-
Think of a brackish fisk tank as something in between freshwater and saltwater tanks. While brackish tanks require a little more work than freshwater tanks, the types of fish that thrive in these conditions are hearty, beautiful and relatively easy to care for. For aquarists eager to enjoy a saltwater aquarium, a brackish fish tank can be a good stepping stone.
Popular breeds include mollies, guppies, puffer fish and archer fish. See Resources for more breeds that do well in brackish ecosystems. -
A brackish aquarium should have a filter that can handle salt or fresh water. Most aquarists choose between biowheel and canister filters, depending on their budget and the size of their tank. Biowheel filters rely on oxygen created by the wheel's motion and beneficial bacteria to provide a high degree of biological filtration.
Canister filters are more expensive than the biowheel filters but offer a greater degree of mechanical filtration, according to Wisegeek's comparison of tank filters.
The Aquarium Guys Filter Guide (see Resources) can help you compare the price and specification of several types of biowheel and canister filters. Unless your brackish aquarium is over 50 gallons, a biowheel filter should suit your needs.
Other tools you need include marine-salt mix (do not use sea salt or cooking salt), a hydrometer (to measure specific gravity) and a heater. - Most brackish fish can tolerate a change in salinity and some species can even handle a fully freshwater aquarium. Did you know that two of the most common species of brackish fish, guppies and mollies, give live birth to young instead of laying eggs? There are so many interesting species of brackish fish that they are sure to delight any aquarist.
