Wanting a F8 Puffer

[DieselJunki]

Hi everyone I'm new to this site! I have been reading about Dwarf Puffers and F8s for a couple weeks now trying to decide between which one I really wanted to get. I believe I have decided on F8s! I have never done a BW setup only a FW. I'm not new to fish but am still learning (I have 2 other small tanks). So I'll post you some info on what I have or am going to get or be doing to make sure I am giving my F8s a good happy life! I don't plan on going out right away to buy the F8s . . . I actually have never seen them in my LPS at all.


Things I Have:
• 40gal breeder tank (UNcycled, I will be doing a fishless cycle or trying to if I can get pure ammonia). Is it possible to have 3 F8s in this tank or is this to small?
• Marineland Emperor Bio Wheel Power Filter 400
• Visi-Therm Stealth 250W Heater
• Thermometer
• Playsand as a substrate
• Liquid Test Kit

Things I Need:
• Marine Salt
• Refractometer(that is if I can find one cheap off Ebay)
• Food (such as frozen blood worms, snails). I have an empty 10gallon tank that I was going to get some Ramshorn snails (it's impossible to find snails where I live so I'd have to order online and breed them myself) for because I hear they breed like wildfire.

The tank has been setup for a week now but has nothing in it because like I said I am going for a fishLESS cycle just workin on findin some pure ammonia.

The PH of my water reads around 7.6. I do not have a hardness test kit but have been looking for one.

Now for the questions.
• Should I ask whoever I order or get the F8s from what the salinity of their water is and match that in my tank(if there is a problem with the amount there being kept in lower it or higher it no more then .002 per week)?
• Should I start upping the salinity in the 40gal now (remember there are no fish in it) to make it 1.005 then start cycling my tank?
• If I end up upping the salinity of the water and then find out that it's different from who I'm ordering from is it easy to adjust without killing the good bacteria I have?
those are the questions that come to mind as of right now. I probably forgot to mention something but nothing is coming to mind right now.

Any input or changes I need to make. Maybe possibly have to add something. Please don't hold back!

Thank you for reading and helping!!

[Lil' Swimz$]

Wow! What a great first post! You sound like you know what your doing. Now, for the questions..

I'd say sure, but it really doesn't matter as long as you acclimate them properly to your new SG. (as long as its not FW)

Well, I've never done any BW, but I've heard people say its alot easier to cycle a tank when its in FW, so that's what I'd do. And while its cycling I'd look for a refractometer, I would not starting upping the SG until you get one.

Umm, I'm not quite understanding the last question..

Good luck!!

[LilGreenPuffer]

• If I end up upping the salinity of the water and then find out that it's different from who I'm ordering from is it easy to adjust without killing the good bacteria I have?

If you find out that it's different, don't worry. With a drip acclimation over a couple of hours, your fish will be fine with the salinity change. Actually, you'll probably find that the suppliers keep them in FW.

Welcome!

[DieselJunki]

Thank you for your reply's!

Swimz - I have been doing lots and lots of research. I'm probably going on the verge of obsessive research a little bit, haha.

So I should start and let the cycle finish before trying to up the salinity?
or
Should I up the salinity and then do the cycle?

If I let the cycle finish before upping the salinity should I still only up it .002 a week so I don't kill the good bacteria?

Also

I was wondering if I could keep 3 F8s in my 40gal. I know it's impossible to sex a F8 so I'm worried that if I get more then 1 male that they would be very aggressive toward each other.

Oh yes and my mother is very upset at the electric bill since getting this 250W heater hahaha.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Don't worry about the genders. Some puffers just don't play nice with others, but F8s tend to be more docile.

My suggestion is that you cycle it as freshwater, then get the F8 and raise the salinity from there. He's probably been in FW with the supplier anyway, and since they're often found in FW in the wild, it won't bother him.

[hali]

i cycled my tank FW put f8s in and 2 weeks later (yesturday started to make it BW) keep fingers crossed SG was 1.003 once i did the water change will take it up next week to 1.005 and then to 1.006.

i bought 3 F8s two get on very well (3rd Grumpy we have called him) is very nippy towards the others (am hoping BW might clam a little - i live in hope!!!!)

As for snails i have a little tank and bought some ramhorns from ebay (bought 40 chap gave me over 100!!!!!!) they are doing very welll and i have eggs everywhere!!!!

good luck x

[bazil323]

You could do 3 in there since you need 15g for the first and then 10 for each after, so you'd need at least 35g for 3 of them. Personally, I'd just do 2 of them and then get a bunch of bumblebee gobies for a little something different, but that's probably because my first one is rather shy. I just got a new one a couple weeks ago (going into main tank ~29th if still no signs of disease), and it seems to be more outgoing. My first one (Grun) was scared by all the pictures I was taking with flash when I first got him and then by hubby chasing him about the tank to make him puff up, which he never did (still hasn't to my knowledge). So, yeah, he's rightfully hesitant to make friends with me. As long as you don't try to blind him and such, yours should be fine, lol.

Anyway, good choice and thank you, thank you, thank you for doing your homework! It's so much easier when you find out all you can before making the leap. And yes, snails to breed like rabbits, and I like to have a colony simply to make sure that they are not carrying disease/parasites to my puffers. Just be sure to not overfeed them since that will encourage planaria which eat your snails eggs and can wipe out the tank if you're not careful (I wasn't). I'd say feed 3 times a week, and remove anything that is uneaten within 12-24 hours. Barebottom would probably be best for ease of cleaning, and you could have some anubias and/or Java fern on driftwood for places for the snails to graze on algae. Oh, and you could certainly raise cherry shrimp in the same tank to feed the puffer(s) as well. Msjinkzd on Aquaria Central has nice inverts for sale all the time, and she really knows what she's doing and will throw in pond snails and/or ramshorns if you ask for them. There are others on that site as well who sell pond or ramshorns, and other good places to look are Aquabid and Ebay. You really only need a few to get you started but might seem to take forever for the population to grow but getting a couple dozen will get you on a good headstart, and you can start feeding some right away.

[Pufferpunk]

Great responses on this thread, I'm soooo proud of the TPF posters!

[LilGreenPuffer]

Gee, PP, soon we won't need you anymore.

I second what bazil said about research. You'll find it a lot easier this way! Now you won't wind up like me, finding out too late that three GPSs don't belong in an uncycled 10g with tonic salt.

[Pufferpunk]

Gee, PP, soon we won't need you anymore.

That's the plan--got you guys trained good!

[Iliveinazoo]

• If I end up upping the salinity of the water and then find out that it's different from who I'm ordering from is it easy to adjust without killing the good bacteria I have?

Fish are less sensitive to salinity changes compared to filter/nitrifying bacteria so always go with drip acclimitisation over changing the salinity of your water. Keep a salinity change within SG0.002 and you'll be fine

[Lil' Swimz$]

Even me, PP?