Help Brackish Newb

justintoxicated

justintoxicated

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Dec 19, 2005
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I think I want convert one of my tanks to brackish.

Want to house BumbleBee Gobies and Either Guppy Fry or a small puffer.

As you may have read I purchased some BumbleBee Gobies as freshwater fish. They seem to be doing fine in my freshwater tank however I am told they will likely not live to long in there. :confused: I have sceen them eating blackworms and pooping so I think they are ok for now.

OPTION 1:

I currently have a 3 gallon guppy fry tank. I usualy put the female in there when she looks like she is ready to pop. Soon I will have 4 more adult females so even MORE babies...maybe...

I was thinking I could just let her give birth in the community tank (right now it has guppies otos and ADF's and a TON of apple snails.) Leaving my 3 gallon eclipse to make my first brackish tank. Is a 3 gallon tank enough space for my BeeGobies? Could I add somethign else? maybe some kind of small puffer? If I can't add something else would I be able to dump guppy fry in there with the bee gobies (they would be from a freshwater tank though)?


OPTION 2
I have an ADDITIONAL 10 gallon tank. I don't use it cause it is scratched up and such but I have the Lid Light, and will soon have my old whisper 10i filter for this tank) as well as a spare 50 watt heater (now used for my 20 gallon untill my new filter gets here and I give it a few weeks to establish some nice bacteria growing in it).

I REALLY did not want to setup ANOTHER tank as I already have 3 tanks in my bedroom, and I RENT a room month to month. If I am to setup another tank it will not be planted as I don't want to get kicked out for using to much power and leaving too many lights on. 3 planted tanks is enough. I don't really have any space for it either but I guess I could stack a few things to make a little more room. as it is I have my 20 gallon next to my TV...

OPTION 3
Leave the BumbleBee Gobies in the FW tank. They seem to be ok, maybe I am over reacting?

Thanks for reading just asking a little.........ALOT of guidance. :bowing:
 
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The only puffer that is small enough for a 3gal is one dwarf puffer. You also can't keep them with the gobies, since they (the gobies) are brackish. DP's aren't. The smallest brackish puffer is a Figure 8, but they need 15gal each. If you put any puffer with guppies, you will have a bloated puffer with no guppies. I'd put the gobies in the 3gal and make it brackish. Don't put anything else in there, a 3gal is too small for anything else.



Kim
 
That sounds liek it will work, with the gobies in the 3 gallon brackish tank. The 10 gallon of course would be best but if space is really limited then the 3 gallon and good weekly water changes should do well.

Plants don't work in a brackish tank usually so don't worry about making it a planted tank. Instead look for a nice set of rocks and do some aquascaping that way and try to use sand on the bottom.

Buy some salt for a marine tank and a hydrometer. That is what you need to measure the salt level (known as specific gravity). At first move the gobies over to a freshwater setup. Then with each water change start to slowly increase the salinity of the tank, no more than .002 every few days or so. You will probably be fine with a salinity of 1.006 to 1.008.
 
Ok, Well I Might be able to setup my old 10 gallon, but if not no big deal then the 3 gallon is already setup. I thnk I figured out a way to fit both though...

If I was to stick with say just the 3 gallon could I leave the guppy fry in there with the gobies or would it be too difficult getting them adjusted back to fresh water when they are older?

So the dwarf puffers are not brackish? Dang ok then I guess there isn't any puffer that would fit in my 10 gallon, that sucks...If I was to setup the 10 gallon what else could I put in there besides BumbleBee Gobies? It seems like most Brackish fish require rather large tanks.

I talked to the knowledgable guy at the LFS and he said they have had a BB Gobie in there freshwater planted tank for at least 6 months and it is fine, he said there lifespan would however be increased if I move them to brackish water. but at least I'm not in such a hurry and not so worried now.
 
Most brackish fish do seem to need a larger tank. At least the more commonly available ones.

6 months is nothing to brag about. When those BB Gobies have been in his tank for 6 years then we will talk.

The guppies should be able to move back to freshwater but will have to be acclimated very slowly so they don't go into shock.
 
Is there a 15g tank which I can use my 10g lid and light fixture on? Its the regular long 10 gallon i guess you would call it.

I would love to get a puffer! Would a Fig8 with a couple BB Gobies in a 15 be ok? I'm thinking I may need a new filter but my 50 watt Theo heater would be alright.

Thanks for the info on the DP's I was told they were Brackish earlier today.
 
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The 15 gallon might have the same footprint as the regular 10. I'm not completely sure but I belive it is really close.

Puffers really nned a speciaes only tank as they will probably try to eat anyone in there with them. The gobies might survive but chances aren't that good.
 
Alright man this is not looking at all, especialy for my gobies.

It really does sound like my best bet is just to keep them in the freshwater tank and see how long they last. They seem like they are not as colorful as when I first got them but their fins are growing back fast from whatever was picking on them at the petstore. So I guess they are doing ok so far, but it has really been too little time to tell.

I mgiht be able to put them in the 3 gallon in a future date. But it sounds liek they too are best in a species only tank.
 
There used to be someone who posted here that had a 10 Gallon with 2 gobies and a Figure 8 with no problems at all.

I had a F8 in a 10 gallon by himself because he dined on tank mates. It is up to the fish as to whether they will get along or not.

Just a warning about brackish tanks. Enjoy being algae maintenance. There are no real brackish algae eaters other than nerite snails, which in a puffer tank are also called "lunch". So be prepared to do all algae maintenance.

I must confess that I got tired of the maintenance and was very happy that I found someone to take "Puff Daddy" and give him a great home.

You should either find a new home for the gobies of convert their tank to brackish. They did not choose their tank life so I feel it is our obligation to make it a pleasant and long lasting one.
 
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