These plants work with brackish?

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R.A.W.

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Mar 6, 2010
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Deepwater, Missouri
I'd like to try keeping figure 8 puffers, most likely only one. The puffer will live in a highly planted 10 gallon tank with an over sized filter, plant substrate, water change bi-weekly, heater, and fertilizer. Some will say this is too small for a figure 8 puffer but when it comes to keeping a single fish this size, I think it's all about how the tank is setup and maintained.

I'll be using a marine salt and hydrometer to reach a salinity of 1.005 - 1.008. Someone more experienced in keeping figure 8's (pufferpunk :)) could help me out with that number? I'd like to try for bare minimum salinity because of the plants while keeping the puffer happy. However, the puffer comes before the plants and I will change plant layout if needed.

Using a true marine salt - and not API aquarium salt - will change the ph to around 8. I've heard puffers like that. Some plants don't.

With this in mind, I tried to pick hardy plants. Some have been reported to do well, almost thrive, in brackish water. Others, I have no idea.

My plan is to acclimate the plants very slowly over about a months time. I've read that when taken slowly, almost any plant can be acclimated to live in brackish waters, especially when the water is only slightly brackish.

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Attached is my plan for the tank. Numbers are as follows:
1 Ludwigia, narrowleaf
2 Anarcharis
3 Cryptocoryne, parva
4 Microsword
5 Red Myrio
6 Anubias nana

Can these plants be slowly acclimated to live and grow in brackish water? If they can not, are there supplements that can and that look similar or would create a similar effect?

This tank is only in the design step. I'm just a research nut.

IMG_2701.JPG
 
Last edited:

Arakkis

AC Members
Apr 7, 2008
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SJ Cali
I've only tried nana in a brackish tank. I think you'd might like some mangroves if you want that planted look, but the leaves would be out of water
 
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