|
Figure Eight Puffer Stocking
3-31-08
Hello,
<Hello! Yunachin here.>
I just purchased a 2 inch F8 Puffer and he is a in a 20 long tank with 4 2 inch
mollies and a knight goby.
<Sounds like a little too many fish. I would do one Molly, one knight goby and
Mr. Figure Eight.>
SG is 1.004 for now, Ph is
8.0 filtration is a BioWheel 150 and a Whisper 20. Substrate is aragonite sand
and the tank is planted with Anubias, Val's and Java Fern...as well as a few
other hard water plants that may or may not make the jump to 1.005.
<Raise the gravity slowly, at about 0.001 per week and the plants should be ok.>
The tank as been cycled a long time and all is well but my question is can
another F8 be added at all and if so do I need to lose a fish or two (I have
several other aquariums including a 30 gallon long livebearer tank that the
mollies could easily be added to, these 4 are just my favorites).
<I would move the mollies to ease up on your bio-load.>
I have seen articles saying an F8 per 10 gallons, but I wasn't sure how that
equation added up with other fish in the picture.
<Figure Eights require 15 gallons per puffer. Pufferfish give off massive
bio-loads and adding another one cause more waste in your tank. Also puffers are
not necessarily community fish and can turn on one another unless given ample
space to roam and hide to establish territories and block lines of site.>
Do the "regular" stocking rules apply when you have puffers with other fish
other than how many Puffers you can successfully have in the same tank? Sorry if
these are dumb questions but I really want to do right by the puffer and my
other fish before there is a problem.
<Not dumb questions at all. Like I said, keep in mind the fact that puffers put
off more waste than regular fish and they are messy eaters. If you wanted to get
another one, I would go for a 30 gallon, heavily planted with plenty of places
to hide and explore. Good Luck with your Figure Eight, they are little dolls.
–Yunachin>
Thank you.
<You’re welcome.>
K
Re:
Figure Eight Stocking
3-31-08
Hello again,
<Indeed. ^-^>
In regards to the Mollies, is it because of their potential size, their amount
of waste or that puffers generally like less tank mates
even if I were to increase my filtration?
<To be straight with you, Puffers are generally not community fish. They like to
"taste" other fish and can do some considerable damage to tank mates. The issue
we have right now with the mollies, is their size compared to the size of the
tank. Too many fish can cause stress to a Puffer, even if you have over
filtration.>
Would a couple of glassfish be ok if the Mollies were decreased? I am pretty
religious about my water changes of 25% weekly but have also read that 50%
weekly is closer to the needed with puffers, would 2 gallons a day suffice?
<IMO, I think the F8 and the goby will be fine. As for the water changes, I
would go with about 30% percent weekly. No need for doing water changes
everyday.>
One last thing, what is the temperature range that is best for F8's I currently
have my tank at 82F.
<I would drop it down to 80 degrees. That should do just fine. Good Luck.
---Yunachin>
|
Re: Converting water, BR,
Figure 8 Puffers... 8/16/07
Thank you so much for your prompt response, I'm impressed. I have another
question, when I bought the puffer fish the tank they were in was a freshwater
tank. I think I should convert the water to Brackish. I don't know how I can do
that without stressing my puffers. Should I just start adding salt little by
little and monitoring the specific gravity or something? Thank you very much!
K.B.D.
<For figure-8 puffers there's no rush to change the salinity, so think more
about the filter bacteria rather than the fish. Start by doing water changes
that raise the salinity to SG 1.002, and let the thing settle at that level for
a few weeks. Check the ammonia/nitrate level(s) are safe. If they are, then
raise the salinity to SG 1.004. Figure-8 puffers aren't really fussy about the
salinity, any anything between 1.003 to 1.010 is tolerable, though 1.004-1.006
is probably the ideal. What matters more is that pH and hardness are nice and
high, and that the nitrate levels are very low. So choose a salinity level that
isn't a financial burden. There's no point choosing a high salinity if that only
means you "economise" on water changes. Your puffers would sooner have clean
water at SG 1.003 than dirty water at SG 1.008. Incidentally, there's no harm to
varying the salinity every couple of months; in fact, it's probably quite a good
idea. No brackish water fish naturally experiences a constant salinity, and the
species that breed in captivity (not puffers, sadly) mostly seem to do so when
there are salinity changes. Plants generally don't like brackish water
conditions, though a few do, so if you're using live plants, research this issue
first. Java ferns and Java moss are two of the most reliable species in this
regard. Finally, do not use "tonic salt" or "aquarium salt" -- what you want is
marine salt mix of the kind used in reef tanks. If you happen to have a marine
aquarium, "old" water from a reef tank can be diluted with freshwater and used
in a brackish water tank perfectly safely, provided the nitrate levels are nice
and low. Cheers, Neale>
Figure 8 puffer in a marine tank? 5/19/07
Have had two F8, in a brackish tank for about three years now. Have
always kept them lower end brackish with little to no issues. Happy,
healthy, and maybe a little chubby.
