broke down and bought a fresh setup
 

After pomising my better half she could have an archer fish,we finally bought one of those cube terrariums(18 x 18 x 24) with the screen tops,front access doors and fake rock walls.Have it looking pretty nice with logs and fake plants,everything is ready to go just need fish and maybe a fire-bellied toad.
I was reading up on the archer fish and some say they are brackish,while others say they would be fine in just fresh. Anyone have any experience with these interesting critters? The water would be 9" deep with viewing from 3 sides.

How did you get 9" of water into it, Mine is only like 6in till the vents. Also you may need to silicone the inside as some of them leak.

Any brackish fish can survive in freshwater, But for over all health and longevity of life brack whould be better.

I used to keep them in brackish water and they done great.

But that tank is going to be to small to keep even one long term IMO.

Yea,measured it again,it is only 6" deep :)
Also after more reading realised they get too big for the size of tank,guess she'll have to settle for some neons and the toad.Any suggestions on the kinds of fish that would do well in this kind of setup?

Small Killifish are cool. :)

Hey Jimbo how about some endler livebearers? They reproduce like.... well.... guppies natural food for the toad
Lemme know I can hook you up

http://www.diewasserwelt.de/endlersguppy2.htm
....It's in German but you can look at the pics...there in English:razz:

She brought home some neons and natural looking gravel,looking pretty nice.

JIM NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Dont do it don't give in.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

lol,was hoping she would lose interest in it and I could turn it into a kind of salt water amazon river setup!! :)

i'd be careful adding a firebelly toad-- some of them dig the fish-catching thing... i had one that i routinely bought white cloud minnows for him to chase and eat. maybe newts or soemthing-- they're a little slower-- with smaller mouths! :)

i be careful with those neons most neons need a heater and are very easy fish to kill, also that toad might think of them as food :) my set up at home, i just used guppies haha they are easy and fun to watch breed hehe

Feeder minnows...cold water fish and cheap!

Js

I've been searching for differant sites on terrarium setups,but not having to much luck.I would really like to set it up as natural looking as possible.

Something like this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...4/148_4819.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...4/148_4820.jpg

How big is that tank and what plants do you have in there? Also what if any fish?

Its a 46g bowfront, there are alot of plants in there, mostly bromiliads some tildansia, creeping fig and various moss and other tropical plants. Theres only a betta fish in there right now. The rest of the tanks houses Poison Dart Frogs.

Thanks Sean - the information was not for me - although I think your system looks very nice - but my friend has a frog of some kind and she is working towards something like that. I have never kept fresh water aquariums or terrariums. Maybe someday I will give it a try as I love the look of planted tanks.

If you search around some people have made outstanding planted tanks. Im currently in the process of build a 200g one myself.

minnows, bettas, and any cold water fish would do perfect, platties, guppies those kind :)

A crayfish would look good in there...and requires no heater.


Js

The proper term for waht you are tring to build is plaudarium, it's not a really popular thing for some reason though.

I tried the paludarium thing - was pretty difficult. Was nice for a couple of months, then carefully chosen plants started rotting. I tried a couple of different types of set-ups, but really, no success. Archers are brackish, for sure. If you want to do brackish, why not a nice little figure 8 puffer and some mangroves? Superstore has mangroves, 4 for $20

For now,have it all set up looking the way she likes with various fake plants.I wish my dig camera was working,would post pics.Next is going to be the waterfall against the backdrop,just have to get ahold of a small pump.The neons are doing fine and each has staked out a spot of their own under the canopy and tree root(fake).Might have to check out the mangroves and see kind of care they involve.There are so many possible ways of setting this all up,going to have fun driver her nuts.....:)