Update on Mudskippers

[pufferpuggirl]

Well, it's been about 10 days since we got the 3rd Mudskipper. I got a bigger Exo-Terra for them, and this time I did it right when I put it together. I put in retaining walls to hold the sand back from slipping into the water. A little will always still drain out, but for the most part, it's staying back much better than in my last tank. This new tank is so much nicer though, just that little bit of extra room has made a world of difference. It's easier to clean too. It holds more water than the other tank did, and I believe my Skippers are much happier, they seem like it anyway.
We thought we'd lost our girl, and that's why we went and bought another (who also happened to be female). I had left the door open and we thought she jumped out, although I'm almost certain my dogs would have found her right quickly. So we went and got the other female, brought her home, and before long the "missing" female reappeared. She was able to go missing because when I designed this tank, I've sort of made a bit of an underground cave, and that's where she goes hiding sometimes. Funny, but all of them can disappear when they want to and you would not think there were any Mudskippers in there.
Since adding the 3rd Skipper they have been more active, and are out more, whereas before they seemed to hide alot underwater. I also think the male's aggression has diminished some, maybe he's not sure who he should get after with there being 2 females now.
My husband seems to think we will have babies, but I am not so sure. I think it would be awesome if they did, but I also think it's a long shot. I don't think the tank is suitable for them to spawn. I believe they make burrows in the sand and put their eggs down there, and I don't think they'd be able to do that in my tank. It doesn't matter though because I think they are awesome just as they are. I love watching them, they are so unique!
The only problem I seem to be having is with the micro filters I'm using to keep the water clean and moving. I am not sure if it's sand that gets in there, but it seems that before long, the motor starts making a bit of a noise, or it just stops working altogether! I've been through 2 filters now and am about to get a 3rd. It's hard to find the right filter because the water depth is only about 6-inches, so it limits what you can put in there.
Ah, but it's all worth it! They always bring a smile to my face!

[kelsi.nikoel]

Pics please

[Dadof4]

Pics or it didn't happen!!!

[pufferpuggirl]

I will try to get some updated photos later, possibly today if I can .... although, I know it happened.
There are photos on this forum some where of my big male, and my old Exo-Terra set-up.

[puffertt77]

If you want them to have babies could you not put a tub of sand in there deep enough for them to dig a hole into and put a little ramp on it so they can climb up on top of it

Would you be able to get a video of them

[pufferpuggirl]

The sand is actually deep enough for them to dig a burrow if they wanted to, and I have little plastic bottles that I lay in there and they hide inside them. In my other set up, I had made a sort of hill and had stuck those bottles into the sand so it was more like a cave. I am going to get more sand and cover the bottles over so it seems more natural to them.
As for getting a video, I suppose that's possible, the only thing is, as soon as I open those doors, they seem to jump into the water and disappear. The way I've designed the tank this time, there's actually an underwater cave they can retreat into and it looks as if there's no Mudskippers in the tank at all.
If I try and get a photo/video through the doors, you don't see much because of all the condensation that builds up on the glass from the high humidity in there (they love it that way, the air needs to be very warm or they get lethargic).
But I will see what I can do to get photos of them so you can see the newest tank and how much better it looks than the old one I had.

[puffertt77]

How deep do you have the water?

Could you have the water say 1ft deep with a ramp to the sand/surface so you can see them clearly underwater?

[pufferpuggirl]

The water in my Mudskipper tank is maybe only 5 1/2 to 6-inches deep. I don't think you'd want, or need, to have the water depth at 1-foot. If you do your tank right, you don't have to have a ramp, which would be rather difficult to achieve seeing as you are working with sand, which very quickly erodes back into the water. I cut up plastic lids and put them in as retaining walls, and it's working very well that way.

The first tank we had, I didn't know any better, and I didn't put in any retaining walls, and the sand was constantly eroding back down. You will find that Mudskippers enjoy being out of the water more than being in, so having a good "beach" or "land" area is very important. Some people make their tanks mostly water, but I don't think that's how the Mudskippers would prefer it. I have an idea that they are on land more in their native habitat than they are in the water. You can see them underwater if you keep your water changed regularly. It will go brownish very quicky from their waste, but even then you can still see underwater. I will try to get up a few photos later, right now I have fish tanks to do water changes on.