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If I buy a fish that was raised in freshwater and want to put it in brackish water, should I add the fish to a freshwater tank and slowly add salt, or can I add fish to a tank that already has salt in it?

- Dj :88)

First off, if you don't mind my asking, what type of fish is it? If it was raised in freshwater, and your tank is cycled, I would recommend putting the fish in fw, then raising the SG by .002 per week, this way you don't damage the bio-filter. If you have a tank set up as bw already, you can drip acclimate the fish to that no faster than .001 SG per hour, preferably per 2 hours.

Personally, I prefer to match the salinity that the fish was raised in and go from there, less stress on me and the fish.

Last edited by puffer_archer at 02-Apr-2005 23:19

I was going to do a tank with bb gobies. The only problem is that I was also going to add some fiddler crabs. All of these creatures are sold in freshwater and I worry that if I don't add them fast enough they will die for lack of salt. I know the crabs only last about a month in freshwater and I don't know how long they were in the tank at the store. The only problem is that if I add them too fast I will have an amonia spike. So I will have to wait to raise the SG before I add the crabs. I think the drip method would work the best though, that way I wouldn't have to wait till I had all my fish before I raised the SG.

- DJ :88)

What size tank and how many gobies? If the tank is big enough, you may be able to get away with adding all the gobies at once, also, if you could get ahold of freshwater bio-spira, that would instantly cycle the tank and you could add everything at once and start raising the SG without worrying about adding other stuff later. At .002 SG a week, you shouldn't have any trouble getting enough salt in the water for the crabs in a month.

I don't think I've ever seen bio-spira. But they do sell cycle near me, and I guess that will do the trick. The tank size is kinda unusual(no, I can't have a normal tank like normal people). Say, it's going to be about 20 gallons. I'm not sure as to the amount of gobies, as I am also planning (actually hoping is the better word for it) on adding some halfbeaks and a puffer or two. Actually, I'd rather have the puffer(s) and halfbeaks than the gobies. Fortunately these fish are sold in brackish water at the good LFS. Too bad they don't carry gobies or crabs. I'm not sure as to the crabs. They are very small, so I was thinking (hoping) to add about 10 of them.

It's kinda hard to explain my tank plan. I'll link you to my thred so you can see yourself.

30 gallon paludarium

Last edited by djtj at 03-Apr-2005 00:02

I would not recommend a GSP in that setup, they grow to six inches and require at least 30 gallons themselves. A figure 8 would work well. I don't know how one would get along with a half-beak, don't know of anyone that has tried it. Also, if you mix puffers and crabs you run the risk of the crab becoming a meal. Probably not the land hermits, but the fiddlers could definitely become targets.

Oh, I almost forgot, I wouldn't bother with cycle, I've heard very few good reports about it. It seems to be a waste of money for most people.

Last edited by puffer_archer at 03-Apr-2005 00:14

I would not recommend a GSP in that setup, they grow to six inches and require at least 30 gallons themselves. A figure 8 would work well.

Fine with me . I kinda like figure 8s better anyway, just don't tell the GSP

Do you suggest I forget about the crabs? Or maybe I should add a young figure 8 to a group of full-grown fiddlers? Ironically, I was kinda building this tank around the crabs, but I kinda like the puffers better anyway (don't tell the crabs ) I know of people have had success putting baby angels with full grow neons. Maybe it applies to pufers?

You don't like cycle? I've never cycled with cycle, but I add a few drops after every 100% water change on the betta tanks. My friend cycled with cycle and he had a tank with dawrf gouramis and tetras, etc. Perhaps freshwater fish are hardier than BW?

And pretty much, this thred can't go much farther, until I get a few other questions sorted out. If you don't mind, could you go over to that other thred I linked?

Very important: So you can understand what I'm talking about, I drew up some plans
Thanks
- DJ :88)

Last edited by djtj at 03-Apr-2005 16:12