Hi From Holland

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dfaik
Puffer Fry
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:49 am
Location (country): Netherlands

Hi From Holland

Post by dfaik »

Great website.

I bought a second hand tank from a lady in Arnhem who got me onto your Dutch equivalent: Kogelvis Forum, she seems to be very active or moderate that. However I was glad to find this forum in my native language!!

Own a Ceylon Puffer (large juvenile) and two GSPs (small juveniles), bought at similar time and housed in a 240 liter full salt tank. They are happily (yes, for the moment!) cohabiting with a yellow Tang, two knight gobies, another unknown and a dragon goby. The latter I plan to re-house into a smaller marine tank as he just hides under two rocks all the time (quite happy there but I think the puffers scare him). Oh - they are in a Juwel 240 with Juwel skimmer, Aquamedic rio 300 power head and the "comes with the tank" filter. I have removed most of the sponge type filters in favor of carbon and other media, change about 25% of the water per month. I have strip tests for nitrate and nitrites, have just got some liquid tests, and have to confess to not measuring much else. I use red sea salt and add some of the Sera "elements" from bottles (they were on sale and I think I'm doing my corals a favor). Overall I probably need to get a little more scientific with this salt water lark :?

Early on my Ceylon seemed to get two nips to the tail (tell-tale round shape) from one of the GSPs. The Ceylon was quite sickly after purchase from pet shop, got itch, infected the rest of the tank somewhat. A long fresh water bath cured the Ceylon and frequent water changes cured the tank. Now though all three fan their tales and dance around the tank, socially interacting. The smaller GSPs will move fast if they get cornered by the Ceylon, although the Ceylon does not seem to be consciously pursuing them. The GSPs happilly follow the Ceylon and they all do the puffer dance up and down the glass of the aquarium at times.

I'm looking to learn what I need to do to keep a step ahead of any of the puffers becoming crazy and asocial as they get older. Am glad to hear that not all do. I'm also researching a 450 liter tank to ensure that all three have the room needed. The tank is already visually interesting with many live and dead stone nooks, crevices and corridors. So far these puffers have not developed a taste for soft corals (phew!).

Also very curious to hear if any on this forum have had success keeping these with Yellow Tang over extended periods? I know that the Yellow Tang has a sharp bone protruding from the tail fin and will use that quite effectively to cut and warn off any trying to predate. Wondering if this is enough to keep my puffers at bay, or does one just have to live with the fact that the gobies and tang could wind up as puffer snacks some day?

Lastly will be looking for more Ceylon pictures. Mine defo doesn't have F8 markings but his fins are dark red, whereas many of the pictures I have seen seem to show green fins. Of courser I am hoping that by freak chance I have something far more exotic, but will probably find that some Ceylons do and others just don't!
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bertie 83
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Re: Hi From Holland

Post by bertie 83 »

Hi welcome to the forum. The 450l tank would be worth grabbing ASAP and add a large sump as puffers are mass waste producers, as for tankmates it depends on the puffer.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Nuclear_Glitter
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Re: Hi From Holland

Post by Nuclear_Glitter »

Welcome to the forum! =]

You definitely are going to need an upgrade. The GSPs need 30 gallons a piece (that's roughly 113 litres) and the ceylon needs 40 gallons (roughly 151 litres) then you have to consider the tankmates, which may or may not survive in there.

I would recommend you buy the upgrade tank and move the puffers, and keep the tankmates in the current tank. Every puffer has a different personality, but when you have 3 it's likely that one will eventually attack the tankmates.
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -- Henry Ford
dfaik
Puffer Fry
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:49 am
Location (country): Netherlands

Re: Hi From Holland

Post by dfaik »

Thanks all for the kind replies, I thought that my three puffer in a tank set up was not going to work. Still on that and all ok *for now*. Have added a 120 liter sump and housed all the filters, skimmers and general junk in that, so pretty much the whole tank is for the fish now, I guess about 20% more room. Added a couple if wave maker pumps on timers etc.

Managed to get the 450 liter tank but getting it in my apartment is a challenge! Will have to haul it up from the back on a crane as the stairs too narrow!!

Not sure if I'll move my salt fish in there or not, it was to house my Cichilids. Have added corals inc meat eating ones to the tank and a pair of anemones that do some job eating up what the puffers leave as mess.

The puffers love frozen raw mussels and prawn in the shell. So I keep these in my freezer and supplement their diets with it! Fun watching them go crazy for it! :-)
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Snoopy
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Re: Hi From Holland

Post by Snoopy »

Have you got any video? :D
..I am sorry for my english, guys.. ;)
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