Mudskippers anyone?

[FireFly_1976]

Has anyone here kept mudskippers? I have an opportunity to move my goldfish to an eclipse system tank--the nice built in filter/light in the hood, good sized tank, not the puny ones...), which isn't quite as long as their current tank, but has the same number of gallons. (these are the big fat guys, won't mind less length, the height will fine instead). So, with their longer tank empty, I was thinking of doing a mangrove swamp paladarium for mudskippers. I've already got plans for a 60g paladarium, and well, two of em (one fresh water, one brackish) would be fun. I've always wanted mudskippers. I've done some research, way more info on these guys than in the past, but still not a ton. I haven't decided if I'll do JUST mudskippers, or find another largish brackish goby to go in the water part as well. The mudskippers will definitely be the only land type critters. The tank is kinda minimum size for them (smaller than the 60g--around 40g), so I'm gonna do three of the littlest kind (provided I can find a place to buy them). I may not do a false bottom on this one, but just do a divided set-up, not sure. Anyone who has done this before, or who has done a mangrove swap thing, I'd appreciate any info. Any good brackish gobies out there too big to be eaten by a mudskipper? (I know skippers are gobies too). Any decent plants (besides the mangroves of course) that tolerate brackish? I'm thinking java moss/fern can tolerate it a bit, dunno what else. Definitely lots of rockwork and driftwoood type stuff, dunno what else. Again, I'll post construction pics, and final pics etc. as this happens. I'm probably going to do this after the 60g paladarium, so it will be a while, but it will happen I think. I've just always wanted some mudskippers They are SOOOO cool.

Emily

[spypet]

http://www.franksaquarium.com/bracki..._fish_farm.htm

http://www.franksaquarium.com/shellie.htm



http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/351351-post5.html

[mistergreen]

they're definitely brackish/salties... It's hard to find real plants for the tank except mangrove. There's a bush that lives on the beach, but I forgot the name. They're edible and is salty to the taste.

Mudskippers are cute as heck.. I remember catching these guys as a kid. They're surprisingly fast.

[FireFly_1976]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I'll just do a mangrove thing (can one bonsai mangroves?), and have a decent set-up. I will already have a regular brackish tank (black and white themed, mostly mollies but I'm gonna get all the leftover monos from my store (an opportunity buy that I wish we didn't get cause we are a generally freshwater only store) and I'll probably rescue some of our dragon gobies for that tank too. (another fish I wish we didn't carry).
For the mudskippers, obviously I"ll have a paladarium set up instead, but this one will not be a false bottomed one the way my other will--don't need as much water area I don't think. (not doing tons of fish, just mostly the skippers, and MAYBE a water only brackish goby if I find one suitable, otherwise just the skippers....

The pics are SOOO cute of these guys. I definitely want some now...

Do the indian ones (the really little guys, ones that would likely work best in my 40g) get the same purple colors as others? Doesn't much matter, they are still quite cute!

Emily

[mistergreen]

here are some plants for you if you can get them from florida.
http://www.uwf.edu/rsnyder/ffnwf/barrier/barrier.html

ps. yes, I guess any tree can be a bonsai if you don't give them too much nutrients and prune and prune.

[fshfanatic]

I have kept them and love them. They rank high on the "totally cool" scale.. Plus they are very easy to keep.

[pet-teez]

Mudskippers are my favorite fish!
I had a P. barbarus for a couple years and he was fantastic!
He lived in a 65g viv setup (it was mostly tall, it was used at a reptile shop, it now houses my adopted Leopard Geckos but after Skip moved out of it it was my favorite fishtank) that had a layer of 100% clay (cat litter. lol), play sand and then around the sides and back (kind of a crescent) I had gravel built up to make land areas and also had rock and driftwood for him to jump on.
I'm attaching two pictures of Skip in that house.

If you get a couple of the Indian kind they would do nicely in a well set up 40g and I might actually be doing that in the near future, I haven't had one in years and he was so great.
He ate, well, prettymuch anything... sadly he had a great fondness for fiddler crabs but he also ate a couple guppies (I'm surprised he could catch them in there), crickets, worms... amphibious garbage disposal. haha