Might look at setting up Brackish

[Reel North]

I currently have a 220g 6x2x30" with predatory malawi haps. Im getting a little bored, and thought trying a whole new direction might be cool.

I like the dats and monos, and wondering what you all might recommend putting in a tank this size.

Anything special I should know about brackish, other than the salt content of the water

I was going to change out the sand to pool filter, and add some bogwood

thanks in advance

 

[Pufferpunk]

How about some BW puffers in there? You'll never get bored with them! Best to use aragonite sand, to buffer the pH to a steady 8. Also, bogwood can bring the pH down & soften the water.

 

[Reel North]

went into the LFS today, and saw some awesome monos. I love those fish. They have salinity at 1.004. They are also getting in some datnoids... (?good idea?)

I saw some columbian cats there as well, which get huge, but not for a long time.

Apparently, I can use the crushed aragonite substrate I have now with the rock I have now as well. Would you guys do big rock piles, or just add some big rocks etc. No wood I guess...... but i have lots and lots of spare rocks.

Please advise

 

[BlackShark11k]

AT's and IT's are the only "brakish" dats and even those species are normally kept in fresh. Another common brakish choice are archers...

 

[Reel North]

my concern with archers was that they require "targets" and a lower water level to give them shooting room. My filters are only 1" below the surface.

Are archers ok not shooting their food? lol

I like them a lot, but the surface has a lot of turbulence in my tank.

The guy at the lfs was talking about green skats (?) or some such fish as well.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Be sure to look into the adult sizes of the fish you are interested in & their minimum tank requirements at that size, so you don't overstock with juveniles that will outgrow that tank. It may seem like a large tank now... Also, some of the species you mention are schooling, like monos/Columbian cats.

 

[BlackShark11k]

my concern with archers was that they require "targets" and a lower water level to give them shooting room. My filters are only 1" below the surface.

Are archers ok not shooting their food? lol

I like them a lot, but the surface has a lot of turbulence in my tank.

The guy at the lfs was talking about green skats (?) or some such fish as well.

They do fine without a "target". The green scat is Scatophagus argus.

Also, some of the species you mention are schooling, like monos/Columbian cats.

I don't think either of those are schooling fish

 

[Pufferpunk]

Both those species are definitely schooling species.

 

[BlackShark11k]

Both those species are definitely schooling species.

Not sure where you got this info... I have never seen either school. Michael (arapaimag) has dozens of monos in his 52k and they always swim singly... i have seen many columbian shark tanks, and they all swim singly...

 

[fishtex]

Archers are extremely entertaining, you dont have to have a lower water level. They do fine shooting pellets stuck to a piece of plexi-glass propped against the back of tank/wall. 3 or 4 of those and 4 or 5 mono argenteus would be my recommendation. Plus some dithers like black mollies and possibly a gsp.