53G: 2xF8s, and what?

[coldmachineUK]

I have upgraded my F8 tank, which has arrived today. They'll be rehomed from their 36G to the new 53G.
At the moment there are two F8 and one female black molly which I rehomed in with them and who they tolerate. She will likely be rehoused at the same time as the F8s get moved to their new tank, leaving just the pair of them.

I originally asked here about the possibility of keeping a Ceylon with them both, but agree with the advice against doing so.

My question is: what options do I have for possible tankmates in their new setup?

Currently ruled out:
1. BBGs: I dispute the claim that these are suitable tankmates for any puffer, including the F8, because they are small and slow moving. Whether they are suited to the same conditions is moot, in my view. I keep several in another tank, so I am experienced with keeping them and with their habits/behaviour/needs.
2. Archer fish: the feeding requirements for these fish are likely to bring my puffers into contact with vectors of contamination (insects thrown in for the archerfish may have been exposed to pesticides or other toxins with which I am not prepared to allow my puffers to come in to contact). While archers take frozen food eventually, they really need their natural diet to be replicated.
3. Monos: these are an extremely large schooling fish, and need an aquarium to boot. They can clear four feet in a second or two; personally I don't agree with even keeping them in an indoor aquarium, but I know some have had success doing so. My tank is, however, nowhere near large enough to accommodate them.

So, with the 1.005SG environment in mind, and the above exclusions, any ideas? Seems an awful lot of space for two F8s! It works out as 100L per F8 (not that they are going to complain, of course!).

[smudger72]

From what I can see these are the options you have.
1. Bumblebee gobies- You could have lots of these and my F8's have left well alone,they are also good fun to watch.I know you have discounted these but they do seem to work.
2. Orange Chromides - Lovely fish only one male in a tank though. May work with F8's may not.
3. Knight Gobies - Again you could have a few in there just don't mix with Bumblebee Gobies as the BBG's will eventually become food for the Knights.
4. Wasp fish - I have 2 in my tank. Can't find a great deal of info on salinity but mine are at 1.004 and seem fine. F8's haven't bothered them at all.

The problem is that Puffers are a funny fish and if they take a dislike to any other fish there's nothing else to do but get the fish out of there.

Good luck with finding some tankmates.

[Agnate]

Personally, I don't see why you couldn't keep BBGs with the F8. I don't know about yours, but mine can be pretty fast when there's food involved or when they're chasing each other (as they seem to like doing that). They're also fairly aggressive when it comes to food, but not so much that they'll nip fins or disturb the F8, so they tend to coincide fairly well. I'm not trying to change your opinion, just thought I would discuss it. Also, with such a large tank for 2 F8s and tons of caves/plants/broken-lines-of-sight, the BBGs and F8s could easily stay away from each other, minimizing any potential aggression.

Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure what other brackish fish there actually are, let along which ones are compatible with puffers. Sorry!

[coldmachineUK]

Hmmm..knight gobies might do it! They're much bigger than the BBGs so I'd be more happy about trying that out with the F8s.
I'm not put off adding BBGs Agnate, I just know from having several in another tank that they're not particularly fast, and it wouldn't be at feeding time or during the daytime I'd be concerned; it'd be while they were inactive during dark hours, when the puffers are on the prowl, that they'd be at risk of a decent nip, and unfortunately a decent nip on a BBG is going to involve most of it.

My F8s are extremely peaceful, but that's now and that's with a molly, so BBGs are a whole other ball game. I've read extremely mixed reviews about the success rate of keeping BBGs with F8s, and I'm just really not sure I want to put it to the test.

As for the knight gobies, though, I do like the look of them. Reading up on them they also seem pretty active, which is good, and the colours aren't such that they'd detract from the centrepiece fish (i.e. the F8s). How good are they with conspecifics?

[coldmachineUK]

Also, does anyone know much about Bostrychus zonatus (Barred gudgeon/goby)? I have the option of obtaining some of these brackish fish, which I believe are about 5" in length usually. Don't know much about them though; would they be a contender?!

[Pufferpunk]

My F8s have eaten every BBG I put in w/them. You could try dragon gobies--neat fish! Article on them in our Library.

[Agnate]

I hope my future F8 doesn't eat my BBGs... that would make me sad, to say the least.

[coldmachineUK]

I've always been a bit intrigued by dragon gobies! They're so strange looking...sort of ugly, but sort of cool all at the same time. It would be a really neat contrast with my cute puffers! My only worry is that the substrate I have is crushed coral, and it's quite large sized pieces, so I'm not sure if a dragon goby would be ok with that: what do you think?

I'm really taken by the knight goby idea too: do you think a group of 4-6 would be ok? How are they with conspecifics?

[coldmachineUK]

I hope my future F8 doesn't eat my BBGs... that would make me sad, to say the least.

It's just a real random phenomenon, it seems, as to whether they'll tolerate BBGs as tankmates or not. From all the reports I've read I honestly have to say it seems split 50/50 as to whether it's a good idea or not. Most of the time people report initial success and then a month down the line they end up losing the BBGs. I think it's possibly because the F8s get bored of sharing the tank (i.e. they become less curious and more hungry ), or perhaps because they begin to see the BBGs as competition when it comes to food.

My F8s don't bother the black molly they currently share the tank with, but that's because she's quick, and won't have any messing from them. Of course, there's every chance they may one day turn around and decide enough is enough; 'tis the way of puffers, unfortunately.

But, I'd be more happy about introducing tankmates that aren't a neat bite size chunk of food

See how you go with the BBGs, but I guess the usual Plan B is always a good idea as people recommend: have a spare home for them on standby just in case...

[Pufferpunk]

My dragon seems fine sifting through the CC.

[pufferfreak]

how big do dragon gobies really get.

[coldmachineUK]

how big do dragon gobies really get.

Towards 14-16", so a little over a foot long.

[Hilly]

You had a look into Chromides at all?

[smudger72]

You had a look into Chromides at all?

I have four orange chromides and a green chromide in my puffertank. All lovely fish.
I will add though that one of the orange chromides has has had it's fin nipped

[coldmachineUK]

You had a look into Chromides at all?

I did look at them ages ago back when I first got the tank. I was really impressed with the orange chromide, but after seeing some pictures of 'real' tanks instead of promo shots they don't seem very colourful. The knight gobies, even though they're white, have that lovely pattern of dots. Just can't track them down anywhere at the minute I know Trimar has the chromides in stock though...so it's still an option