Hi to all

[murph]

Hi all im murph just recently joined the forum, I have been looking around over the last couple of days, Im very impressed with what i see well done.

About me: I have a 180 ltr tank with a 65 ltr sump i have 2 figure 8's, 3 juvenile green spotted around 2 mouth old and a red claw crab in marine conditions and are all doing very well.

[purplecandle]

The 2 figures 8's need much lower salinity level so you need to separate them ASAP. In addition the GSPs will grow much larger than the F8s and you will risk the f8's being attacked

Also your tank is only suitable to house 2 GSPs and thats it at a minimum...really it should be 1 GSP per 180l.

And I suspect your crabs will at some point be food

Please reconsider your stocking of this tank..it is just too small for this many puffers. Right now they are probably juveniles and that is why they are getting along and they fit in the tank...but this time next year...that will not be the case

Here is some info
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

[murph]

This tank is only temporary i am hoping to get a 6ft tank made after the new year, i have had the figure 8's in that salinity for 3 an a half months now an nothing has changed they seem to enjoy it, as for the crab my intention for that was for food 5 month ago with no success as yet

[xrayjeeper83]

+1 to what purple said

[jus85411]

still need to separate the figure 8's not just rehome them all in a bigger tank

[murph]

the figure 8's will be staying in the tank i am using now and the 6ft tank is for the GSP when it is made, they should be ok till then

[purplecandle]

This tank is only temporary i am hoping to get a 6ft tank made after the new year, i have had the figure 8's in that salinity for 3 an a half months now an nothing has changed they seem to enjoy it, as for the crab my intention for that was for food 5 month ago with no success as yet

Give the crab some time..

brackish puffers can handle salinity changes, but they need to be at appropriate levels for long term survival..

They can live for a decade..3 and half months is nothing...they may encounter that salinity change in the wild and survive it..but not for long and not for their full potential..

I know that you understand how your GSPs where in Fresh water when you got them. Well FW was not appropriate for them, but they survived it long enough at the pet store to make it to your tank...

putting F8s in Marine is the same as the pet store putting GSPs in FW.

Plus...you are talking about hosing VERY aggressive species (especially when older).

It will be a battle royal..

On one side F8's that are the size of a kiwi and GSPs that are the size of a grapefruit...who is going to win?

[jtbadco]

Hey Murph,...welcome to the forum.

Please understand,...everyone's advice comes from years of direct experience and is only aimed at what is best for your fish,...and in the end for you.

Figure Eights are not physically able to survive in a full marine environment. They will be under constant stress and have difficulty breathing. They may survive for a few months but it is still slowly killing them.

I would suggest that you find another home for the F8's....get another small tank for them until you can get the larger one maybe?

[murph]

i understand everyones advice an would like to thank everyone for it, i am now tryin to get hold of a friend to get his old breeding take 80ltrs i believe, would this be suitable?

[mairdan13]

hey

I've only been a member for just over a month and I remember the first post i posted was met with a whole bunch of
advice in one go,it can be a little overwhelming at first - please don't take it as a put-down I now have a pretty
decent tank with happy F8's thanks to putting into practice what the peeps at TPF told me...

I'm just glad I put their suggestions into effect without delay

Welcome to the forum!!!

[jtbadco]

80L = 20 gal

If the Figure 8's are still small then that will be fine for a while.
I'd shoot for around 1.005-1.008 sg

Good luck

[jus85411]

agreed that all information we give you here is never to nay say your fish keeping skills or your intent. many people are mis informed and many pet stores dont know better and/or dont care to know. its just so we know your informed correctly as to what has worked for pros for many many years(15+ years of a single specimen living), and trying to give you that same rewarding experience to make keeping a fish that long worth it. i have had a green spotted puffer for almost 3 years now, i didnt think it was that long but my roommates girlfriend basically broke down the timeframe and i got it in Feb '08 at 1 and a half inches long. he is now a fat adult just about 5 inches long and he probably wouldnt have made it this long if i didnt come here with PufferPunks advice from MFK when i would go there all the time. i dont even go there anymore. i have enjoyed the entire time of keeping that fish and only because of this forums knowledge. and it goes way beyond just puffers here. theres someone who knows about whatever your trying to find out. and theres also the people like RTR for instance who just know everything it seems there is to know about fishkeeping. read up on some articles if you havent already