Mudskipper set up

[Dell]

Hey, I need some help with a mudskipper 40g breeder I am setting up. Anybody doing a brackish mud substrate set up?

 

thanks,

 

Dell

[davelin315]

I have one but just use oolitic sand.  I cut some live rock to form a barrier and left a thin layer of sand on the water side and piled it up on the other side.  Although they say 80/20 or 70/30 land to water I am at about 50/50.  I have one section a little higher than the rest and then have a few mangrove spikes shoved into the sand as well as some hornwort in the water (can live in brackish conditions).  I have 4 Indian Mudskippers as well as 6-10 fiddler crabs and some ghost shrimp in there (the ghost shrimp were supposed to be “enrichment” food but they were not eaten and survived.  I have a tiny heater for a betta bowl and a tiny powerhead to circulate the water a tiny bit.  I also have a glass cover to promote humidity and it causes it to “rain” whenever the lid is opened.  The mudskippers have a ton of personality and are lots of fun to watch.  We haven’t done a lot of training with them but they will come up to eat out of our hands.  Using a 20 long for them which is easily managed although it won’t last as the mangroves will soon outgrow this tank.

[davelin315]

By the way, @GOSKN5 has one as well but I think he might have the larger more aggressive African Mudskippers (also a little more colorful and much larger).

[davelin315]

Oh, one other thing, you don’t really need the mud if you get the right kind of  mudskipper.  Some species eat algae from the substrate but these rarely do well in captivity.  The Indian and African Mudskippers are carnivores and are easy to feed and do not need mud, sand is fine or even just rock although having a beach to watch them interact on and eat on is fun.

[davelin315]

Here are a couple of videos, a couple where I set my cellphone down to watch them.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JR9tJBR6ydDjwnhR7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2zcrtYzB1CZ9e3t87

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kBFjg7Qi5S8Nrsh9A

 

Now I feed them pellets but will also treat them to live black worms and thawed PE mysis.

[Dell]

Hey, thanks so much for all the info, I've been at work all day and wasn't able to check this till now. I appreciate all the info and the video's. I found a facebook group that is adamant that they be kept on mud. I'm having some issues with that and wanted to know what you guys thought. I'd love to mimic there natural habitat but the mud is a lot more detailed then I thought. If you get some time I would love to see a video of the entire set up and how you have the water area rigged. By the way this is a set up for Indian dwarfs in a 40g Breeder

 

Thanks,

 

Dell

[razzpatazzz]

19 hours ago, davelin315 said:

Here are a couple of videos, a couple where I set my cellphone down to watch them.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JR9tJBR6ydDjwnhR7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2zcrtYzB1CZ9e3t87

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kBFjg7Qi5S8Nrsh9A

 

Now I feed them pellets but will also treat them to live black worms and thawed PE mysis.

Whoa these are really cool! Didn't even realize people had mudskipper tanks at this club

 

What species of crab is that in the second video?

[davelin315]

Whoa these are really cool! Didn't even realize people had mudskipper tanks at this club
 
What species of crab is that in the second video?

Regular Florida Fiddler Crabs.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Dell]

davelin315 

 

Do you keep them in brackish? I was going to do about 1.010 to 1.015.  Just checking!

[davelin315]

2 hours ago, Dell said:

davelin315 

 

Do you keep them in brackish? I was going to do about 1.010 to 1.015.  Just checking!

1.005 is what I shoot for.  It is in line with where they are found and allows for me to not kill them and the plants with evaporation.

[Dell]

Thanks for the info, couple of quick question,

 

1.What temps do you keep them at?

2. Whats plants do you keep other then Mangroves?

 

I have researched these guys pretty extensively I would just like to know whats working for you?

 

Thanks,

 

Dell

[davelin315]

7 hours ago, Dell said:

Thanks for the info, couple of quick question,

 

1.What temps do you keep them at?

I think the heater is automatically set to 83.  Humidity is more important, though, as it keeps them from drying out.  I think you can go as low as around 78 or so.

2. Whats plants do you keep other then Mangroves?

Nana anubias is another brackish tolerant plant in the water and Hornwort is the other I keep with them.

 

 

[Dell]

15 hours ago, davelin315 said:

 

 

Thanks

 

[GOSKN5]

I keep mine at 1.005 salinity and around 78-80 degrees... I do have the larger african ones...

On a side note, I am debating taking mine down and rehoming the skippers and brackish fish... if anyone is interested.. could have a tank for them as well...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[treesprite]

Wow, such cute little critters.