Tank Journal Archive

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
Tidal Mudflat Aquarium - mudskippers
Hi Guys,

It has been a while. I am currently working on a new project, breeding Silver-lined Mudskippers (Periophthalmus argentilineatus). In order to provide the correct environment, I have had to replicate (in minature) a tidal mudflat area, complete with annoxic sediments.

Tides will change every six hours, and a second timer will be used to stagger the tide time by an hour each day (will be like natural tides but in reverse). This will ensure that there is a predictable rhythem that the animals can use to cue reproductive behaviour. There will be 20cm of fine silty mud in the deepest portion of the tank, and a steep rise on the landward section. Just awaiting lights and waterpump to put the tank into use. Preliminary photos are included below.
 

Luke

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
1,048
237
Launceston
Hi Doc ,
That sounds like a great project very interesting :) i cant wait to see the pics

Are you having this one in the house ? If it is when it comes time to close it down , It will stink the house out ;) :eek
Unless its small enough to carry outside with all the mud undisturbed
 

Luke

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
1,048
237
Launceston
That looks Fantastic , I would love to do something like that ..... But ....
.I know im never going too ,

What temperature will you keep the tank at when there is no water in there ?
 

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
Hi Doc ,
That sounds like a great project very interesting :) i cant wait to see the pics

Are you having this one in the house ? If it is when it comes time to close it down , It will stink the house out ;) :eek
Unless its small enough to carry outside with all the mud undisturbed
Will be small enough to carry outside. I have kept mudskippers in such an aquarium many years ago, and I am all too aware of the sulferous smell that anoxic sediments can produce. Unfortunately, one of the onlyt ways that mudskippers can be pred is for them to produce a "j" shaped burrow into which they lay their eggs (within an air pocket). This cannot be formed in anything other than "mangrove mud".
 

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
That looks Fantastic , I would love to do something like that ..... But .....I'm not ever going to :(

Keep us posted mate :)
I also have a litte archer fish to include into the tank. Just waiting for the propper lights and the water pump to arrive and then I will upload vides of the tidal system and filtration. In the pic you can see the too outdakes (from the bottom of the tank). Water will be pumped into the lower intake and will flow out of the higher intake (high tide level) as you can see, this will sugnificantly inundate the land section and allow the archer to hunt during the high tide
 

Luke

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
1,048
237
Launceston
I edited my last post as you posted i think
Will you need a heater when there is no water ?
What type of lights are you getting ?
 

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
That looks Fantastic , I would love to do something like that ..... But ....
.I know im never going too ,

What temperature will you keep the tank at when there is no water in there ?
There will be enough water for the archer to remain happy during the "low tide (approx 10cm deep). The land will be "high and dry" during the low tide. The tank will be covered to retain humidity. Water will be heated in the sump and will be warm with each comming tide. Warm water will heat the tank. Mud skippers and archer fish are remarkabley tolerent to salinity and temp changes and are both quite undemanding of water quality. Water will be brackish and be maintained at half seawater strenth. Temp will be at approx 27 degrees C. The mangroves are all real and have been propagated by from seed by myself.
 

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
I edited my last post as you posted i think
Will you need a heater when there is no water ?
What type of lights are you getting ?
PC lighting. The mangroves have been propagated under relatively dark conditions (thus their bright green colour) and therefore intense illumination is not required.
 

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
Photos of the Mudskippers (or at least one of them) and the archerfish to go into the new tank setup (sorry for the archerfish quality, it is currently livinig in an opaque plastic tup that is non-tractable to photography).
IMG_1043.JPG
IMG_1044.JPG
 

Luke

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
1,048
237
Launceston
Will be small enough to carry outside. I have kept mudskippers in such an aquarium many years ago, and I am all too aware of the sulferous smell that anoxic sediments can produce.
lol i bet you are :D , i dug up some sea grass in some mud one day , Its not a smell you forget in a hurry :rolleyes
 

Sarg

Member
Dec 11, 2011
2,559
926
Cheltenham
This looks like a really interesting set up. Good luck with it ;) How high up over the mud will the tide rise to? Will the archer fish try to eat the baby mudskippers?
 

Dr. Schell

The Fuckin' Doc
Jul 12, 2011
1,972
1,228
Brisbane
This looks like a really interesting set up. Good luck with it ;) How high up over the mud will the tide rise to? Will the archer fish try to eat the baby mudskippers?
To my knowledge, mudskippers have never before spawned sucessfully inn the aquarium. Larvae have never been raised in captivity. Like most marine fish, they have a pelagic larval phase and initially, the fry are tiny. The waterlevel will be approximately 10cm OVER the highest level o mud during the high tide. The highest sections of wood will remain out of the water, to provide refuge to the mudskippers during the high tide. The archer is quite voracious, however, the grow very slowly when kept in aquariums (when kept outdoors in ponds, they grow very fast). The Mudskippers are too large to be threatened by the archer at the moment, but as it grows, it will eventually have to be put into a larger tank away from the mudskippers.
 

VaultBoy

Member
Jul 10, 2011
2,279
673
Gawler, S.A.
Love this tank dr_schell good luck with the breeding attempt... If you cant do it no one can!

I have always wanted a mudskipper tank but have never had the room, the money or the dedication to build such a beast! There are so many shrimp species I want to breed in a brackish system too! maybe one day I will get the required motivation....
 

Azfish

Member
Sep 23, 2011
599
222
Sydney
this is awesome! I love mudskippers, such cool creatures.

The set up is amazing mate and best of luck with it!