First brackish tank

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plantedtank12

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May 6, 2011
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Nathan
Got a 55 gallon tank from a freind and I am looking to do a brackish setup. Tank will be filtered with 3 aquaclear 50's. Here is my planned stocking-

-1 figure 8 puffer
-7 sailfin mollies
-6 indian glassfish (not dyed)
-7 bumblebee gobies
-3 orange chromide cichlids
-2-3 american flagfish---anybody know a good ratio of male to female to get best colors??


There will be plants just havn't figured out what plants to use. If anybody has recomendations on good plants that would be great. Could also use a good salinity level reccomendation. Does anyone see a problem with the stock? I know firsthand the damage a puffer can do having kept dwarf puffers but I read that the figure eight's will only go after slow-moving fish, any truth to this?? Thanks for looking please reply!!
 

aclarino

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Jun 6, 2011
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I have a green spotted puffer. The figure 8 puffer is slightly less agressive but as he grows larger dont be surprised if some of your fish go missing. As for salinity figure 8 puffers need about 1.005 since they are low brackish. I have a marimo ball in my tank now. They can handle around 1.005 salinity, as for other plants I have heard Java fern can be hardy and convert to brackish, but it takes some time to aclimate it. Hope this helps!
 

axelrod12

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Jan 10, 2011
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http://greenspottedpuffer.net/planted.htm

The links on this page all contain lists of plants that can survive in brackish water.

As for the puffer I would say it depends on the personality of the fish. Every puffer has its own unique personality and some will be much more aggressive than others. By putting the puffer in the tank you are taking a risk, but it could possibly work out.
 

plantedtank12

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May 6, 2011
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Nathan
Looking for figure 8 puffers not greens, would like a green but they get a little big IMO. Thanks for the salinity reccommendation aclarino. Anybody got opinions on the flagfish?
 

axelrod12

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Looking for figure 8 puffers not greens, would like a green but they get a little big IMO. Thanks for the salinity reccommendation aclarino. Anybody got opinions on the flagfish?
The link was for brackish plants not for the fish itself. My advice on the puffer was given knowing you were looking for figure 8. All puffers can be aggressive, f8, gsp, dwarf, it doesn't matter. If they feel like it they will rip another fish to shreds.
 

Arakkis

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Apr 7, 2008
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Americian Flagfish would be bad. Other than the fact it's going to get punked by the puffer, it'll get too aggro, it's too hyper and will probably ether bash itself into something or jump out if not eat all your plants and terrorise your fish. 55 in my opinion is too skinny for such a fish.

Oh and I've bred the orange chromides, they're mean.. sorta like brackish damsels. Males won't get along for sure.
Mollys will also get mean eventually
Maybe go with more stiphodons rather than something agressive

the two i see getthing along the most together is the 6 indian glassfish (not dyed) and 7 bumblebee gobies.
 
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plantedtank12

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May 6, 2011
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I googled stiphodons and all the links said that they were freshwater species and the pics showed them with freshwater fish, could they live in brackish? If the puffer, mollies, and chromides are out, what can I put in there other than the glassfish and gobies? I want something thats a little bigger and more interesting than the other fish, thats what the puffer was for. My friend and my LFS both have tanks with figure 8's and flagfish, none of their flagfish "bash itself into something or jump out if not eat all your plants and terrorize your fish." All the flagfish I have seen are very calm and content to nibble on some algae. Once they finish the algae I will supplement with fresh greens to prevent eating of my plants.

Thanks for the link to the plant site axelrod that should help.
 

Arakkis

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Apr 7, 2008
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Try googling stiphodon elegans.. yeah it's brack.. message Inka4040 for more info on them

Just my exp with the flags.. it was not good.. several times but happened when they got close to breeding
 
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