I've said before, I work at a LFS; the manager has no idea about puffers, about a month after I got hired, she ordered in 2 wild caught T. Ocellatus. They had been doing fairly well for a pair stuffed into a 20g tank.
Several months back, I won my months-long argument with the manager and finally got TWO fully grown T. Ocellatus transferred from a 20g to a 40g breeder tank with the company of a large Archer fish.
I also managed to raise the salinity from around 4ppt to 12ppt over the course of several weeks. This is an accomplishment to me, because I'd managed to keep two of them alive in what I could only call near-worst-case circumstances. I was not allowed to use marine salt, i was not allowed to take certain items from stock to make my job easier... About the only thing I did have on my side was a hefty bit of research on what they eat in the wild, so I was able to give them a diet rich in algae, bugs, frozen fish and marine inverts.
Then one beat the hell out of the other. The smaller of the two ended up dying.
Now, about a month and a half after that, the manager gives me two options. "Take him home/find a home for him" or "Write up the return to the supplier".
The surviving puff, now named Chubby, is going back to the supplier over my dead body. I've managed to keep him alive for 10 months.
I only have room for a 40g breeder tank though. (Measuring 36"x18"x16") This *should* provide more swimming room (floorspace) than a 55g which is taller than it is wide. (full half foot worth of extra floor space over a 55g)
Water changes/nitrate handling should not be a huge issue, but any tips you can give to help me care for Chubby will be greatly appreciated.
