There are many types of brackish water fish, including archerfish, skewer fish, and golden goby fish. These fish share a common characteristic: they live in the estuaries of rivers and lakes, have strong resistance to osmotic pressure, and can move between fresh and seawater. However, they will die if kept in freshwater for a long time. So, how do you keep brackish water fish?
Aquarium: Choose an aquarium based on the type of brackish water fish you want to keep. Large, fast-swimming fish like archerfish and batfish will require at least 200 liters of tank space. Smaller brackish water fish, such as guinea pigs, will also need at least 100 liters of tank space.
Light is necessary, but constant sun exposure is unnecessary; about an hour of direct sunlight per day is generally sufficient. Brackish water fish thrive better in moderate to low light conditions. We typically use fluorescent lights, but halogen lights can be used if your tank is deep. Unless absolutely necessary, maintaining low light levels is best.
Most fish that eat in brackish water or near sand are not very particular about substrate; they have poor table manners, are greedy, and most importantly, they leave behind food scraps. Therefore, to mitigate the problems caused by these scraps, it's best to use alkaline substrate. However, if you also need to grow aquatic plants, you'll need to thicken the substrate.
As mentioned above, there's residue everywhere after eating, so filtration is necessary. While the bottom sand is alkaline, which can neutralize some of the acidic substances from the residue, it can't completely eliminate them. Therefore, a filtration system is needed to maintain stability and ensure daily operation. In addition to the main filtration system, I also need a backup.
Water quality is crucial, and its requirements are numerous and cannot be perfectly met. However, we can improve the water quality to better suit the growth conditions of brackish water fish. Since brackish water fish primarily live in brackish water, we can mimic this. Salt content is particularly important; we cannot use table salt, iodized salt, or similar substances. Instead, we can use sea salt or synthetic salt.
