollies approx 2", one Plecostomus approx 4", 3 green catfish approx 1", and 4 leopard or spotted puffers 1" to 1.5" I added the puffers without really knowing what I was getting into. The people at the LFS didn't really know about them. In fact they told me that they would eat flake food.
<Would like to see these folks live on dry cereal for a while>
After I began researching them on the internet I began feeding them brine shrimp worms etc.. and they seem to be doing well (it's been about a week). I have put in approx 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt for each 7 gallons and all fish seem fine with that. Now that I have this working I am wondering what will have to change as these fish grow. I realize that the mollies are also brackish and am considering trading in the Gouramis for other brackish type fish.
<Mmm, they may be fine with this amount of salt, and even more. Please read through the brackish livestock section here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm including the livestock area>
But I wonder if I really have room for more anyway?
<You are wise to not overload your system. All much healthier, happier with room to spare>
I would like to possibly add a freshwater snowflake eel that I have seen on the Internet what is your opinion on this.
<My area on these species: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwmorayeels.htm
I would leave off with trying one here... too likely to eat your other fishes... and/or jump out>
You have a great site (already bookmarked). I appreciate any help.
<Ah, a pleasure my friend in fish. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
D. Joe Hall

Fwd: brackish fish
hello FAMA, I was wondering if you had any information on brackish fish, mostly puffers, Australian bullrout and the gobies 
<Hi. Your request was forwarded to me by the fine folks at FAMA. Please see the listings of brackish livestock articles posted on our site: www.WetWebMedia.com starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackishfishes.htm
Bob Fenner>