(Brackish) Archerfish in a 3' tank?

[CoreyK]

Hi,
I know this is reefcentral and this is not a marine fish (although they are known to venture into marine waters), but I know you guys know your stuff and wanted to ask here...

I have a 38g (3'x2') brackish community tank with two Figure 8 puffers and a knight goby, and would like to add a Toxotes microlepis, or "smallscale archer". This fish has the same water parameter requirements as my current fish (hard, high pH brackish water), they will get along, and I have more than adequate filtration, eat similar food etc...

My question is, do you think a fish that maxes out at ~5" would be happy in a 3' tank? I have plenty of decor for the puffers but it's all on the bottom; an archer would have the entire footprint of the tank at the top to swim around (as I've heard they spend nearly all their time near the surface looking for food).
What do you think? The last thing I want to do is stunt a fish.

Any input is appreciated,
Thanks.

 

[LisaD]

I haven't kept archerfish, but I've seen them, and they don't seem that active. As long as your puffers don't harass it (that might be a big if) and water quality is fine, I don't see why the archer wouldn't be okay. The 2' width of your tank makes a favorable difference. Have you considered keeping two?

Have you seen this article? (I swear I don't work for and am not related to Bob Fenner - I just like WWM):

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/Archerfishes.htm

I am getting inspired to set up a brackish system...

 

[CoreyK]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13235161#post13235161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LisaD
I haven't kept archerfish, but I've seen them, and they don't seem that active. As long as your puffers don't harass it (that might be a big if) and water quality is fine, I don't see why the archer wouldn't be okay. The 2' width of your tank makes a favorable difference. Have you considered keeping two?

Have you seen this article? (I swear I don't work for and am not related to Bob Fenner - I just like WWM):

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/Archerfishes.htm

I am getting inspired to set up a brackish system...

Oops! Brain fart. My tank is a typical 1'x3', not 2'3', unfortunately.

Still, after reading that article (thanks btw!), I feel like I will be able to accommodate one as my tank is larger than the recommended minimum, and my water parameters and environment are perfect for an archer (sg ~1.008, lots of floating plants and lowly lit).
The puffers shouldn't be a problem; they stay small (~ 2-3") and are really timid as puffers go. Never had an issue with tankmates, if anything, the goby bullies them. However she stays strictly on the bottom in hiding and shouldn't bother an archer.

One thing that concerns me is that it seems archers prefer to be in groups and there is no way I can accommodate more than one; however I have heard that they do well as single specimens?
I dunno

 

[JustinReef]

I had 5 Toxotes microlepis years ago in a 125G high end brackish (1.016) set up with GreenSpotted Puffers, monos, a scat and a few gobies and never had a problem. They do eat a lot though and mine got quite aggressive during feeding. They stayed near the surface all day long really and were not very active fish.

I ended up building a large mesh canopy over the tank with lots and lots of foliage and branches for them to shoot down crickets from. I really miss that set up!

I find high end brackish to be the most challenging aquarium to keep. Not quite enough salt for a skimmer or LR but enough that the fish can get marine ich and also keeping water quality up in that salinity without the skimmer was always hard. Very rewarding though. A few of my archers could actually spit accurately enough to hit you in the eye!

 

[LisaD]

Justin, can you describe your filtration/lighting/plants for your high end brackish tank. It sounds beautiful.

 

[JustinReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13236062#post13236062 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LisaD
Justin, can you describe your filtration/lighting/plants for your high end brackish tank. It sounds beautiful.

Filtration was 4 Fluval canister filters with ceramic rings, carbon and bioballs. No sumps or anything. Lighting was T5's but I can't remember wattage...not much at all though and much "yellower" than what we typically use for saltwater. Plants were all fake silk plants (high end ones that look very real) because its a very hard salinity to get anything to grow. Lots of wood, rocks, I had black sand...It was very nice! I miss it a lot Just too much work.

Archers like lots amd lots of hiding places near the surface of the water.

Oh and absolutely no way for them to get out or they will. I started with 6 baby archer but one jumped through a tiny hole in the original canopy I had. I had another situation where one of them jumped up into my DIY mesh canopy and got stuck in some branches. I was home and he managed to wiggle out of them but it was kind of scary.

I also had a bunch of vines and whatnot hanging from the canopy top. The stuff made for reptiles.

 

[LisaD]

sounds really nice... I'd better not start anything new until I get the BM 250 into my sump, the refugium connected, and figure out how to post some pics. I've got this stupid insomnia going tonight. Can't sleep, but too tired and unambitious to do much but over-post on RC.

 

[sunfishh]

That sounds awesome. Can we see a pic of your setup Justinpsmith?

 

[CoreyK]

For reference, here's the tank I'd keep one in:

And a current inhabitant:

I like the idea of the vines in the canopy - I imagine I could pretty easily raise mine up and mount some underneath so an archer could shoot stuff down. I'd rather not lower the water line as I don't want to lose volume.

 

[LisaD]

nice looking tank!

 

[Pufferpunk]

Great vid of one spitting at & eating crickets in one guy's tank:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum...145099&hilit=archer+spitting+crickets#p145099