need help with 44.9 gallon brackish inhabitant Ideas
 

Hi guy's, I am thinking on going brackish with my 44.9 gallon tank L=36 W= 12 H=24. I want to have mollies in the tank, but what else other then orange chromides and guppies could I put in with them? I would prefer a dragon gobey, Bu tI think it would out grow the tank(?) what about mudd skippers is I only fill the tank half way? I am open to any suggetions other then other live bearers and rainbow fish. Thanks in advanced for any info.

Pacific blue eyes

You can try a Night Goby they only grow up to 3 inches. I've also kept leopard puffers but they probably wouldn't be good with the other's and once they get bigger they need salt water.

im kind of glad you chose brackish... you should plan your tank though. which type of setup do you want. an estuarial setting or a mangrove or even marsh. if you plan on skippers you should go with mangroves, although the rules of ammount of fish in the tank will change. substrate will affect which type of fish you are getting in a mangrove. as for the other types of tank i like small fishes:
Bumblebee Gobies since you have room a colony? -its better to pick Golden-banned bumblebees because they tend to thrive better in salinity than the full banned.
Puffers, puffers puffers..green/gold ... figure 8. leopard. (not dwarfs - they are freshwater)
Monos
knight goby
four-eyes
leaf fish
reed fish/rope
glass fish
archers
scats

i tend to prefer gobies/monos.

I really like Mono's as well, but according to AQ Adviser, my tank is to small:cry:
I also really like figure 8 puffers, and archers. And the ones you listed are good with sail fin and short fin Mollies?( mainly questioning the puffer's ;) )

Also should I go sand or Gravel? I will be going the fake plant route. Still really wanting a dragon goby. I have read that 40 gallon and up is good for a dragon goby and that they do best with sand.

Personally, wouldn't go with the puffers, they really nice but they can be really aggresive. I had one that took a big chunk out of my Knight Goby and killed him. If you really like the Dragon Goby I'd go with it, if he ends up getting to big for your tank you could always find a new home for him and get another or maybe by that time you'll be getting a bigger tank.

The plants that work in brackish are remarkably low-light and durable. I'd try a few of them.

Java fern works well, and if you keep the salinity around 1.010 or below(2 tbsp marine salt per gallon or less), then you can try vallisneria, Java moss, anubias, or crypt Becketti.

There's a great site on brackish setups here-
Starting a Brackish Aquarium, what you need and what you can keep.

Might give you some ideas.

I wouldnt go with any other plants than Java Fern/Moss.... I dont know if it is just me or some plants just rots like crazy ( plants that people have said will survive brackish conditions e.i. water sprite)

Your tank is too small for Monos, scats, archers

as for your molly safe fish i would go with these possible:
Knight Goby
Bumblebee Goby
Reed fish
Glass Fish (also comes in painted)

I havent had much experience with four-eyed and leaves. so im not sure there.
But a big tip about gobies is that you are going to have FIN NIP. if you dont mind fin nip then you may go with gobies. there is always a possible chance that your other fish's fin will be nipped so far off that it will eventually die. so far my gobies nip when not full. usually over night . but once they get used to the fish being there, they should be fine. gobies tend to only eat blood worms so prepare for live food first. other than that good luck choosing.

what about keyhole cichlids? the Info I was reading on them said that they come from slow moving rivers and coastal waters