GSP with plants?

[JTRG05]

I have a 55 gallon planted fresh tank with CA cichlids, and want to start a 29 gallon planted brackish tank with a Green Spotted Puffer.

My question is, what plants will work in this brackish enviro (1.015 SG) and won't be destroyed by the puffer (if they hate plants, I keep CA cichlids so I've learned to buy HEARTY plants) and a plant that can grow in sand as a substrate, with minor pebbles?

The sticky mentioned Java Fern, will that work? And will any other plants work?

(The tank is set up, but is currently being cycled)

 

[Goanna]

This page came in very helpful for me while i was setting up my planted brackish tank.

http://plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=8

Jave Fern did really well, but since I had very bright lighting it eventually turned brown. It likes dull light.

As far as the puffer bothering the plants, I dont think that will be an issue. My GSP ignores the plants, but the nerite snails I put in there to eat the algea, that's another story. They hit the water and he was like "Um, Num Nums" lol.

 

[bromie88]

plants dont really do too well in a brackish environment... i think there are too many variables for them to deal with. the only ones to do it well off the top of my head are mangroves, and seagrasses (prefers highend brackish/marine)

any homework you do on plants that thrive at 1.015 will also be undone as GSP's like to be in highend brackish/marine as adults so your plant scheme would have to change accordingly.

another option is to do it with a figure 8 puffer. they stay small, and require an SG of 1.005, so it would also give you more choices plant wise....

also on a non brackish note... you could look out for dwarf congo puffers/dwarf puffers, or redtailed red eye puffers, as both are a totally freshwater species. so you would have a massive choice of plants. both stay small too. not exactly a brackish suggestion, but if you want puffers...

 

[JTRG05]

The tank is being cycled right now, and I'm trying to get the SG to the desired level atm, the fish store I'm buying them from actually keeps them in brackish water, they even advertise them as brackish! I was very impressed considering everywhere I've seen and heard of keeps them in, and says they are freshwater. You say they like to be in high end brackish, more than 1.015 when adults, what would be the preffered level as they age, and how gradual of a change do I make it?

questions I know, but I want to get my first brackish/salt tank perfect, instead of messin it up and losing a fish.

I looked at the dwarf puffers, but ultimately fell in love with the GSP, thank you guys!

 

[JakeH]

If its still cycling, go ahead and take it up to where you want it. If the tank is established FW, only raise it .002/week. I have been told that 1 cup ocean salt/5 gallons will raise your SG by .005, so I did half that per week & it worked great. Use a BB supplement like Cycle or Stability that are made for FW & Marine so you get both kinds of BB going.

 

[bromie88]

i do have a soft spot for GSP's too

my GSP was in full marine at less than 2", but only because it just seemed happier at the higher SGs i tried. i was at 1.019, so i thought i'd push for marine. it loved it. i had mine with corals to, he was never botherd about 'investigating' its environment. so my corals, and inverts (?) where fine. i had prawns in there that where destined to be food, none where touched.

so if you get the GSP to marine, you could have corals and marine plants, instead of just plants.

that is if the puffer allows you too... like i said, mine wasnt arsed about the shrimp, but the dwarf angel, chromides, and gobies i put in didnt last long.

 

[festerfish]

no vasculer plant can live in sg.015 mayby java fern in less than sg .oo5 what im going to do in my GSP tank is get some macro alge when my puffer get a little older and i go full marine