MANGROVE JACK

[CubanB]

can anyone here recommend MJ's highly? i am thinking of buying one but i don't know that much about them and it would mean i would have to say goodbye to my P.Bass!! also what are good tankmates for them? the MJ i am looking at buying is around 15cm / 6"

any comments would be appreciated

cheers

[SalmonAfrica]

I wouldn't recommend them, but they are nice fish. They grow big, and like to swim quite a lot, so be ready with a tank that provides plenty of space.

Tankmates can be tricky. They'd have to grow equally as large as the Jack to avoid them being eaten. There are a few Arius species grow large enough to be kept with MJs, but really its mostly luck with tankmates.

[artemis1]

be prepared for a large fish. very nice to grow out though, need brakish water.

good luck,
art

[CubanB]

cheers for your comments

yeah it would be going in a 7 x 2 x 2.5 tank so i don't think it would out grow it for a while.
would scats be ok as tankmates as they are quite quick when they need to be??

[SNRMADE]

I got one when it was 3'' and it grew to 16'' in bout a year.Eats any food that i threw in the tank and extremely fast when feeding which doesnt allow any of the other fish to get any food..The bigger they get,the more agro they get.Killed two flowerhorns and a barcoo grunter.I busted it one day and it had a 10'' chocolate cichlid in its mouth dragging it around the tank by its head.....I then traded it in on something a little less nuts.

[Bluey]

Awesome to keep , just keep it and nothing else it should be fine in a 7 foot tank for a good 3 or so years , maybe more.

Scats and monos are good tankmates for the frist year , then might get munched , maybe some samontail cats

[Craig Gower]

wouldn't the pbass be one thing that could be kept with the jack?
perhaps not when they're both 5", but when a little bigger?
they surely wouldn't get out competed for food.

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

wouldn't the pbass be one thing that could be kept with the jack?
perhaps not when they're both 5", but when a little bigger?
they surely wouldn't get out competed for food.

the pbass won't appreciate the water conditions necessary for the snapper

[CubanB]

has anyone kept plecos with MJ's before?
do you reckon they would get nailed or what? there is plenty of places for them to hide but i don't really want to risk them if MJ's are known for killing them

[SNRMADE]

I had a foot long plec with mine and it was ok.

[Firemouth1]

dont they require full salt as adults?

[AUSNativeAngler08]

I would think highly off them i have a 5inch one at the moment with 5 small red scats and have never had a problem. Im not sure how other peoples have acted but the one i own has alot of character he will follow me as i walk past and will always sit there and watch what im doing even after feeding time which is a bit of fun with the treat of live fish every now and again. They have great colours as juvinilles if you are willing to keep maybe one fish in a fair size tank i would recomend.

[Datnoid101]

Yes they will.

[CubanB]

i've heard of people keeping them in full fresh their whole lives. also i wouldn't be able to turn it full salt because of the plecos. if anything i was just gonna add a bit of aquarium salt

[Datnoid101]

Mangroves have been caught at 2-3' and bigger. I have kept MJ and they all need full salt in the end. As they hit 6-9" they require brackish. Around10-12" they need full salt. You can try it out in fresh but everyone I know who had had it die for no reason around 6"

[syndicate]

Mangroves have been caught at 2-3' and bigger. I have kept MJ and they all need full salt in the end. As they hit 6-9" they require brackish. Around10-12" they need full salt. You can try it out in fresh but everyone I know who had had it die for no reason around 6"

well my mate had one for 5 yr in just fresh with a bad hob filter only died cause the power went out so i doubt they need salt

[Datnoid101]

I say try it out but if it dies, you know why. Just trying to help out. Good luck and let us know what happens

[Craig Gower]

They might prefer salt but certainly don't need it.
I've personally caught 2 >35cm on the fresh water side of a weir, there is no way they'd made their way from the salt. Both were fat and healthy.

If you were to provide brackish conditions then it would be fine.
Fresh would probably be fine too.

They are mighty angry though.

[SalmonAfrica]

Craig - you may have found some in fresh water, but it is not to say that they can all be kept in fresh water. Just like Tarpons, some are found in full freshwater, but the majority are marine fishes. Unless you know you're buying a fish that was found in freshwater, rather keep it in brackish conditions (or high-end brackish/marine) to be on the safe side.

if anything i was just gonna add a bit of aquarium salt

Please don't. It won't have the same effect, so it'll be a waste of time and money.

[CubanB]

I say try it out but if it dies, you know why. Just trying to help out. Good luck and let us know what happens


thanks mate i appreciate your opinions. i will take everything on board as i am not one to rush these things. if i dont get one now i may in the future so these things are good to know.


They might prefer salt but certainly don't need it.
I've personally caught 2 >35cm on the fresh water side of a weir, there is no way they'd made their way from the salt. Both were fat and healthy.

If you were to provide brackish conditions then it would be fine.
Fresh would probably be fine too.

They are mighty angry though.

:) i LOVE ANGRY FISH :)
i'm considering giving it a go. it's a shame they loose their juvi colours. they would look awesome at adult size if they kept their markings. they are still an impressive fish though :naughty:

[Bottomfeeder]

If you want a Snapper but can't do brackish/salt go with Niugini Bass (Papuan Black Snapper) as far as the Mangrove Jack (Mangrove Red Snapper): Uh dude...This is a small one...





http://www.fishingherveybay.com.au/images/ImageView/2007_0503mangrove0018.JPG

[syndicate]

hell yeah png black bass is awsome totally agree
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=672&pictureid=7898

[greenterra]

Jacks can be kept in fresh just like Barra. Qld fisheries have even been stocking several freshwater impoundments with Jacks for a few years now. Catches over 50cm are common now as they are thriving.The biggest problem in home aquaria is the size they attain but then that is no different to Barras.They are not tank mate tolerant unless in huge aquaria.
If our laws get screwed and we cant keep Jags and Dovii in the future I myself will convert to Jacks.

A mates Jack
274749
Here is the fresh water display at Underwater world at Maloolaba on the sunshine coast.The Jacks in here are huge and thriving.
274738
274739
Underwater world vid:)
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[Bottomfeeder]

hell yeah png black bass is awsome totally agree
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=672&pictureid=7898
look at the teeth on that thing! holy crap

[Bottomfeeder]

If you want a Snapper but can't do brackish/salt go with Niugini Bass (Papuan Black Snapper) as far as the Mangrove Jack (Mangrove Red Snapper): Uh dude...This is a small one...





http://www.fishingherveybay.com.au/images/ImageView/2007_0503mangrove0018.JPG
darn no pic came up...sorry