Mudskipper Care

[Skrybbyl]

Planning on keeping 3-4 Indian dwarf mudskippers in my 29 gallon paludarium. 30” long by 18” high and 12” deep. Got about 2-2 1/2 gallons of water, and many areas to perch. Fine grained sand, sponge filter and bubbler, and a heater. Is this an appropriate setup? Anything to change, or be aware of? Thank you :)

[Cory]

I always like to look at other people's muddskipper setups. I haven't kept them myself in like 15 years. But I'm always tempted. @Zenzo

[Zenzo]

On 11/26/2024 at 9:55 AM, Skrybbyl said:

Planning on keeping 3-4 Indian dwarf mudskippers in my 29 gallon paludarium. 30” long by 18” high and 12” deep. Got about 2-2 1/2 gallons of water, and many areas to perch. Fine grained sand, sponge filter and bubbler, and a heater. Is this an appropriate setup? Anything to change, or be aware of? Thank you 🙂

I have a several videos on my channel (search Tazawa Tanks mudskippers) on how to care for mudskippers. I am assuming that the plants in this setup are not real? Indian mudskippers should be kept in brackish water. They can survive in fresh water, but will live longer and be happier in a brackish environment. Since you have sand, I would suggest having some type of barrier or mesh screen around the sponge filter to prevent it from getting clogged. In my experience keeping mudskippers (about 6 consecutive years now), they will utilize more land area than water. They can also squabble a bit, so having some line of sight breaks will help. Lastly, I would suggest using one of the rocks in your setup as a feeding rock. 

 

[Zenzo]

@Skrybbyl Here is a video that might be useful: https://youtu.be/6AcuzU7OQII?si=lqSnhU0DKVwSg_9G

[Skrybbyl]

@ZenzoThanks so much! The plants are fake, and I’m in the very early stages of setting it up. Adding marine salt soon. For feeding, I’ve got a small rock-dish, and will be adding some more perches soon. Thanks for the help 😄

[Zenzo]

On 11/26/2024 at 11:23 AM, Skrybbyl said:

@ZenzoThanks so much! The plants are fake, and I’m in the very early stages of setting it up. Adding marine salt soon. For feeding, I’ve got a small rock-dish, and will be adding some more perches soon. Thanks for the help 😄

Glad to hep and offer any advice that I can. Here are some pics of my Indian mudskipper setup. 

[Skrybbyl]

On 11/26/2024 at 1:24 PM, Zenzo said:

Glad to hep and offer any advice that I can. Here are some pics of my Indian mudskipper setup. 

A few follow up questions- is there any way to prevent the tank from fogging up? It’s pretty cold in there, and we’ll be getting a better heater soon. Additionally, how would you avoid mold if it popped up on the driftwood? Once again thanks for the quick responses!

[Zenzo]

On 11/29/2024 at 11:02 AM, Skrybbyl said:

A few follow up questions- is there any way to prevent the tank from fogging up? It’s pretty cold in there, and we’ll be getting a better heater soon. Additionally, how would you avoid mold if it popped up on the driftwood? Once again thanks for the quick responses!

The condensation issue is tough. You can run a fan and have it blowing on the inside of the glass. You could also have a strip of screen on the top by the front. I have less of an issue because the room is warmer. I haven't had any mold issues. Snails or shrimp (Amanos) clean it up for me.