Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

The forum for puffers that either live or start in brackish biotopes: GSPs, F8s, Ceylons & more.
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dpmom
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Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
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Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

Hey, everyone. I recently came across a puffer in need and wanted some advice from you guys. Here's the deal -

His current situation -
1 gallon bowl
Monthly water changes (it's a miracle he's alive)
Freshwater
1" nose to tail

What I have available -
Established and cycled 10 gallon
Water change capabilities

I can get salt and a hydrometer within a month, if not sooner. I only have $6 right now unless you guys know of somewhere I can get a hydrometer and a bag of salt for that shipped it'll have to wait until we can see if we can afford a small bag of salt at Walmart and find a hydrometer somewhere. I do have a refund for a shipping mishap coming from UPS so I will have $30 to work with here soon.

Questions -
Is clean fresh water better than brackish right now?
Will a 10 gallon suffice for a 1" puffer until I can grab a bigger tank off craigslist or the $1/gallon sale?
Are pond snails a good food source for trimming his teeth?
How do I go about making the tank brackish without destroying my media?
Do I need RO water or can I just use my tap water?
Can I leave the driftwood that's currently in the tank in there and just get fake plants?

I really want to help this little dude before it's too late but I also don't want to put him in another bad situation. Please advise, TPF! I need your help!

Regards,
dpmom
Last edited by dpmom on Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pufferpunk
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Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
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Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
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Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by Pufferpunk »

Aww... poor fella! By all means, put him in FW for now. Anything is better!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

Okay. He has to be shipped, which makes me nervous not knowing his condition or having seen photos but I am going to do what I can for the little guy. Thank you for the quick response, hopefully some care info (aside from PufferPedia) pops up soon!

Edited to add - He should be here on Wednesday.
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by Pufferpunk »

Have you seen our Library???
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

No, I'll go check it out now. Maybe it will have some of the answers I'm looking for.
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martini57
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Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by martini57 »

Go online and check out all the pet retailers on the web, if you sign up for there emails they usually give you coupons which will help with cost. In addition, the prices are cheaper than pet stores and sometimes Walmart. Amazon is also a good place,mespecially if you have a prime account. I would check pet mountain , thatpetplace, etc. discount pet stores online as a google search turns up some good results
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dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

Upon reading this article -
The Figure Eight Puffer; Colorful, Comical, Compact Fish

I did have one question answered -
Do I need RO water or can I just use my tap water?
Thankfully, my tap pH is high and stable so I won't need to switch to aragonite or crushed coral. I can keep my current inert sand/gravel mixture. I have reduced the amount in the tank (partially because I needed some for my newly set up betta/ADF tank) seeing as there will no longer be live plants in it. I sold them finally and it is to my findings that these fish will tear them to pieces anyways. I may leave a little java moss and fern in to see how they do, however.

As I am unsure of his bioload vs the bioload of the fish in the tank at the moment (which will be re-homed on Tuesday alongside the plants) I will be dosing Prime at 2 drops/gallon every day and doing two 50% water changes a week, more if there is a need. I'll use 2-3 shrimp pellets to keep my cycle going while the other fish are gone. I still have my otos, however. Will he eat them? I know they won't convert to brackish and honestly, if he decides they look good, by all means, he can eat to his hearts content so long as he's eating after the home he was kept in.

Thankfully I do have melafix on hand just in case as I have no idea what this puffer will look like. What is best for treating internal parasites?

Will a swing-arm hydrometer be okay for such a low SG? I paid a lot for shipping and asked that he was sent on Tuesday because I won't be here and I was told he'll get shipped Monday and get here Wednesday or Thursday... Hopefully I get a tracking number and can run home Tuesday if need be. That's a long time in a box but these people are looking for profit at this point, no a healthy life for their puffer. :(
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by Pufferpunk »

Tap water is fine but the pH of your tap may change--I still suggest using aragonite to keep the pH STABLE & the water hard. You can do this down the road, when you can afford it. Hydrometer is OK but see if you can calibrate it against a calibrated refractometer, at your LFS. Good article on IPs in our Library.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

Our water is already hard 8.2-8.4 is the only change we get from tap to gassed-off water.
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RTR
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Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by RTR »

If you opt for a hydrometer, make sure it will read low density BW. Not all models do that.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
User avatar
dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

Based on what I have been reading, I was planning on an Instant Ocean.
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dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

Ladybird (her unofficial name) should be shipping to me today. I hope she makes the trip and I get a tracking number.. I have a sinking feeling she's going to get here tomorrow while I'm gone and I'm going to have to drive all the way back home to get her.
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User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by Pufferpunk »

Can you have them hold her at the shipping facility?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
User avatar
dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

The current owners weren't even willing to have me send more money for overnight shipping. I already paid them $40 to send her to me in the first place, I just hope she gets here okay. They say she'll be here Wednesday or Thursday. :censored:
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dpmom
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:00 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: .
1 Figure Eight Puffer (Kai)

Non-Puffers:
1 Male Betta (Cricket)
2 African Dwarf Frogs
2 Otocinclus Catfish
5 Red Ramshorn Snails
Location (country): USA
Location: Delcambre, Louisiana
Contact:

Re: Possible Figure 8 Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) Rescue

Post by dpmom »

I got an e-mail at 11pm last night saying he was shipped and estimated arrival was on Wednesday.
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