Please recommend: 12 gal brackish stocking

theop

theop

AC Members
Jan 24, 2005
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Nashville, TN
Hi,

I have had FW tanks for over 10 years and a marine tank for a few months. I'm going to set up a 12 gal for my son in his room (Eclipse 12 system with integrated filter and 18W PC light). I think I would like to do a brackish setup.

What are some fish combinations you'd recommend for a 12 gallon? I would like to have a puffer, but would really like to have more than only 1 fish. What could I keep with a figure eight puffer (or what could I likely keep since I know that some puffers decide to be meaner than others)?

Also, with a figure eight, how hard is it to feed? I am used to feeding frozen to my marine tank. Do they have to have snails to keep thier teeth from growing too much? Will they take freezed-dried food at all?

If not a puffer, what are some other stocking suggestions? I have a LFS that routinely has scats, monos, archerfish, and bumblebee gobies. Maybe others, but I am not sure.
 
well im gonna be setting up a brackish tank soon to and i decided to get some fiddler crabs lol there awsome lil dudes :dance
 
Scats, monos, the F8, and archers will all get too large for a 10 gallon tank. A pari of fiddler crabs would work, if you can set the tank up with some land for them to use as well.

F8's do require a diet with lots of crunches, and may or maynot tolerate tank mates--no way to predict. Freeze dried foods don't wear their teeth down enough, and few will take to it anyway.

Other option--a FW, planted 10 would be ideal for a few dwarf puffers. They are very attractive, with the same personality as othe rpuffers, but not as tough to feed past the first couple months, when they may require live food like brine shrimp and snails. Once established, most readily take to prepared frozen foods.
 
I'm just going off my internet research, but maybe a small colony of bumblebee gobies? If I ever start a brackish, that is what I would go with. Check out this article, the only problem I see is that they might be picky eaters. Check out this article:

Breeding the Bumblebee Goby
 
Thanks for the advice. OG, are you saying that a 12g is too small for one F8 puffer?

I have seen dwarf puffers at my LFS, but I thought they were freshwater only. They are cute.
 
I never had a problem with BBG eating. I also at the time had a lot of live food from the LFS, <--which is now closed.

F8P do not get to big for a 12 gallon. They are a 3" fish. They would like more room, yes! but one F8P in a 12 gallon aquarium will work.
You can have about 10 inch of total medium fish length. (add up all the lengths of your fish and if it equals 10" your done.

Small 19" (guppies size)
Medium 10" (small gouramis size)

Do you understand. This is a very generic rule for FW.

Less O2 in brackish water also.
Rule: (all the same size aquarium & same size fish)
FW = 12 fish
BW = 6-8 fish
SW = 4 fish
 
Dwarves are entirely freshwater--they will not survive in a brackish setup, they simply would be an alternative to a brackish tank.

I still wouldn't put an F8 in a 12 gallon tank--especially with anything else. JMO.
 
Hmm, I would put like 4 bumblebee gobies, or 2 knight gobies, or ONE figure 8, or I dunno...

You could put some crabs, but only crabs. Realize that the crabs WILL eat your fish and do need a way to get some fresh air.
 
Gezz a 12 gallon for a eight puffer isnt the best if other fish are desired.

Brackish fish like monos can be an option or even scats (spots are nice but I find they grow big and eat anything they can munch on, when at a larger size they loose their spots(not cute as in young age)

A few others can be named -see what your son likes then match it up to the size of tank respectivly so that you dont over stock or stuff over sized fish in the tank...

Most of all get someething that is a mix so that the tank loos lively from top to bottom (try not to keep it being borring for your son-might lose intrest easily like my brother age 9)

thats my input...
 
IMHO & IME, Monos or Scats should be in much bigger tanks than a 12 at all times. Both are very active swimmers and need space to swim and more biofiltration than an eclipse ever offers. One f-8 would be fine.
 
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