Do I need a air stone for my puffers?

[GSP1981]

I've got a fluval 105 filtering a 30 gallon tank for my juvenile GSP's.

Do I need to buy a air stone or is the fluval out take stirring up the water enough at the top to
Deliver oxygen enough?

[purplecandle]

Air stones are a personal choice. I have a few tanks near the kitchen and when I bake the air gets hot so I use air stones in those tanks. It is really up to you.

Just a warning though, a 30 gallon is only big enough for one gsp. How many gsps do you have?

[GSP1981]

2 juveniles in there 1"

[purplecandle]

2 juveniles in there 1"

Get ready to upgrade. They start off little and cute...then they turn into nerf foot balls!


Little and cute......




Nerf foot balls......

[puffykid]

Air stones are opinion but often times puffers find them entertaining and seem to enjoy the feeling of the bubbles.

[Pufftastic]

Air stones on brackish tanks make me crazy -- all that salt buildup from the bubbles! Blech.

[puffykid]

good point, not as good of a choice on brackish and salt water tanks

[GSP1981]

Dang i have 2 in a 30 gallon. Maybe i better get a bigger tank. ill skip the air stone for now

[purplecandle]

Dang i have 2 in a 30 gallon. Maybe i better get a bigger tank. ill skip the air stone for now

Yep bigger tank. The minimum for two is 55 gallon, but mine outgrew their 55 gallon so they went to a 75. If you can make your own stand, one of the big box stores has a 75 gallon kit under $200 when it goes on sale. But you still need to buy filter, heater, and decor.

Or, you can search craigslist. A 55 with everything should be about $150/200.

[GSP1981]

Yeah petco had deals on tanks. I missed the deal a month ago it was 1 dollar a gallon.

55gal 55 bucks

120gal 120 bucks

You get the idea. O well maybe next time

[celbrise]

a single GSP needs 30gals thus you need 60gals for the 2. I would upgrade ASAP.

as for the airstone it's optional. as long as you have a good filtration you shouldn't even really need it. I have a 60gal airpump in my 53gal tank with my GSP it was too much power so i had to cut 1 line and put it into a 10gal tank below my 53gal tank and that tank is used for breeding snails for food. my puffer sure does love the bubbles though constantly swimming in them or hoovering over them and letting them push it up. I also got it because i am currently using a 15-20gal filter on this 53gal tank. the water is clear but i wanted to opt for more oxygen just in case. i also like how they look in an aquarium im not using any fancy airstones though i just have it in the corner.

[bertie 83]

Please consider a 60g tank will hold nothing close to 60g of water. I always allow 30% for displacement minimum, therefore a 100g will only hold about 70g of water etc. Just my OCD ways lol

[Pufferpunk]

Your 2, 1" GSPs will be fine in there for a while, at least until they are ~2". That way you'll have time to get everything together for their upgrade. I suggest going with a 75g or larger, especially if you are planning on adding any tank mates. Take some time to learn about keeping a marine tank. You may want to just set up their larger tank as SW.

[RTR]

Don't confuse "minimum" tank size with optimum tank size. IME, optimum tank size is at least 1.5x minimum and quite likely much larger than than that.