You can teach a mudskipper to take food from your hand or simply enjoy their many interesting faces as they beg for attention. Either way, these land and water fish are astonishing both physically and personality-wise, often likened to dogs. While mudskippers make great pets, they aren’t easy to care for. To help you prepare for your aquatic companions, we look at what you should know about keeping mudskippers.
1. Mudskippers Require a Paludarium
A paludarium is a combination of a water and land environment in a vivarium. Despite mudskippers being fish, they cannot survive in a standard aquarium without access to a dry area. The paludarium has a low water level, allowing the fish to climb onto the dry area as it pleases. It also recreates a swamp-like environment, which is perfect for a mudskipper. The tank is usually set up with rocks and live plants just above the waterline, allowing the fish to move in and out of the water with ease.
Mudskippers are part of the Gobiidae family and vary in size depending on the particular species you choose as a pet. The mudskipper is an amphibious animal that enjoys muddy conditions and high humidity levels. When this fish feels safe, it will venture out of the water and onto land. Surprisingly, only a third of the enclosure should be water; the rest should be land.
2. Some Species Can Be Aggressive
Before you decide to purchase a mudskipper as a pet, pay careful attention to the species. The West African mudskipper, which is the largest species, reaching 10 inches in length, is quite unfriendly and will not accept its tankmates. The males of the Atlantic mudskipper species do not get along and will become highly territorial if housed together. In close quarters, these amphibians can get so aggressive they’ll cause severe injuries to one another.
The West African mudskipper will eliminate all tankmates until only a single fish remains. A popular species is the Indian dwarf mudskipper, which isn’t as aggressive as its larger counterparts, but males will simply not tolerate each other. Pay careful attention to the species, their characteristics, and overall aggression when selecting a pet mudskipper. These factors will help you choose the right species, along with compatible tank mates and the right-sized enclosure. The typical tank size for a mudskipper is 24 inches, and most of them do quite well on their own.
3. Mudskippers Need Brackish Water
Brackish water contains salt, which is important for the survival of mudskippers. The amphibious fish cannot live in freshwater, and seawater is far too salty. So if you decide that a mudskipper is the pet you want, you’ll have to replace their tank water with brackish water. The reason these fish are considered difficult to maintain is because of their specific tank conditions. A mudskipper will thrive in water with a stable pH between 7.5 and 8.5, and they need temperatures of between 72℉ and 80℉.
To maintain humidity and moisture inside the tank, you must add a secure-fitting lid. Remember, mudskippers may jump from the water and dry out if left without moisture for too long. The water level must be maintained, making it easier for them to climb onto a perch or rocky surface to spend time on land. If you don’t have access to natural brackish streams or dams, you’ll have to combine sea salt with water to achieve a salinity of 10 ppt. The reason that you cannot place mudskippers in freshwater is that they physiologically need salinity.
4. Mudskippers Need an Omnivorous Diet
A mudskipper is an omnivore and easily adapts to commercial foods, such as dry flakes and frozen foods. These large-eyed creatures can eat algae pellets, brine shrimp, thawed bloodworms, and freeze-dried krill. You can also feed them live insects such as blackworms, crickets, tiny crabs, and earthworms when broken into small pieces. With enough time and patience, you can teach your pet mudskipper to take food straight from your hand. You might even notice how they begin to beg or change faces close to mealtimes.
Always feed your mudskipper on an even, dry surface. If you have more than one fish, you’ll need to place the food on different points of the surface to avoid fights over food. You should feed your pet mudskippers three to five times per week and remove any uneaten food to prevent the deterioration of water quality.
5. Caring for a Mudskipper Is Complex
Many fish keepers try to place their mudskipper with aquatic life such as small fish, but the mudskipper is a predator and will consume tiny fish. If you place large fish in the tank, it might intimidate the amphibians to the point of keeping them out of the water and drying out. The most compatible tank mates for mudskippers include knight gobies and mollies. While plants are a nice addition to a mudskipper tank, they may struggle to grow in brackish water.
Instead, add sloped gravel to surface areas and sheltered spots for these fish to hide.
This amphibious fish can tolerate high levels of waste, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t clean the tank! A monthly cleaning is recommended, but don’t drain all the water. With each cleaning, remove 25% of the water.
A mudskipper is a fun and interesting pet, and with a lifespan of around five years, they’re sure to make unique aquatic companions. Dedicate time to their care and create an attractive environment with brackish water to ensure their longevity and well-being.
