Mudskipper Tank

[JxsPxxle]

I’m considering starting a mud skipper tank in the near future. I know that these tanks need to be long and low down and partially land. Would a 20 gallon be a sufficient size? Would I be able to keep them alongside other fish?

I’m new to brackish water so I have no experience with it but I am open to trying it.

 

[Byron]

I had a mudskipper tank many years ago. If you intend keeping the smaller species alone (no other fish), a 20g long would be best. You can use sand, and bank it up to provide "land" areas that are above water level, using rock and/or wood like Malaysian Driftwood. Mudskippers like to swim, but mine were primarily out of the water most of the time, splashing in it to get wet again before clambering out.

They obviously need heated water, but the air must also be kept very warm and moist, so a good glass cover is essential.

As for other fish, I have never looked into this, but my thinking would be no. There are not that many brackish fish, and most of them would I think be more likely to molest the mudskippers. The displays I have seen in public aquaria are just mudskippers with shallowish water.

 

[JxsPxxle]

I had a mudskipper tank many years ago. If you intend keeping the smaller species alone (no other fish), a 20g long would be best. You can use sand, and bank it up to provide "land" areas that are above water level, using rock and/or wood like Malaysian Driftwood. Mudskippers like to swim, but mine were primarily out of the water most of the time, splashing in it to get wet again before clambering out.

They obviously need heated water, but the air must also be kept very warm and moist, so a good glass cover is essential.

As for other fish, I have never looked into this, but my thinking would be no. There are not that many brackish fish, and most of them would I think be more likely to molest the mudskippers. The displays I have seen in public aquaria are just mudskippers with shallowish water.

Thank you for the info, I am mainly interested in keeping the mudskippers anyway, do you know how many I could keep in a 20 gallon?

 

[Byron]

Thank you for the info, I am mainly interested in keeping the mudskippers anyway, do you know how many I could keep in a 20 gallon?

Remember this is a 20g long (30 inches/75cm) length rather than the standard 20g high at 24 inches/60 cm length.

Some species grow to around 4 inches (10 cm), some much larger to 12 inches (30 cm). I had the smaller species, though can't remember which (it was back in the 1980's). I have come across a site on Mudskippers, and while I have not delved into the site in depth, my impression from the quality of the scientific nomenclature and the qualifications of the owner/author (a professional biologist), is that this should provide a wealth of reliable information.

Themudskipper - Introduction

 

[Barry Tetra]

Remember this is a 20g long (30 inches/75cm) length rather than the standard 20g high at 24 inches/60 cm length.

Some species grow to around 4 inches (10 cm), some much larger to 12 inches (30 cm). I had the smaller species, though can't remember which (it was back in the 1980's). I have come across a site on Mudskippers, and while I have not delved into the site in depth, my impression from the quality of the scientific nomenclature and the qualifications of the owner/author (a professional biologist), is that this should provide a wealth of reliable information.

Themudskipper - Introduction

In our country mudskipper is very common, found on every beach with mud , they live in a group of 10 or more.

 

[Barry Tetra]

In the rainy season they climb out of water and theres a thousands of them .

 

[Colin_T]

Mud skippers are cool little fish and do best in a single species tank.
A coverglass isn't necessary but they do need to be able to hop out of the water.
They tame down really quickly and most will take food from your hand within a few weeks of being caught from the wild.
The king mudskippers grow to about 1 foot long and will take your finger off, but the smaller ones only grow to 4 inches and make wonderful pets.

 

[Barry Tetra]

Mud skippers are cool little fish and do best in a single species tank.
A coverglass isn't necessary but they do need to be able to hop out of the water.
They tame down really quickly and most will take food from your hand within a few weeks of being caught from the wild.
The king mudskippers grow to about 1 foot long and will take your finger off, but the smaller ones only grow to 4 inches and make wonderful pets.

I really want one too, how to do “Blackish water”?

 

[Retired Viking]

Don't they make a loud croaking sound? Sounds like an interesting pet.

 

[Byron]

I never heard sounds from mine, but they are interesting fish. Mine quickly learned that when the tank cover opened it was dinner time, and it would rapidly swim across the tank and hop out onto a chunk of wood at the right end. I fed him off my finger, small chunks of frozen squid (thawed obviously) which is an ideal food, bits of frozen shrimp, and once a week live tubifex worms which I just dropped on the wood and he scurried over it "vacuuming" them up rapidly.

He would usually jump a bit when he first got up on the wood, excited for food, and one time he jumped so high he went out of the tank and hopped across the floor. I went after him and put him back, and he began jumping again for food, totally unphased.

I had just one for a couple years, then decided to add another, which was a mistake. The new mudskipper was dead within a week, and my original followed a few days after. I assumed the new one may have introduced something. I think the advice for amphibians that you should never add another once the existing number are established may be pertinent to mudskippers.

 

[Colin_T]

I really want one too, how to do “Blackish water”?

Brackish water is part sea water and part fresh water. Most people use half sea water and half fresh water, but mudskippers will be fine in pure sea water.

 

[BeckyCats]

In the rainy season they climb out of water and theres a thousands of them .

So cute! I would love to see that!

 

[FallenPepper]

This is a good video for them