converting brackish to marine

[iplaydafoozball]

so sitting in my room today, i got this crazy idea of converting my brackish 20 gallon into a marine. right now, i've got my "freshwater" moray in there with a couple other fish that u can see in my sig. i will only keep the eel, which can live in marine conditions. i was thinking i could probably add some live rock for the eel to live in and around (right now he just hides under a plastic rock, i feel really bad for him) he has had many bumblebee goby roommates, so i think i could pull off keeping him with small fish. i was thinking maybe doing a nano-predator fowlr or reef. are the small marine puffers small enough to fit in a 20 gallon, like valentini's or whatever? are there any other cool predator-esque fish that are small? maybe a dwarf angler or lion, if they exist? lol. if not i could do a goby or small, like chromis? i was also wondering if it is possible to keep a cleaner crew with the eel. i know bigger morays eat them, but my guy is small, and i am almost positive his specie will never outgrow a 20 gallon. i think if i convert it, i might just add a few hermits and snails to see if he eats any, and then assess from there. also, if i do decide to go through with this, i will need to find a home for a bumblebee goby, 4 very nice 3" turquoise rainbow fish (1 has a crushed nose cuz he ran into the glass once), and 1 figure eight puffer (he is about 2.5") chicagoland area, i live in algonquin. lol, first i need to decide if i'm going to do this. any advice?

 

[FreddyJ]

I'm not the one to tell you whether it is a workable idea or not BUT I can suggest that you go peek at liveaquaria.com, Saltwater Fish, and then under that link they have a "nano-fish" category and I think that is pretty reliable. You can get an idea of what you want to keep in your tank. It lists recommended minimum tank sizes. Good luck.

 

[SALTY WATERS]

Just to point out for those that do not know... There is no such a thing as "FRESHWATER" Moray Eels. Some LFS sell them as such to unknowing persons and eventually the eels will die if kept in a FW environment for the remainder of there life (which will be short in that case).

 

[SALTY WATERS]

Make sure to raise the Salinity slowly over a few days to a week so that you do not shock the system and its inhabitants. As well do not add the LR until the salinity and pH are correct, and make sure to cure it in a separete SW tank first before adding to your main tank.

Snowflake Eels will eat most anything it can fit into it's mouth... even LionFish if they are small enough!

 

[iplaydafoozball]

Just to point out for those that do not know... There is no such a thing as "FRESHWATER" Moray Eels. Some LFS sell them as such to unknowing persons and eventually the eels will die if kept in a FW environment for the remainder of there life (which will be short in that case).

i did say "freshwater" moray, trying to emphasize that fact lol. they, and many other brackish fish, are often called "freshwater" because they were first collected in freshwater, and the name just stuck, even though they aren't commonly found in and can't survive too long in freshwater. just adding to the info.

but yea, i would probably get rid of the other inhabitants, because i know that they aren't necessarily estuarine species, like the moray. the puffer is a true brackish fish and the rainbows aren't even brackish, but i slowly acclimated them out into it, and they've been doing fine for a long time in it. the live rock may be a problem because i don't really have any extra tanks to cure rock in. i mean, i have my reef tank, but i can't cure any rock in there. i might have to buy some premium cured rock from a LFS, trusting their word. this won't happen for at least a month or two, cuz i don't have the funds right now to do anything to extreme with my tanks.

SALTY- i don't know if you're talking about the marine snowflake, nebulosa, or my estuarine snowflake, tile. i doubt a tile could wrap its mouth around a lionfish's fin, let alone swallow one. my eel is really peaceful, as i said, his current roommates have all been fine.