Now for something a lot smaller. Brachygobius (Bumblebee gobies) are suitable for those of you who cannot keep a large brackish water aquarium, because they will be quite happy in a 60 x 30 x 30 cm (24 x 12 x 12 in) tank. Although these fishes are small, we do not recommend using anything smaller than this because it is more difficult to maintain good water conditions in a small body of water.
No one can fail to be intrigued by a fish that shoots down its prey, and in public aquaria there is almost always a small crowd of people around the archer fish tank, all hoping that the fishes will perform.
Monodactylus argenteus (Monos) and Scatophagus argus (Scats) have been grouped together as they are both shoaling fishes which will live in harmony in a large brackish-water aquarium.
Mudskippers are notoriously difficult to maintain in captivity because of the demands they place on the aquarist. Species imported include Periophthalmus barbarus, Periophthalmus catonensis, and Periophthalmus kaelreukeri, but these names are often confused-and identification is uncertain.
A brackish-water tank lets you keep a number of interesting, but often overlooked, species that are native to estuarine waters. The home aquarium can be a mixed community setup, or a recreation of a specialized habitat such as a swamp.
Hundreds of plants are available to the freshwater aquarist, and selecting the right species means matching the optimum conditions for the plants to the needs of your fish. Plants and fish should share water chemistry needs and thrive under the same lighting conditions.
Shaped rather like a coin, with a silvery body color, the Silver Dollar makes an impressive tank occupant, especially when a shoal of these fish are housed together. They can be sexed quite easily, since the anal fin is longer in males and has a reddish tinge at the front.
A little forethought goes a long way when setting up an aquarium. Give careful consideration to where you want to site the tank, because if you make a poor choice, you will have to empty the tank and strip it down before it can be moved elsewhere. It is also a good idea to plan the layout of the tank well in advance so that you end up with an aquarium that not only looks attractive but also allows the fish to display their natural behavior.
