brackish fish tank

i have a friend that has been very interested in my tanks for a long time, he has decided to start a tank but doesnt think hes ready for saltwater. hese thinking about brackish water because now he considers freshwater boring, which it can be sometimes i know. but i want to know how brackish fish relate in care to freshwater/saltwater fish, i know many can be kept in full saltwater or full freshwater but im not sure of all the specifics. also what would be used for decor? as the only plant i know of that grows in saltwater is a mangrove and i dont know if any types of marine algae would survive. could someone share a little info with me? thanks

 

Brackish fish, which ones are you thinking? A school of Scats? Mangroves are perfect decor. Why not just hook him up with a FO or FOWLR. Might be easier than trying to balance salinity. Also do you have access to brackish fish? They are usually specialty.

 

You are right about plants not many can make it besides mangrove. Brackish water has a SG of around 1.01 give or take .005 if I remember right.

Decor would be more rock than anything. Plastic plants would be the way to go. Java Fern and Java Moss can survive I think. I remember reading about Monos dying from eating it though.

 

the lfs here sells alot of brackish fish such as some puffers and scats and monos as freshwater fish. i have tried to convince him to do some sorta saltwater but he doesnt want to i think the thought kinda scares him. so for decor just like mangroves and drift wood?

we saw this setup online that he really liked it was filled only half way with water and it had a sort of sandy beach with some small twigs and wood and some mangroves in planters. and it had mudskippers and fiddler crabs and figure eight puffers.

 

Sounds like a good decor setup.

 

Yah, I've seen a setup like that. Get some archerfish.
Why not just do a FOWLR? I know it scares him but explain that a cycled tank will stay stable and fish are hardier and can survive param swings. Offer him your help and advive, show him this site, have him ask questions, show him hardy fish at the LFS. I'm sure he'll come round.

 

i think its a mix of he doesnt really want to, and his parents wont let him, his dad has a ton of freshwater tanks so i dont know what gives. how do care of brackish fish compare to saltwater fish? or freshwater? what type of rock should we use?