Anyway my question, I have recently began getting into SW tanks. A LFS has
adult F8's in FULL salt water?! This has got me thinking about F8s in a reef
tank. F8's are very hard if not impossible to breed in captivity, what if
they need SW?
<Possible, but improbable, since there are no reports at all of F8s from
marine environments. Many yet unknown factors may be important to induce
spawning.>
Majority of experienced keepers say BW only, no ifs, ands or buts for long
term care. Breanna.
<It may be possible to keep them in a marine tank, but the F8 puffer is one
of he few euryhaline puffers for which long term experience from many
keepers exists (see
http://www.thepufferforum.com for discussions). It can be called a
euryhaline fish, but it is not known exactly, which salinities can be
tolerated for how long, if there are long term damages, and, which other
factors (e.g. nitrates) might be important. Lower end brackish water seems
to be best so far. You have them successfully for three years, I’d carry on.
If you try putting them in marine water, be sure to move them back, if any
signs of diseases or strange behaviour occur. Cheers, Marco.>
How Many Puffers can a Pickled Person Pick? 1/6/05
Hi Guys,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I was just wandering how many figure 8 puffers one can keep in a std 3 ft (about
90L) aquarium. Great Site.
<Well, since I'm in the US, I've converted that to about 23 gallons. You can
keep 2 figure 8s in there. Here's a great article on them: http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/puffer/f8puffer.html ~PP>
Howard Snoyman
Care & Feeding of Figure 8 Puffers 2/19/06
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I'm looking into getting figure eights but I want to make sure everything is
right, like what kind of salt and to make sure I have set up my tank
right. I have asked around at the LFS and they tell me to use aquarium salt, But
other people say to use marine. The LFS said I should have about 1 teaspoon to
every 5 gallon is this right?
<You must use marine salt & measure with a hydrometer. After some
experimentation, I have calculated I use around a cup of salt/5gal to make a SG
(specific gravity) of 1.005 (rough estimate). That is where they seem to be
most comfortable & live longest.>
I have been looking info up on the F8s all night and just want to know how to
start and maintain a brackish water tank. Thank you for your help. Love the
site.
<Check out this article on F8s:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/puffer/f8puffer.html. Check out the
puffer site that article is in too! There is great info on the special food they
need to eat to keep their teeth trimmed & plenty of folks to talk to about your
puffer, before & after you purchase it. ~PP>
Those Tetraodon corr.s
Jen/PP, have made most of the suggested changes you sent along ayer, but am
finding a conflict with T. biocellatus. Fishbase. org lists it as a FW species: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=25175&genusname=Tetraodon&speciesname=biocellatus
Can you find me a ref. to otherwise?
Thank you,
Bob
Those Tetraodon corr.s
Hi Bob, I thought there might be a conflict w/that
one. I have a friend Robert T. Ricketts (perhaps you know him?) who
has been keeping puffers for over 40 years. Almost everything I know
about puffers I owe to him. Here is his article about F8s: FIGURE 8
Comments by RTR on the subject:
Fishbase always cites their references. For the F8 and the GSP, the
ecological info is from Rainboth, W.J. 1996. But I have
not looked up the
original citation. Fishbase is a compilation of data from any or all
that site being the population center for that particular fish, or a stray
from other habitats, or a fringe population with marginal survival
prospects. The distribution and ecology of these fish has not been
studied
widely as they have no economic importance. Reports include them
mostly as
found here and there, but they are rarely key species in studies.
