Archer Fish with Africans

[jhutch]

Is there a difference between Aquarium Salt and Sea Salt? I would understand aquarium salt for the Africans, but sea salt for Brackish, right?

I use reef crystals. Same as you would use for a salt water tank.

 

[benzjamin13]

I use reef crystals. Same as you would use for a salt water tank.

Hmmm...learn something new everyday

 

[Lupin]

Is there a difference between Aquarium Salt and Sea Salt? I would understand aquarium salt for the Africans, but sea salt for Brackish, right?

I use reef crystals. Same as you would use for a salt water tank.

Hmmm...learn something new everyday

There is a big difference between marine salt for reef tanks and mineral salts to buffer the water conditions needed by the African cichlids (which in this case is IMO optional unless your tapwater is already suited for this type of environment).

Rift Valley cichlids are not brackish water species although they prefer hard alkaline waters in order to thrive.

 

[gthiele]

DO IT MAN!!!

 

[jhutch]

There is a big difference between marine salt for reef tanks and mineral salts to buffer the water conditions needed by the African cichlids (which in this case is IMO optional unless your tapwater is already suited for this type of environment).

Rift Valley cichlids are not brackish water species although they prefer hard alkaline waters in order to thrive.

Yes but marine salt in moderation provides better trace elements. I use a combination of epsom salt, marine salt, malawi buffer and cichlid salt ant tanganyikan buffer in place of malawi buffer for my tanganyikans obviously. Reef salt I add when I top off the tanks from evaporated water. They love it and seem to thrive much better than when I didn't use it.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

I've kept archers in FW without any problems, as have many folks, the issue I would worry about is that the archers might not be able to deal with the aggression.

 

[jhutch]

That's always possible.

 

[thingthing]

depends on the species of archerfish. some live in freshwater for all of their lives, while others migrate to brackish and/or full salt water. also depends on the species for how big they get. some get ofver a foot long, others rarely past 6".

 

[Datnoid101]

Really bad idea. Aside from the brackish requirements of the fish, the archers that are typically available in the hobby get HUGE. Monos also get huge, and they grow fast. Oh yeah, Monos do best in full salt as they get to be adults as well...

I disagree as archer fish are slow growing and are usually seen around 6". Not really huge in my book.

Africans need salt also. I keep my africans(malawi) in 8.4 pH with lots of salt and my Tanganyikans in 9.4 with even more salt. You are incorrect in saying they don't need it.

An archer would be fine with your africans. Africans are the saltiest fresh water fish can be, hence the name Rift Lake fish.

The addition of salt to your african tanks provides them with essential trace elements. Of course I breed them and am more concerned with replicating their natural environment than the average hobbyist would be.

I agree with this statement that archers will be fine with your cichlids. Be sure to check which archer you buy as 2-3 species are freshwater while the other 4 I believe are brackish/salt. I've kept archers for many years with larger datnoids, bichers, mbu puffers, frontosas, arowanas, and even shovelnose cats. They all got along. Archers are quite quick and get out of trouble when need be.