Brackish fish mixed with freshwater?

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shazplat

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Jan 5, 2005
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I have a Scat, Pleco, fig 8 puffer and shark catfish that are brackiash these, plus the tank were given to me by a friend. i have recently added some freshwater fish as my friend said this would be no problem! I am now very concerned for the scat as he is about 4 years old and i have read that they need increasing levels of salt, will all my other fish die?!?!

Thanks for much needed help!
Sharon
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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Yes. FW fish can frequently tolerate mildly brackish conditions in the short term, but not in the long run. It's an either or question--you can have brackish, or marine, or FW, but not all the same in one tank. Since many fish sold as brackish eventually need marine conditions to survive, it's important to research before buying.
 

Pufferpunk

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Your pleco will not survive for long in BW conditions. The scat & "shark catfish" (Columbian shark?) will need SW as an adult. F8 puffers are best kept in low-end BW. So, you have FW, BW, & potentially SW fish all living in the same tank! Time to make some decisions, before something in there starts to suffer.

How big is the tank?
 

shazplat

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The tank is 40g! we got the tank from a friend who has had it for about 8 years, they said that the fish would be ok, i have been doing alot of reading myslef and have come to the conclusion that we will have to make a decision. i am very fond of the puffer and the scat! the scat is about 4 years old, how old will it be before it needs a hight salt content?

I guess you live and learn eh! i have never kept fish before and was going on what my friend said who i know has had tehm for years so i trusted her judgment.

Thanks alot for your help and any other advice you can give me

Sharon x
 

TKOS

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That tank is too small for a pleco anyway, at leasta common one. So that decision is practically made up for you. And really the shark catfish is probably going to be too big for the tank as well. So the main choice I see is the puffer or the scat.
 

MonoSebaelover

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How big is the Scat at 4yrs old? It should be just about adult by now (but am assuming it is not since it is still in a 40 and they grow to almost 15"). I have a Mono Argent that I have had for I think going on 3 years and it is about 3/4+ its adult size. I would say in a 40 go with the Puffer. The Scat will get too large and I would play around with freshwater/brackish before attempting saltwater. Saltwater requires a lot more work and time. Just depends on if you can devote both. Anyway, hope this helps and good luck!
 

Pufferpunk

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In a 40g, you could have a nice, interesting, low-end BW community tank, with 3-4 F8 puffers, a few knight gobies, bumblebee gobies & even a dragon goby.
 

shazplat

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MS- the scat is about 4inch and 5 years old according to my friend who gave it to us! He seems to be very well and happy, he knows when we are there and does a little dance coz he wants feeding, i must admit he is my favourite fish in the tank. I am also very fond of the puffer and the cat shark! I would hate to get rid of him!

Pufferpunk, i like the sound of that we have decided that we are going to keep the tank brackinsh and just have a couple of species, if and when our other fish are not doing well. however like i said above the scat is my favourite he is a real chraracter!
 

Pufferpunk

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Any room for another tank? You could keep the scat & cat in a 55g for a while & instant cycle it with Bio-Spira.
 

cdawson

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at 5 years old the scat should be WAY bigger than 4". The scat needs full strength SW BTW, or at the least high end BW. It would also be advisable to find a new tank. Scats are very messy and require alot of space and very efficient filtration. Even for just one.
 
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