Those indigenous groups using tropical fish collection as an income
supplement are not literate populations. Collections tend to be
seasonal
(water and weather conditions permitting) and time-available from other
activities. The collected specimens are pooled and later transported
to a
"wholesaler" or agent who arranges transport and handling to a
population
center or abroad. The paper trail, if any, is not detailed or
particularly
accurate. By the time the creature passes through an importer in the
States
or elsewhere, the a regional wholesale distributor, then the LFS, it is
highly unlikely to have traceability back to even the country of origin,
much less finer-grained data.
Without some non-trivial economic importance, fieldwork is too expensive to
be supported. What little information we have that is really useful
tends
to come from talented individuals, such as Dr. Ebert on puffers, who happens
to have a personal affinity for a group or family of fish, and has made
enough side notes and generated enough personal experience to compile some
publication for hobbyists after years of field work on other topics.
Several individuals have done similar works on Rift Lake fish, Rainbowfish,
etc. Those reports are our only real and valuable ecological source
data."
Robert
And again on the same subject:
My personal experience with these fish is that they do best in light
brackish water (~1.005) over aragonite substrates (to support the high pH),
with no exposure to unoxidized metabolites, and minimal exposure to nitrate
(<20ppm). Under such conditions I expect them to live 15-20
years. In FW
conditions I have never had one survive more than a few years, and they have
been subject to chronic or repeated cornea and skin problems. YMMV,
but I
would never put one of these fish under my care into FW.
When Dr. Ebert's book came out, one of the things that delighted me most
about it was that this fish, along with the GSP, were both noted as doing
far better in brackish conditions. Both of those observations
matched my
own.
I have no way of knowing whether or not the fish we see in the trade are
collected from the inland areas reported on fishbase, or from coastal,
estuarine, or mangrove areas and potentially represent different
populations. My personal experience does not at all agree with the
fishbase
report. But then they list the fish as being an algae and plant eater
as
well (from stomach contents). Obviously they have missed the
experience of
seeing these fish feed in captivity - algae or plant material is ingested
routinely, along with the mollusk or small crustacean feeding on
it. So
there they are not incorrect as much as they misunderstand and misinterpret,
or simply have never observed either in the wild or captivity, the dynamics
of feeding for the fish."
Robert
I completely agree w/RTR. I have read over & over, circumstances
where a person's F8 was failing, only to be put into BW & start to
thrive.
I also wanted to remind you that the green spotted puffer (t nigroviridis) is a
high-end BW puffer that prefers SW as an adult. There is also a t nigroviridis
shown in the disease portion said to be a FW fluviatilis.
It might also be a good idea to mention in that section, the high probability of
puffers coming in w/internal parasites. I Usually wind up treating
most of them w/Discomed.
Jeni
<Jen/PP & Robert, I will amend our brief information on this species to
include this note, and post all for others edification. Thank you, Bob
Fenner>
F8 Tank-10/27/03
Jeni,
<Hi Ryan>
I want to do a tank centered on a Figure 8 puffer.
<One of the prettiest puffers in my book!>
Tell me what your model Figure 8 tank would be like. Size, substrate,
tankmates if any, plants....as if you were starting from scratch.
<Funny you asked. I just had a 29g tank open up & have been
wanting F8s for a while. I have 3 F8s, 2 pairs of knight gobies &
6 bumblebee gobies. They all get along great. I use
crushed coral for substrate & keep the S.G. at 1.008-10. I have
it decorated w/lots of places to investigate & a tall mangrove root (fake)
in the middle. I don't use live plants in BW tanks. They
are usually decorated like SW tanks, w/fake corals, etc. You can see
my F8 tank (& all the rest of them) here: http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRequest=userview&userID=1918>
On a side note, I think this would be a fun feature for WWM. Have the
expert post there model tank idea for different biotypes.
<Cool idea!>
Thanks,
Ryan
<You're welcome, Jeni (Pufferpunk)>
Puffer Tank Set Up Questions
Jeni,
<Sorry, Jeni's moving...Ananda here today...but I'll keep this around so she
can answer it when she gets back.>
I want to do a tank centered on a Figure 8 puffer. Tell me what your
model Figure 8 tank would be like. Size, substrate, tankmates if any,
plants....as if you were starting from scratch.
