This is a list of commonly seen fish that can be kept in a brackish water aquarium.

Cyprinodontiformes

Common name Taxonomy Picture Tank typeRemarksPoeciliidsGuppy Poecilia reticulataCommunityMany color and tail pattern varieties exist, also can tolerate above ocean level salt. Normally freshwater.Black mollyPoecilia sphenopsCommunity Sailfin mollyPoecilia latipinna CommunityGold and silver varieties commonly found. OthersFour-eyed fishAnableps spp. These fish can see above and below water. Diamond killifishFundulus xenicus Gulf killifishFundulus grandis Striped mummichogFundulus majalis Longnose killifishFundulus similis American Flagfish Jordanella floridaeCommunityMay eat hair algae, but also may eat plants.

Catfish

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinitySea catfishColombian shark catfish Hexanematichthys seemanniAustralian shark catfishArius graeffeiBerney's shark catfishArius berneyi

Pufferfish

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinityCommon Toadfish, ToadoTetractenos hamiltoni4"Rarely seen in the aquarium trade, even in Australia, where it is native. Adaptable to a wide range of conditions and habitats, from marginal, polluted freshwater-brackish creeks to fully marine seagrass flats, as long as the habitat is sheltered from strong currents.Figure 8 pufferfishTetraodon biocellatus 4" Requires brackish aquarium conditions with very low Nitrite and Nitrate levels to be kept successfully. Freshwater compromises immune system, harms puffer, and shortens life extremely. Commonly kept in freshwater. Green spotted puffer Tetraodon nigroviridis 6" Often sold as freshwater fish, but this species actually thrives in brackish water. As the fish matures, it requires the salinity levels to slowly increase with age. Must be kept in aquarium with very low Nitrite and Nitrate levels to be kept successfully. A highly varied diet is a necessary requirement for this species. Prawns, muscle meat, mysid, squid and aquatic snails are all relished. Provide Shelled food to naturally trim the puffers constantly growing teeth.1.008-1.018

Gobies

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinityBumblebee gobyBrachygobius xanthozonus1.5"Often a picky eater. Will accept thawed frozen brine shrimp or mysis shrimp. Can be outcompeted for food by more aggressive fish.Water Cow Eleotris picta17"Violet goby, Dragon gobyGobioides broussonnetii21"Though pet stores often label as "vicious" this fish is actually quite harmlessBarred mudskipperPeriophthalmus argentilineatus6"This fish requires "land" to crawl out of the water.Atlantic mudskipperPeriophthalmus barbarus9"This fish requires "land" to crawl out of the water.Knight gobyStigmatogobius sadanundio 3.5"

Cichlids

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinityBlackchin tilapiaSarotherodon melanotheron 11"Orange chromide Etroplus maculatus 3"Green chromideEtroplus suratensis 15"Mayan cichlid or Mexican mojarraMayaheros urophthalmus39.4 cm0 – 40 ppt

Acanthuriformes

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinitySiamese tigerfish Datnioides microlepis 18" These fish must be kept in large aquaria. Schäfer F, Brackish - Water fishes, Aqualog 2005 p. 70New Guinea tigerfish Datnioides campbelli 13" These fish must be kept in large aquaria.Silver moony Monodactylus argenteus 10" These fish are also known from marine habitats.African moony Monodactylus sebae 10" These fish are also known from marine habitats.Green Scat, Ruby Scat Scatophagus argus 15" A ravenous herbivore that quickly defoliates any aquatic plants in the aquarium. One of the few common brackish water plants in the trade, the Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus) appears to be toxic to these fish and should not be planted with "scats".

Beloniformes

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinityIndian ricefishOryzias dancena1.2"A coastal ricefish occurring in low-salinity estuarine habitat. Species-only sites in the same field survey measured 0.9–8.3 ppt.0.9–8.3 ppt(recorded sites)Javanese ricefishOryzias javanicus1.8"A coastal ricefish normally found in brackish habitats. A field survey found it at species-only sites with salinities of 10.5–30.0 ppt.10.5–30.0 ppt(recorded sites)Estuarine halfbeakZenarchopterus dispar7.5"Inhabits shallow water around mangroves in sheltered bays.Duncker's halfbeakZenarchopterus dunckeri5.5"A typical estuarine fish that prefers brackish water; long-term maintenance at 5–15 g/L salt is recommended.5–15 g/L

Other fish

Common name Taxonomy Picture Size Remarks SalinityIndian glassy fish Parambassis ranga 3.1" These fish are often dyed. Targetfish, Jarbua terapon Terapon jarbua 14" These fish breed in saltwater and the young return to freshwater.Banded archerfishToxotes jaculatrix 12" These fish have the ability to shoot water to hit their insect prey. Hogchoker Trinectes maculatus 3" Often sold under the misnomers "Freshwater Flounder" or "Freshwater Fluke", but is in fact a brackish water if not marine fish

See also List of brackish aquarium invertebrate species List of brackish aquarium plant species List of fish common names List of aquarium fish by scientific name List of freshwater aquarium fish species List of freshwater aquarium plant species List of freshwater aquarium amphibian species List of marine aquarium fish species

References