10 gallon tank

[moh]

Hey guys - I know the puffer pedia says F8s need a 15 gallon tank. Im wondering though.. is there any brackish puffer I could keep in a 10 gallon tank? I really wanted an f8 and was told a 10 would be fine so now Im not sure.

[Welch4]

I really wanted a green spotted puffer and was told it was OK in a 5 gallon. A couple thousand dollars later he is properly housed in a 40 long full marine mixed reef tank..... to the extent of my knowledge there is not a puffer that fits your criteria. The only species OK in a ten gallon would be a dp and they are fully fresh. As far as sizing recommendations I would ignore anything you don't read here.

[Hillehaus]

Ha! That sounds like my experience as well. Suuure, my 29 gallon brackish will be fine for the life of a GSP... ... ...It now lives in a 40g Breeder...then it was FOWLR will be fine. Wait, now I have corals too?

[moh]

Well guys I had bought a 15 gallon long tank for an f8. And then realized how difficult brackish is gonna be. So figured a fangs should be ok somce the fish are the same size and my 15 long has the same footprint as a 20, but youre saying thats a no go. Ugh. I bought the tank but dont want plain fish. I want a puffer. Already have 3 dwarves that I loooove

[TheStig]

Be it fish, dog, parrot, horse, etc... when I take on the responsibility of pet ownership, I always look at what is best for my animal, not what I want. And just like any animal in captivity, I always go w/ bigger is best.

My amazon parrot is in a macaw-sized cage, and she uses every inch of it. As does my lesser-sulphur cockatoo. Cld they be housed in smaller enclosures? Sure, there's that 'minimum'. But why? I believe in go big, or go home in these situations. But everyone has their own thoughts on pet-keeping.

Planning and research helps, cos it goes a long way in making the best decision. I'm ages away, but I already am planning on at least a 40 gal (marine) for my GSP. The LFS an hour from me has GSPs in full marine, so it works out perfectly.

[Blinkey]

Moh, are you sure that brackish is too complicated for you? It really isn't that difficult, just takes a wee bit of research is all.

I currently have a 15.5 gal with a fig 8. I am planning to upgrade the aquarium to a 22 gal, not only for the puffer, but also so that I can use the previous tank for a community tank.
I live a relatively busy life and even sometimes go overseas for my studies, yet I still manage fine with water changes and salt handling. I wouldn't let that aspect of keeping a brackish tank prevent you from owning such an awesome fish.

[moh]

TheStig, yes I agree about pet keeping. I used to have a cockatiel in a cage meant for a cockatoo. I get it. I am just wondering about boundaries here. I could understand if I was asking to keep a huge fish in a small tank, but I was wondering about a small fish in a tank that they could freely move around in amd explore. I understand the bioload is a concern, but over filtration can help combat that. Since I posted this post about the 10 gallon Ive came to my sense that it was a bad question. However I now have a 15 long with the same footprint as a 20 high and think I may do a fangs puffer.

Blinkey, Im not good at measuring/mixing things. Plus I dont know how to use a refractometer thing, and would feel better venturing into brackish with a species of fish that is hardier and can withstand some minor mistakes (as Im sure theyll happen) without harming the fish.

[Blinkey]

Well, it sounds like you have made your mind up. But remember that you don't have to do this alone, everyone here can help you to understand how to go about things. I wish you the best of luck though, with whatever you decide to keep.

[moh]

Okay, so say I go brackish (undecided - still waiting on landlord approval as well for another tank.. didnt think she would have a concern but said she wants to think about it)

Anyway, so say I set up this 15 gallon long and make it brackish, how do I know how much salt to put in to get it to the correct salinity? 1.003 would be ideal, yes? How do hydrometers work? Is it a nessecity to have a powerhead? If I do a single F8, can I house 3 or 4 mollies with it? I would have a HOB filter for filtration.

[Blinkey]

You can calculate it by hand, or you could use this wonderful online calculator: http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calc ... ulator.php
It is what I personally use and have always had my salinity bang on 1.005 sg.
I would also invest if I were you in a cheap electronic kitchen scale to accurately weigh out salt for each waterchange. Someone else could help you with the hydrometer, as I am not familiar with them (I use a refractometer). If you can spare the cash for a refractometer I would highly recommend it, but a hydrometer should be okay for low level salt.
As long as your tank has adequate circulation and surface agitation from your filter outlet, I wouldn't be concerned with a powerhead. Pick one up though if you don't think there is enough circulation or that there are deadspots.

I would say that a 15 gal is too small to include any mollies as tankmates. You could however, try 2-3 bumblebee gobys like I have. I so far have had no aggression issues of any kind, and have also heard much shared success from other people.

[moh]

Thanks Blinkey! I do love the bb gobies, their little cranky faces! I thought I was going to get a refractometer if I do brackish, but that would have to wait a little while. Thanks for the suggestion on the kitchen scale, Im still doing research and any advice to make brackish seem easier will make my decision easier. As for the powerhead, I havent read any deciding factor on current for an F8, so they like high current? Ill be doing fake plants in sand in this tank (except for maybe a floating plant).. so the powerhead may throw them around a little but thatd be okay, I can rerrange them if needed

As for brackish - there is another post on here Im hoping to get more feedback on. I think you replied to it, about the hardness of the water. Im now just as worried about the ph in that tank as I am my freshwater. The reason I started considering brackish vs freshwater is that I figured my ph is already high so thats one less concern.. but if salt is going to raise the ph anymore, then Im going to have to do RO in this tank as well to help keep the ph down :/

[moh]

Are there any small butrowing fish that would do well with a F8 to help stir the sand if I setup my 15 gallon as a brackish tank?

[Pufferpunk]

15g is only large enough for a single F8, no tank mates. Just stir the substrate by hand. Have you looked into other Carinotetraodon or Auriglobus species? Perfect for your-sized tank: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/

[Hillehaus]

Moh, you stated earlier that you asked a "bad question" re: can I have a F8 in 10 gallon tank. This is not a bad question. It is a great question. I will show you the difference between what you asked and a "bad question".

Good question: "Is there any brackish puffer I could keep in a 10 gallon tank?"

Bad question: "I bought a F8 for my 10 gallon tank because I wanted one. That's cool, right? Well it's gonna have to be because that's what I bought."

There is a big difference between the two

[moh]

Pufferpunk, Thanks for the advice on no tank mates. Im still so undecided. I really dont want to be a bad puffer owner by any means and I only have the 15 long to use. Ive been researching brackish and it seems so difficult. Letting the water air overnight with the salt will be difficult because thats yet another 'tank' of water (at least in my boyfriends perspective who just doesnt understand the addiction). And Ive never done brackish so it scares me. Ive onky had tanks for a few months and still learning so much simply about freshwater. I have 3 dwarves already in my 20 high and looooooove them!! Not a fan of the plain golden puffers, they arent active and remind me of goldfish.. if I can find a fangs I want one so bad and then over filter. The footprint is the same but I do understand there is 4 inches in height/5 gallons of water difference.

Hillehaus, thanks It just seems now like its certainly something I shouldve just known. I was so certain brackish wouldnt be any more difficult (didnt realize the mkxing process was so thorough) when I posted this. Now Im scared of getting an f8 and hurting it.