<Hmmm. Probably a 75 or 90 gallon tank, for five Figure 8s. I would set up a
modular, Habitrail-like system for them to explore and swim through, along with
assorted rocky nooks and crannies for them to hide in (no sharp stuff in the
tank). I'd want to be able to rearrange stuff pretty easily. Breaking up the
sight lines is a key feature of this tank: the puffs should be able to swim into
places where none of them can see any of the others. The substrate in the main
tank is sand. Filtration is pretty heavy-duty: a wet/dry filter, which feeds
into a refugium full of Vallisneria for nitrate reduction. The refugium is also
the snail farm, with lots of pond snails for the puffers. The substrate in the
refugium is Fluorite. The refugium is lit on a reverse light cycle with T5
lighting and good reflectors. I'd ask the people on the WetWeb chat forums for
suggestions on pumps & stuff. I'd put SCWDs on the returns so the puffs can
play in the outflow, and probably include a couple of powerheads, too, with the
intake guards securely fastened on the powerheads.>
On a side note, I think this would be a fun feature for WWM. Have the
expert post there model tank idea for different biotypes.
<That does sound like a cool idea. I'll pass it on and see what
happens....>
Thanks,
Ryan
<You're welcome! --Ananda>
High dKH & dKH: effectively brackish?
Hello there from Chicagoland,
<And hello back from Chicagoland! Ananda here tonight, out in the burbs...>
I have a 30l freshwater tank containing a knight goby, an emerald Cory, and a
Kuhli loach. My water is as follows.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: very near 0
pH: 8.2
dGH: 26 deg.
dKH: 12 deg.
<Just for comparison, in the western burbs, I'm at pH 7.8, dGH 8, dKH 12.
You're going to want to check your phosphates, too. Mine are 0.8 out of the tap
according to the SeaTest kit.>
I know it depends on what kind of fish you keep, but isn't this pH level
generally a bit high?
<Your goby will be fine in that. I have two knight gobies right now, both
female, and I've had a pair that bred in these conditions. If you got the other
fish locally, they should be fine, too.>
What about the hardness, it seems like I'm keeping a brackish tank.
<Close to it! That's why your knight goby is doing well. In acidic, soft
water, these fish die. In hard, alkaline water, they do okay, even without
salt.>
My fish seem healthy, but I'm looking to get the tank as comfy as possible for
them. Also, is it possible to keep figure 8, or spotted puffers in freshwater?
My LFS who sells them says it's fine, but they are a brackish fish.. right?
<Yup. Figure 8 puffers prefer lowish brackish levels, while spotted puffs
prefer somewhat higher brackish levels. I'm concerned that Kuhli loach would
look too much like lunch to a worm-loving puffer!>
I really don't want to go brackish because of the limited selection of fish
compatible.
<That's actually the main reason I went brackish... I was so totally confused
by the selection of fish! The "limited palette" of brackish fish isn't
as small as you might think. It includes most rainbowfish and livebearers, for
example.>
I really love puffers, and I know they wouldn't get along with my current
community, but I'm looking down the road a bit. Any help would be excellent.
<Check out the WetWebMedia chat forums: http://wetwebfotos.com/talk.
We've got more Chicago-area fish keepers and a thread or two about local fish
stores on the boards.>
Thanks for a great site. You make no money from us, yet you give us the absolute
best advice. Our LFS makes tons of cash from its' customers, but will tell you
anything to make the sale... Thank God for you guys. Dave A.
<Thanks so much for the kind words! They are very much appreciated.
--Ananda>
Specific Gravity for a Figure 8 Puffer 4/5/05
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I just found a LFS in the middle of know where that has figure 8 puffers!!!
<Lucky you!>
The thing is that they are in freshwater. I know that you need to make it .002 per week so you
don't kill off the beneficial bacteria but do you possible know how much salt (tsp/tbs?) I need to add for a 20G to raise it .002 per week?
<For a rough estimate: it takes around a cup of marine salt to raise the SG .002. You'll have to do some math, when you replace the salt from a water change & raise it another .002, a week later. You still need to check with a hydrometer to be sure. There are several threads on that in this forum:
http://puffer.proboards2.com/index.cgi
~PP>
Figure 8 Puffers--A Brackish Water Puffer 9/12/04
Dear Crew
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Over the past eight months, we had fish as pets, learning new stuff, and one day
we finally found puffer fishes and we ended up setting up a new tank for
them. So far so good, but we have three of them and one I guess, is trying to
setup dominance over the others, so I called Petco, where I got them and they
suggested feeding them everyday so they will stop nipping each other, but it
seems like the dominant one always nip the others after feeding... :( I do not
want them to keep getting stressed and die, so please help!
