Baileyi Puffer

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:34 pm

Ive got the chance to get one of these in the next week! Very expensive though! Does anyone know any more in depth info on them than is in the pufferpedia?

What fish does it eat, ect, and general care info?

I have a fully cycled 25g tank with fluval 205, and I just need more info on the setup and maintenance

Thanks

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:54 pm

T.baileyi, aka hairy puffer. Lovely things. Very personable and friendly, lurkers, not much activity unless its feeding time, great hunters, mine get snails and shell-on shrimp primarily, once in awhile some earthworms. Mine are about full grown and eat every 3 days. Gigantic poop factories, of course, so the substrate needs to be cleaned extremely well on a weekly basis. I have two in a 55g tank with a divider between them. Oh, and they are very aggressive and shouldn't be kept with anything else, IMO. Just make sure the tank is completely cycled first. If you use Biospira, I would suggest using a double dose and using some other fish for a few days until its completely established before adding the puffer.

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:01 pm

Thanks Boxermom!

The tank is completely cycled, its been running for a month and a bit so far w/ small fish. The Puffer would be on its own if i get it.

So care-wise, they arent too different from most other puffers? Does it need enough sand to be buried like other lurker puffers or will it just rest on top of the sand?? Do they have a preferance for hard/soft water?

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:08 pm

Nope, not a burrower so gravel is fine. I have pea gravel in my tank. They do need a cave-type structure and heavily planted tank (silk or live is what I recommend). Dunno about water preference but I have fairly hard water with a pH of 7.8 and they're doing quite well. Care-wise, pretty much the same as other lurkers.

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:11 pm

Ta Muchly!

Thanks very much for your help! Now Ive just got to decide whether to spend £90 on one fish. Its either the Baileyi or the Suvattii to choose from and the suvattii is more than 50% cheaper. The uncommonness of the Baileyi is too appealing though

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:35 pm

That's why its so pricey.

Pretty close to what they were asking for mine. I managed to talk them down a little because they'd had them for several months and no one else showed any interest, and they knew I would know how to take care of them. Sometimes it helps being friendly with the staff of the LFS.

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:38 pm

hehe Shame I dont know any staff at this store... but I am at the countrys best fish-college (Sparsholt) !! I'm on the ornamental fish course at the moment so that might help...... hehe

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:42 pm

messy_da_legend wrote:but I am at the countrys best fish-college (Sparsholt) !! I'm on the ornamental fish course at the moment so that might help...... hehe

I'm sure if I knew what any of that meant, I'd be properly impressed.

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:44 pm

but I am at the countrys best fish-college (Sparsholt) !! I'm on the ornamental fish course at the moment so that might help...... hehe

As in might help me to get a discount! No harm in trying anyway!

Fella · Post by **Fella** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:47 pm

How is that course as sparsholt? Is it relatively tricky, and is do you need formal qualifications to attend?

Sorry for railroading the thread!

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:51 pm

erm the 11 page plant propagation assignment ive just done was helluva hard! but other than that its all good! Started the breeding project doing paradise fish this week which is good.

If you come straight form school you need 4 GCSEs at C, but if your an adult learner I think you only need references.

Fella · Post by **Fella** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:58 pm

messy_da_legend wrote:erm the 11 page plant propagation assignment ive just done was helluva hard! but other than that its all good! Started the breeding project doing paradise fish this week which is good.

If you come straight form school you need 4 GCSEs at C, but if your an adult learner I think you only need references.

Man, that sounds pretty tricky.

Does it have accomodation on site or do you have to commute?

I've been looking at doing it for a while.

messy_da_legend · Post by **messy_da_legend** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:00 pm

Im living in the on site accomodation, as commuting 4 hours form Ipswich doesnt appeal to me!

Theres quite a bit of work, but its not really that hard, its just the plant one was worse than most

sPuffalopagus · Post by **sPuffalopagus** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:11 am

Hi,

Just thought that since you are on such a course, why don't you do some research on the BIOTOPE of the Baileyi. I have done some myself as I am about to upgrade the tank that my Hammie is in.

What I have found is that the T.Baileyi comes primarily from the white water regions of the MEKONG River. There is not much field information about how they live in the rapids.

My guess is that they lurk in the eddies behind larger rocks and feed on opportunity. From whatever pictures I can gather of the BIOTOPE, my guess is that is it less planted, mostly rock and gravel. The river substrate consists of a mix of anything from largish stones (high flow areas) to sand (in low flow areas).

So I am about to embark on a setup that would introduce a certain degree of current flowing over a layout of rocks.

Hope this helps.
Jason

Rocker · Post by **Rocker** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:57 pm

Very helpful thanks.

That would go with what Woland has said.

He has mentioned that his baileyi has become more active since the introduction of a power head to increase water flow.

Am I correct Woland?

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