# brackish fish compatibility with figure 8 puffers?



## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

Hi,

What tankmates could work in my 93 gallon cube tank (30Wx30Dx24H)? It currently has 3 small figure-8 puffers (about 1" each). The tank is an already-cycled freshwater tank that I plan to very gradually convert to brackish conditions over the next few months. 

I'm thinking about some combination or subset of the following:

Mono Sebae (maybe three or four?)

gobies -- is it OK to mix?

knight goby (best kept singly?)
bumblebee goby (how many?)
desert goby (how many?)

Any other suggestions? I also considered a columbian shark but it seems they would ultimately get rather large for a 30" cube tank, also its pH preference is 7-7.5 and i'm guessing my pH with the aragonite will probably be around 8. Not sure whether that would really be a workable setup.

Or is this all a bad idea and I should keep it a puffer-only tank?

Thanks,
-Zeke


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

From what I've read the figure 8 are the ones that are ok to mix. The monos are nice fish and are peaceful. I don't know much about the gobys. But I do believe most of them are best off with only one adult per tank...I think. But I had sailfin mollys in my BW tank also some archer fish.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

My figure 8s seem to be getting along with each other OK so far. I occasionally see them nip at each other but that is not very frequent. I suppose it could become a bigger issue when they get bigger. Perhaps it helps that they all grow up together?

Archers look like really neat fish but I think they will outgrow this tank?

-Zeke



hotwingz said:


> From what I've read the figure 8 are the ones that are ok to mix. The monos are nice fish and are peaceful. I don't know much about the gobys. But I do believe most of them are best off with only one adult per tank...I think. But I had sailfin mollys in my BW tank also some archer fish.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Yours 8s should be fine together. And the archers should be ok. They work better in a long shallow tank. But I like the mono idea.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

What do you think would work better, Mono Sebae or Mono Argentus? And how many would be appropriate, maybe 3 or 4 for a 30x30x24 cube?

-Zeke



hotwingz said:


> Yours 8s should be fine together. And the archers should be ok. They work better in a long shallow tank. But I like the mono idea.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I think the serbae stay a little smaller but I personally am in love with the argentus but I think you could do 3 or 4 of either.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

zwanged said:


> What do you think would work better, Mono Sebae or Mono Argentus? And how many would be appropriate, maybe 3 or 4 for a 30x30x24 cube?
> 
> -Zeke


I've kept both and found the Sebae to be more attractive to me.I just read a little more that said 5 is a good minimum as they definately establish a dominance amongst them selves.I have kept 3 in my 180 for years without problems though?
Also forgot to mention the SCAT!Some really good color variations of them are available.


Mono Fish, Moonfish, Monodactylus argenteus, Silver Moony, Mono Argentus
I actually thought they were rather tough fish and due to their prefering high pH were one of the odd balls I kept with my afican tang. cichlids.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

the scat are gonna get too big for this tank though, right? remember it's a 93gallon cube -- 30Wx30Dx24H.

-Zeke



coralbandit said:


> I've kept both and found the Sebae to be more attractive to me.I just read a little more that said 5 is a good minimum as they definately establish a dominance amongst them selves.I have kept 3 in my 180 for years without problems though?
> Also forgot to mention the SCAT!Some really good color variations of them are available.
> 
> 
> ...


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I didn't do specific search on scat but IMO they are about the same as monos.
My monos lived for over 6 years and were all of 6" top to bottom.Definately bigger than any of my discus or angels I have now!I only had one scat who didn't last to long,but the tank was not brackish or high pH when I had him.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ya I still think a scat would be ok. They don't get to be real long. They are big but are more box than pencil shaped.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

The plants I have in the tank with the puffers currently are:

cabomba (floating)
water sprite (in substrate)
undulata crypts
anubias
java fern

Would either monos or scats be more suitable with these plants? Or are both going to munch them like crazy?

-Zeke



hotwingz said:


> Ya I still think a scat would be ok. They don't get to be real long. They are big but are more box than pencil shaped.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Don't think the plants are gonna be around long enough once you've brought up the SG.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I certainly have no experience with plants in brackish tanks ,but I'm with RM.I just don't think there are very many(certainly not common ones)that will"transition" to brackish.I couldn't even get plants to grow in my african cichlid tank,and I don't think it was all on the fish.High pH and water being hard are just that ;hard on plants.
Mangroves I think would be a proven brackish plant.Other than that I would look/search for what grows in estuaries andd marshes.
Then again maybe I'm wrong;here's a link about transition plants and which ones could do well!
Brackish Plants


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

All my prior research says no plants will survive more than mild brackish except for mangroves.


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## zwanged (Nov 4, 2012)

I'm not intending on doing more than mild brackish (1.005 to 1.008) anyhow. Is that OK for the figure 8s + monos?

-Zeke



hotwingz said:


> All my prior research says no plants will survive more than mild brackish except for mangroves.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I think both of those guys will be fine in the lower range.My monos lasted over 6 years just being in high pH with my Tanginykans.
That plant link led me to believe the java fern was one of the best choices and is also considered a plant some plant eating fish don't like.


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