<1st of all read this wonderful article on F8s:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/8puffer.shtml
This should answer all your questions on the care & feeding of these great
pets. I am concerned that you said you set-up a new tank for your fish. Did
you cycle it 1st? How large is the tank? F8 puffers require at least
10g/puffer. Puffers personality vary from fish to fish. Some may be very
mild-mannered, while others may be killers. If you have a killer, it must be
kept singly, or it will kill their tank mates. You just never know with
puffers... ~PP>
How Many Figure 8 Puffers in a Tank? 11/29/04
<Pufferpunk again>
Thank you so much for your help - I wish I would have found you before I bought
the 2 species -- that goes to show LFS are only out to make a buck ..
so can I keep 2 F8 puffers together? and how big of a tank is needed to keep
them happy?
<1 F8/10g is the rule. It always pays to research a fish you are interested in,
before buying it. ~PP>
Figure 8 to Marine? 3/29/04
Hello,
<Hi Dave, Pufferpunk here>
I was wondering if I could acclimate a figure 8 to marine over the course of about a year. I currently have 3 F8's and 3 Green Spotteds, a shark cat and two mono
argenteus in a 46 gal (to be moved to a 92 when they need it). They are all tiny right now, so I haven't brought up the gravity yet, but as they grew I wanted to bring it up to full strength marine so I can use live rock and add a few Saltwater fish, but I wanted to know how the figure 8's would react. I know the other fish are very tolerant and preferential of the higher salt as adults. I always read conflicting information about the figure 8's, and I read your site that says they prefer light brackish, but then I hear some people acclimate them to saltwater. Do you know of anyone who has done this?
<Although I have heard of F8s doing fine for short term in SW, I'm not too sure about long term. I do know that a friend &
puffer mentor, Robert T. Ricketts, has kept them
successfully for 18+ years in light BW (1.005-8). No one has ever documented keeping them long term in SW, so I just can't tell you how they'd fare. Here is the article RTR wrote on them:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/8puffer.shtml
. Since F8s are only mildly aggressive, & grow to 3", while GSPs are extremely aggressive & grow to 6", I really don't recommend keeping them together as adults. Also, your tank won't be large enough for the
Mono's, as they are schooling fish & would require around a 300g tank for a school of 1' fish.>
If it is possible, I prefer to do this as there are a few marine fish (wrasses mostly) I would like to add with them, and I want nitrate control without needing to use mangroves. Thanks, Oh BTW, my gravity is at ~1.014 right now and everyone seems very happy, very active, and very bright and healthy.
Dave Mencel
<I am having great success keeping my GSPs in SW. Maybe you could keep some notes, if you do decide to go ahead with keeping your F8s in SW. ~PP>
What Specific Gravity for a Figure 8 Puffer? 3/29/04
Figure 8 Puffer, what SG should I take the water to, and how big will it get? The SG should be less than
for my GSP tank, right?
<Yes, F8s seem to do best at a SG of around 1.005-8. I have brought mine up as high as 12, but usually I like to fluctuate it up & down a few points every weekly water change. Here's a great article on them:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/8puffer.shtml ~PP>
Figure 8 Puffer Problems 2/29/04
<Pufferpunk here again>
Hello... The last water change I did was about 50%. I usually only do a 1/4 or
so change, but I vacuumed a lot this time so it was more. I only have my Test
strips here right now for testing the water. It comes back with these readings :
pH - slightly acidic
<What pH exactly? Puffers prefer a pH of around 8.0. Aragonite
or crushed coral substrates are used to help maintain a stable alkaline pH of
around 8.>
KH - moderate
GH - very hard ( try to use filtered water for the tanks, but live in FL)
Nitrite - 1.0 or so
<Should be 0 at all times!>
Nitrate - very high, at least 200
<OMG!!! Nitrates should be under 20! You must be over feeding your
fish. Continue doing 50% water changes/gravel cleaning daily until
both of those (including ammonia at 0), are what is livable to a fish. All
your levels are toxic! How much are you feeding your fish? Do they
eat all the food within 5 minutes? How often are you doing water
changes? 50% weekly is necessary for puffers. This is definitely
the problem with your fish. Do you have salt in there? How
much? You might want to buy some extra, because you are going to need
to be replacing a lot over the next few days of water changes.>
The tank has been set up since October and has had fish in it since then with
little problems. What should I do now?
