Some opinions on this idea please...

MTS has hit already and I've put down a deposit on a 4ft / 270l tank that will be arriving at the end of February. I'm fiddling with ideas for what to do with this tank and I was orginally thinking of doing an Amazon Biotope, but I've already got a tropical community and once it's stocked, there will already be some Amazon species in there and I'm honestly wanting to keep something out-of-the-box.

So, new idea: A brackish set-up for Figure 8 puffers and mudskippers. I've kept mudskippers very successfully (my first skipper lived 4 years) and I've kept spotted puffers before, but am aware that they will likely outgrow this tank, especially considering that a fair chunk of tank won't have water in it for the skippers to have their landmass.
I know these aren't particularly colourful fish, but their behaviour is fascinating and fun to watch.

So what do you guys think? Is this a feasible idea given the tank size, or should I stick to something else?

 

If done right, this could very well work out.

The mudskippers don't need a chunk of land per se; you could just use root-like decorations (wood shaped in this way could work), upon which the mudskippers can climb. Just make sure that the slope isn't too great and your skippers will love it. The roots going into the water will also create an interesting environment in which your puffers can explore.

The tank will therefore have enough water to hold a puffer (or two, but can be risky), and a mudskipper pair + (male plus a female or more). The downside is that the mudskippers won't likely feed on these exposed surfaces as they would on a mud flat, but they'll be happy nonetheless.

I say give it a shot!