Should I get Figure 8's or SAP's?

[bigpuff]

I'm new to puffers; my tank is 55 gallons; canister filter is rated for 92 gallons. Should I get figure 8's or south american puffers? I know the F8's are brackish, that's not a concern.

What are the pros and cons of each? What are they like to own? Is one more hardy than the other? Does one require more teeth clipping than the other?

[Pufferpunk]

Read these:
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/
library/puffers-in-focus/sap/
library/hospital/dentistry/

[bigpuff]

Hey Pufferpunk (or anyone else reading this), firstly I'd like to apologize for my thorough indecisiveness and all the questions! Went to my lfs today to grab some supplies and saw the GSP's they have in there and now I'm stuck between F8 and GSP. I love the GSP's, the ones in there are the reason I wanted puffers in the first place, but I've only ever seen F8's in a tank once - so my experience is skewed.

My question is this: regardless of number I could keep, salinity levels, having to eventually convert to full marine, etc - absent of all that, which one has more personality and is more fun to own? I think you said you've owned both if I remember rightly.

Anyone else who's owned both please chime in!

[Pufferpunk]

GSPs have the BEST personality, IMHO!

[bigpuff]

GSP's it is! Only issue is they are in saltwater at the store and my tank is fresh at the moment. How long should I take drip acclimating them? I'm getting them tomorrow - should I put some salt in the tank now (like .001-.002) or would that be a bad idea if I'm going to add safe start?

I'm going to keep them at the correct salinity and eventually go full marine - but as you know I'll kill my bacteria if I bring it to their brackish level in a day.

[Pufferpunk]

I would wait to get them & set your tank up as SW.

[bigpuff]

I can't do that I just spent lots on a filter.

[Pufferpunk]

You can't return it? It's really gonna be hard on those poor fellas, forcing them back to FW.

[bigpuff]

Unfortunately I can't return it, I've already been using it for about a month. Will it really be that hard on them? The tank will be at their desired brackish level within a month. If so, the lfs said they arrive in brackish water, so I can try and see if I can get them right when they come in next time.

[bigpuff]

Another option is to put my tank up to ~1.006 right now, let my bacteria die, and then add the puffers with SafeStart if you think thats a good idea? Or would it need to be bio-spira?

[Pufferpunk]

There is no such BW bacteria. Safestart is FW bacteria. Find out what SG the puffers are arriving in & you can drip them from there. If you get your tank to 1.002, it won't harm the bacteria you add.

[bigpuff]

But going from full SW to 1.002 would be too much?

[Pufferpunk]

It's a lot... And a VERY long acclimation.

[Iliveinazoo]

Am I too late to say figure 8? It's the only puffer I own so I'm truly bias. But they will come to the front of the tank and shake about, or wag their tail when you approach in the hope you'll feed them..