thanks again
JJ
<Water changes, water changes, water changes!!! ~PP>
Tap Water for Puffers? 3/1/04
The large puffers I feed every other day or so, as I read. The little guy
eats once a day. They tend to sneak some of the food for the other fish but not
much. After 5 minutes I clean out what I can with a net.
<Try feeding less amounts, so none is left over. Pieces can still
float into plants & between decor.>
Ill do the water changes and keep you posted. Do you have any advice for an
easier way to filter our tap water? I've been using a regular tap filter, but it
takes ages for the water to go through.
<I fill my tanks directly from the tap (no filter). I add drops of
Dechlor directly to the tank before filling with 80 degree
water. ~PP>
F8s in SW? 2/03/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here, remember me? I get all these Qs now.>
Hi Crew. I've got a couple of vivacious F8's (Tetraodon biocellatus)
in a 65 gallon brackish tank. SG is 1.010 and slowly increasing. Browsing
around I saw the conventional wisdom here is that F8's do best in lower brackish
(1.005). What sort of experience is this based on?
<As you know, I'm all over the web. I have never seen anyone post
that an F8 kept in SW has died because of it. I am not sure of the
life expectancy in SW either. I know you wanted more factual info,
but I don't think you are going to find it. Just practical experience. Mine
are doing great at 1.008-10. My friend RTR, recommends keeping them
in low-end BW & has kept his alive for 18+ years that way.>
Have you experienced/heard of mortality or health problems in higher
brackish/marine?
<The biggest problem I see is keeping them with more aggressive SW fish. F8s
are only mildly aggressive. Folks are always asking me about putting
them (& green spotted puffers) in with their porcupine puffer. Bad
idea, since the Porc will grow 12+".>
Any studies on this? I ask because Dr. Klaus Ebert writes in his
book, "The puffers of fresh and brackish waters," that F8's have
"proved hardy and resilient in brackish and marine aquaria." I just
wanted to hear how you feel about that statement. I want to convert
to full marine over time. Will the F8's thrive in SW or merely
tolerate it?
<I always listen to Dr Ebert & RTR. Confusing & conflicting
info, I know. Why don't you conduct a study yourself?>
Thanks -- y'all are awesome as always. Nick (aka sixtyfivegallon)
<Awwwww, shucks! You're alright yourself! ~PP>
P.S. If you want any help on putting together a brackish book, my editorial
services are available. I wouldn't be able to contribute much if any
content (leave that to the experts), but I pride myself on a keen and
experienced editorial eye and would love to help with such a project.
<Thanks for the offer, I'll pass it on!>
Puffers
Hi, I have 5 Green Spotted Puffers, 2 1/2" long.
and 1 Figure 8 Puffer, 3/4"
How long do these kinds of Puffer live?
<Years if/when kept under properly maintained conditions>
and how big can they get?
<Please see the coverage on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwpuffers.htm and the FAQs files beyond>
I have them in a 77gal.
I also read that they should be in 6.5 -7.0 Ph. water, Is that right?
<Mmm, no... should be higher... see the brackish set-up, maintenance sections on WWM>
I have kept mine in Brackish water at 81*F Ph: 8.0 for 2 years and they're doing great.
Please e-mail me back, Thanks.
<Be chatting. Bob Fenner>
Setting up a brackish tank for a figure-8 puffer
I have bought a 45 gallon tank for my figure-8 puffer. I am
trying to set it
up before moving him in. I have heard that sand bottom and plants
would make
this kind of fish happy. What kind of sand should I use?
<Please see the WWM Brackish subweb. Index here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm>
What kind of
plants should I use considering the brackish conditions (I don't think I can
grow mangroves because my tank has a lid)?
