Full grown F8???

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Ti_CLaD
Dwarf Puffer
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Full grown F8???

Post by Ti_CLaD »

Generally how long is it for a figure 8 puffer to get to his "full lenght"??? I had mine last september and seriously I think he grew ¼"... roughly 1¾" long now ( won't stop moving for me to mesure... :p )... I'm just scared maybe he got stunted before I got him and now won't grow so much... He is living alone in a 26gallons tank with SG to 1.004...
RTR
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Re: Full grown F8???

Post by RTR »

Fish never stop growing, but after sexual maturity growth is terribly s-l-o-w.

If you are giving SL (standard length - nose to caudal peduncle), the fish is fine. If you are giving TL (total lenghth - nose to end of cudal/tail fin) the fish is a bit stunted, but not enough to be long-term harmful. Was fe a singleton at the LFS? Or part of group?

Your SG is fine. How are the nitrates?
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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Ti_CLaD
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:47 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 Fahaka
Location (country): Canada

Re: Full grown F8???

Post by Ti_CLaD »

I am due tonight to make a water change, I do it on every mondays, so I tested it before doing it... My PH 8.0, Ammonia between 0 and 0.6, Nitrate between 0 and 5, Nitrite 0... Temp at 80°F in a 26 gallons tank... I was giving you the TL... When I bought it, there was 5 or 6 together in a 10gallons I guess, I took the healthiest looking one, No fins damaged and ate good and swam around nicely... No idea how long they've been in there...

He is full of energy, always swimming around, happy to see me when I get in the room, always eager to eat, never has he refused feedings... Nice colors, teeth are fine, his belly swells up with feeding like normal... General foods, dried up shrimps, thawed shrimps, thawed crayfish, bloodworms, harvested snails in seperate aquarium, rarely some watermelon...

I'd of loved it not to be stunted and live a perfect life, but I'll take care of him even if you figure he is... :)
RTR
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Re: Full grown F8???

Post by RTR »

It certainly sounds like full normal behavior. If you are using FD shrimp, that is fine. But if they are FD krill, they should be minimized, and either is perhaps safer/better is pre-soaked. You might test that option if they are still accepted.

I asked if he was with a group as such are generally wild-cauught together. A singleton may be a trade-in and has a greater chance of having been improperly housed and/or fed. Relatively recently wild caught is generally a lot safer purchase, although they can come in with parasites.

If this were my fish, I also would keep him and enjoy his activity and likely long life. Although small, they are attractive, keeper-interactive (they always know their keepers) whether he ever makes standard size of not. They are strong among my personal favorite pet fish. These and SAPs taught me that a pet fish does not have to big to a real favorite pet, and these are more keeper-interactive than SAPs. Good luck with him, they are among the best pet puffers.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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Ti_CLaD
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 78
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:47 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 Fahaka
Location (country): Canada

Re: Full grown F8???

Post by Ti_CLaD »

Thanks alot for your shared knowledge, makes it easier to take care of him knowing somebody's got my back in the event of confusion or complications... :) Btw, I never served him krill, I heard they can lockjaw...
RTR
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Re: Full grown F8???

Post by RTR »

Good! Krill can be a useful treat, but some puffer fish get addicted and refuse other foods and then develop bizarre and potentially fatal eating problems. In the past I used a good bit of krill for puffers, now I am leery of it for this family of fish. Puffers can do fine without it.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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