Mostly all the aquarium brackish fish I know of have barely any color. There is not that much in variety. These fish have amazing markings like Scats, Archers, Gobies, Monos, Snowflakes but besides mollies its mainly black & white with a hint of color like yellow. Howcome brackish fish don't come with many different colors like tropical freshwater or Saltwater Reef fishes? Does it have to do with location? I know there's not that many different types of fish that are brackish, but it would look fantastic to have Red archers, Blue Scats, Orange and purple Monos.
Why Brackish Fish have no color?
- Thread starter fadeawayjae
- Start date
There's no real specific correlation between the fact that a fish lives in brackish water and that it has dull coloration.
I've always considered brackish fish to be colorful enough. Bumblebee gobies, GSP's, and orange chromides are all pretty colorful in my opinion. If all you're looking for is color, I'm sure there are brackish killies or rainbows to do the job. Young violet gobies have beautiful golden bands that shine on their sides, but adults have a simple countershading (good camo). Mudskippers can have really brightly colored fins. Guppies seem to do well in brackish water too, and everyone knows how colorful they are.
There's color, you just have to look.
I've always considered brackish fish to be colorful enough. Bumblebee gobies, GSP's, and orange chromides are all pretty colorful in my opinion. If all you're looking for is color, I'm sure there are brackish killies or rainbows to do the job. Young violet gobies have beautiful golden bands that shine on their sides, but adults have a simple countershading (good camo). Mudskippers can have really brightly colored fins. Guppies seem to do well in brackish water too, and everyone knows how colorful they are.
There's color, you just have to look.
Colour is relative. I like things such as polypterous, knife fish ect, both are mainly dull looking fish, browns, silvers ect with the exeption of a few.
But to me I think they all look stunning, and have great markings if you take the time to look.
I even know of people who have described marine fish as "garishly coloured". Beauty is after all in the eye of the beholder.
But to me I think they all look stunning, and have great markings if you take the time to look.
I even know of people who have described marine fish as "garishly coloured". Beauty is after all in the eye of the beholder.
I wouldn't call any of the asian cichlids as "lacking of color". Orange Chromide Etroplus maculatus
Green Chromide Etroplus suratensis
Banded Chromide Etroplus canarensis
Green Chromide Etroplus suratensis
Banded Chromide Etroplus canarensis
About all the Mollies and Swordfish are colorful in someway. Guppies really don't lack in color if you look at any of the males.
Knight gobies have electric blue fins if they're properly housed... archers, monos, and scats have bright yellow fins... some scats have pretty colors... Mollies and swordtails can be gorgeous-- we have a 4.5" orange sailfin molly with giant bright purple fins.
Part of the reason there aren't many colorful brackish species is that there aren't many brackish species in the first place. Euryhaline fish are far rarer because there just aren't a lot of good environments for euryhaline species. Basically, it's where ocean meets the sea-- many species swim upriver occasionally, but not many can be kept at 1.010sg for their entire lifespan.
And there aren't more colorful fish than guppies...
Part of the reason there aren't many colorful brackish species is that there aren't many brackish species in the first place. Euryhaline fish are far rarer because there just aren't a lot of good environments for euryhaline species. Basically, it's where ocean meets the sea-- many species swim upriver occasionally, but not many can be kept at 1.010sg for their entire lifespan.
And there aren't more colorful fish than guppies...
Keep in mind, Etroplus canarensis is a FW fish, they don't tolerate brackish like the green or red chromides.ProblEmZ;2999436;2999436 said:
Also, that picture doesnt do E. canarensis justice. This is a better picture of the species.
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/images/heng_etroplus4.jpg