Starting a new puffer habitat

[AoD669]

Hi,
I purchased a 10 gal aquarium about a month ago. I filled it with tap water, added water conditioner to remove the chlorine, started the filter and let everything run for the past four weeks. Unfortunately, when I asked the guy at the pet shop to help me prep my aquarium for F8 puffers, he sold me Nutrafin freshwater aquarium salt. I already put the salt in my aquarium, and only read later that brackish aquariums require sea salt, not freshwater salt. (I should have done my homework and read all this beforehand, but I was bright enough not to buy the fish until the tank was ready) Do I have to remove all the water and start a new cycle for my aquarium? Also, what is the amount of salt I should add to provide the best environment for F8 puffers? I was wondering if keeping two puffers would be acceptable in my tank or it is only big enough for one? I don't want him to be lonely so i'd like to get at least two fish... Any suggestions as to how to populate my aquarium (with both fish and plants)? Plus, I am wondering if I can raise the snails to feed them directly in the aquarium or if I need to breed them separately. Thanks a lot. Sorry I ask so many questions.

[mikeosoft]

I'll address your questions one at a time.

Q: I already put the salt in my aquarium, and only read later that brackish aquariums require sea salt, not freshwater salt. Do I have to remove all the water and start a new cycle for my aquarium?

A: By your mention of cycling, I'm guessing you are doing a fishless cycle by adding some sort of waste or ammonia? If not, look up fishless cycling in our library. You shouldn't have to restart this, I would just do some big water changes with sea salt (maybe like 50% per week).


Q: Also, what is the amount of salt I should add to provide the best environment for F8 puffers?

A: You should be measuring the salinity of the water by using a hydrometer (cheap at any LFS) or a refractometer (more expensive, more accurate). Shoot for a specific gravity of around 1.005-1.008 for a F8.


Q: I was wondering if keeping two puffers would be acceptable in my tank or it is only big enough for one? I don't want him to be lonely so i'd like to get at least two fish...

A: The recommended minimum tank size for a single F8 is 15 gallons. Your 10 gallon tank will probably be ok for a small F8, short term, but you should really get a bigger tank at some point. I would not get another puffer to mix with it. While many people feel that their puffer will ge lonely this is not true. Especially in a small tank, they will probably just fight and possibly injure or kill eachother. I'm keeping a single F8 in a 50 gallon tank, he's very active and interactive.


Q: Any suggestions as to how to populate my aquarium (with both fish and plants)?

A: Look in the brackish tank forum, there are some pretty good posts there with links to articles on keeping live plants in brackish tanks. It's a little harder to do, but it is certainly possible.


Q: Plus, I am wondering if I can raise the snails to feed them directly in the aquarium or if I need to breed them separately.

A: You'll need to breed them separately as your puffer will eat any and all snails in his tank (assuming they're not too big). There are a couple good articles in the library on breeding snails, it's really easy to do.


I hope this helps. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

[CoreyK]

It is believed that most puffer species are solitary in nature... which would actually make them much prefer not to have a tankmate.

If you're set on a Figure 8, I'd recommend returning the 10 gallon and getting at least a 15 gallon setup before you even start. It should be only marginally more expensive, and that way you don't need to deal with upgrading down the road, or worry about stunting the fish's growth.