<Correct... unless the tank is very tall>
I bought java fern, wisteria and
hornwort. The hornwort is not doing well probably because it hasn't
had
enough light, but I'm concerned that if I add too much light, the
java fern
won't do well.
<Plant the former above the latter>
Should I just get rid of the hornwort? I am reluctant to
do
this because I read that this plant prevents algae.
Paul
<Bob Fenner>
Figure 8 puffer
Hello, I have a figure 8 puffer and had him in my African C. tank. He and my green spotted pufferfish did well in that tank for close to 6 months. They have gotten beat up quite a bit recently so I took them out. the Green spotted puffer I threw (adjusted the salinity for him in about 30 min before dumping him) into my salt water tank and he is doing great.
<Yikes... this is a quick (and dangerous) transition... likely damaging to your puffer internally... these changes need to be made over a period of a few weeks to months>
I then weeks later tried the same thing to my figure 8 and he has not fared as well. His eyes got extremely cloudy and his color faded. He was only in the saltwater for a night. I then saw my poor fish in the morning and put him in my molly (brackish) breeding tank to recover.
<Good move... you likely saved its life>
I added some Melafix to the tank and his eyes are clearing up slightly. What should I do to further his recovery? I also thought the figure 8 could go to full saltwater.
<Please read over the brackish water articles posted here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm
The Figure Eight, Tetraodon biocellatus is actually a freshwater to brackish fish... not marine. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Chad
Figure eight puffers
HELP!
I recently got 3 figure eight puffers and was told to add half a bag of Sea Salt
(1 bag does a ten gallon tank, and I have them in a 5 gallon for now) for
brackish water. After careful measuring, half a bag equaled two cups of sea
salt.
<I do hope you didn't add all this... unless the fish you bought were in the
same specific gravity water...>
From all the reading I have done in the past few days (the more information, the
more confused I get), it seems this guy at the aquarium store was on crack!
THAT'S A LOAD OF SALT for a small tank that's supposed to be brackish, not
MARINE ! How do I fix this (even though my little guys seem fine for now, they
are eating fine, maybe just not as active as they could/should be?).
<I wouldn't change anything at this point. A good practice, especially when
dealing with such small volumes is to pre-mix any/all new water... like for
water changes... and use a hydrometer to match the spg...>
I'm afraid to come home and find them belly up! One week and I'm already
attached to Gholum, MeGosh and Abigor!
<Hopefully the beneficial microbes necessary for filtration made the rapid
ionic and osmotic transition. Bob Fenner>
Sincerely, Jennifer Dixon
2 Gallon Tank for Puffers? 9/10/05
Hello,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
My mother was always very, very big into saltwater and brackish tanks. She
always had amazing tanks with seahorses and puffers and such. Unfortunately,
she isn't here to help me, now that I would like to start my own. I only have a
small 2 gallon tank, previously with frogs and cichlids, but for now I only want
to make it brackish to hold a figure 8 puffer or two. I have a few questions
for you though. Is it possible to have a small brackish tank?
<The only fish that you could possible keep in a 2g tank is a Betta. Nothing
else would be comfortable in there. Even a Betta would prefer something
larger. F8 puffers need at least 10g/fish.>
Do I need to have a filter and thermometer with it?
<Yes, puffers are messy eaters & produce a lot of waste. They need heavy
filtration. In addition, they are tropical fish & do need temperatures around
78-80 degrees.>
Also, can damsels also live in brackish water? Please let me know...thanks!
<Damselfish need a specific gravity of at least 1.018. F8 puffers are best kept
at 1.005. There's lots more info on puffers at: www.thepufferforum.org. Check
it out! ~PP>
-Jillian
Brackish/ F-8 Puffers 10/4/05
Puffers were mislabeled at my LFS, and I ended up getting a juvenile figure
8. Would he be happy in a hexagon-shaped five gallon? <For its entire Life? No
not at all.> I heard they do okay
in a tall five gal., but all your forums said otherwise. <Yes this puffer
reaches a length of 3” and they like room to roam, a 30-gallon tank is suggested
for an adult.> Hope you can help. <Also please read the WWM FAQ’s for care as
far as environment (what salinity it should be kept at and how you should adjust
him/her to a new salinity) and diet is also very important as well. In the
future complete your research before purchase of livestock and not after.>
Thanks:)
<No trouble, Adam J.>
