So I was talking with Wyite some, and I have decided, Discus just ain't my thing. I'm going to be moving them all out, in the next week and will be bringing in a small batch of Monodactalyus argentus (Not from Argentina. )

Except for Diamondback terrapins I have no real experience with brackish setups, so I figure this will be a good way to branch out some. For DBTs all I ever do is chuck in a hand full of salt or two, always worked fine.

I was checking out some of the other brackish fishies up at the fish farm, and the other thing that I thought was interesting in the brackish section was they had a single Dormitator maculatus left from a special order. That one came in unhealthy so it was quarantined and is now fine.

The books say they get up to 26 inches. They've had them up there before, and according to them never had them break 14 inches (even kept in some massive tanks) It seems that the Monos will stay big enough that they'll never be a problem of them getting eaten. Mostly it comes down to size. If they really do only stay in the foot range, it's cool, if they really do get out to two feet, ain't gonna happen.

The Dormitator maculatus is a cool looking fish but I really like the look of the Monos. Good luck with them.

The Dorm hangs on the bottom, the Monos act like brackish Silver dollars. Hoping to find some plants that won't balk at the salinity and try and make it a pretty tank.

Sounds nice...glad to hear you are going for something different. Too many fish out there to keep too aggressive ones or wussy ones or just ones you don't like. Well it looks like I am going to make a brackish section now!

saint_felony wrote:

The Dorm hangs on the bottom, the Monos act like brackish Silver dollars. Hoping to find some plants that won't balk at the salinity and try and make it a pretty tank.

Java fern handles brackish pretty darn well.

WYite

Cool. I just noticed aquariumplants.com has a brackish section and it looks like I have a few of the plants listed already. No java fern though. I'll have to find some.

I just wish they mentioned lighting requirements. I just have the stock lights that came with the tank right now and am happy with them so I don't want to upgrade.

I wonder if those moss balls would tolerate brackish. They grow really well in that tank.

Now just to get confirmation on the adult size of that goby and I'll be set.

Well SF, everything I have seen in print points to them being able to get to 2 ft in length (3 or 4 website profiles). I have no actual experience with these fish though.

Cool looking fish. It's too bad the discus didn't work out for you saint. As for lighting requirements goto Plantgeek.net, They have plants listed by lighting requirements.

Yea D. That's the thing. Officially they hit 2ft. But there's a number of forum posts, and even the guys up there saying they've never seen 'em break 14 inches.

Not sure what to expect. It's just one, so I'm considering risking it, and if it does get massive, convert the smaller pond to a brackish pond and keep a few dbts instead of sliders..

Sounds like a good plan, Saint. I'd love to see you get one of those so I could find out from you...

saint_felony wrote:

Not sure what to expect. It's just one, so I'm considering risking it, and if it does get massive, convert the smaller pond to a brackish pond and keep a few dbts instead of sliders..

Ok SDD ..............JK

Dude I say go for it I think you would be the only member with a real monster!

LMAO....... I mean, "Mike! Shame on you!"

*laugh* Anyone besides you guys and I'd have to go all Cartman and threaten to kick you in the nuts.

Though I seriously can't be the only one that has anything big right? Well not that I picked anyone up yet. That's looking like this weekend.

I'm hoping it true and it doesn't break 14 inches. I'll never see it again in the pond, and big tanks are painfully expensive around my way.