Hey, so I recently got a Figure 8 puffer (no name yet).. he's in a 10 gallon at the moment and was going to be transfered into my dads 115 gallon when it was cycled, but that plan changed as he now wants Discus so I'm going to buy a new tank for myself.
It will be about 30 gallons + (not sure yet) .. on the PufferPedia it says they need about 15 gallons for one.
So I was just wondering how many could go into a 30, 2 I'm guessing, is 3 pushing it? and are figure 8's ok being with other figure 8's / with other fish?
Also if I don't get another puffer, what other brackish fish would you suggest could live happily with the figure 8 (if any)?
I have two F8s in a 30 gallon "long". The rule is 15 for the first and 10 for each additional. I don't think I'd chance 3. It also depends on introducing them at the same time- then hoping they'll get along. Pretty much they do but you just never know. Their SG is at 1.008. Every other living thing that I've put in the tank with any F8s has been eaten. (Except the dragon goby- he held his own nicely- but the tank was too small for him alone nevermind with two F8s.)
"Puffs puff cuz they're puffs cuz they puff cuz they're puffs. - Nathan age 12
Some of us disagree very strongly with that "rule". NIMFT. If one F-8 needs 15 gallons minimum, the a second in the same tank needs at least that and will be better with more than that. Plus make very sure the tank setup is visually complex with interrupted sight lines and rest/sleep areas "private" from those of tankmates.
You are looking at 15 or more years of running that that tank. Make your life easier long-term by doing it right initially. "Minimum" does not have at all the same meaning as "optimum". Think about it. Crowded fish, especially crowded hunter-predators, do not necessarily play well with others, and I would never consider operating a minimum or less-than-minimum tank for such fish.
Plus another non-trivial factor to adding a second fish to a tank with an established hunter-predator is that the established fish has already occupied the full tank. The newcomer is an alien invading the fish's territory. My experience with attempting such tells me that the chance of success is less than 1 in 5. The odds are that the newcomer will be definned at best, dead at the worst.
The best chance of co-housing hunter-predators is getting the fish together from the LFS and always keeping them together. and also allowing at least a larger footprint per fish than the minimum tank size for a singleton. That would call for a 33XL or 40-long minimum for two. You could still stand about a 50:50 chance of having the separate the fish after puberty.
Yeh I understand lets say then I get a 40 or 50 gallon .. I'm not sure yet it just depends what I can find for a good price.
If I set it up running for about a month with no fish in and cycle it.. then go to the LFS and buy another figure 8 and put them into the new tank together at the same time, is that better because neither have been in the new tank or still risky because they where still not together before that (I hope that makes sence >_<)
I have been meaning to post about this elsewhere- in fact, I have- but with these pictures.
A tank is a puffer's whole world- its their "house", their "yard", their air. Not only does size affect how far they can swim, but, as someone here once said, "Would you like to live in a closet?" You control the quality of what they eat, the chemicals in their water. They also poop in their tank- then breathe and eat the water that is contaminated by it. Pufferpunk's famous signature sums it up: "Dilution is the solution to polution. You must do water changes,...." The more water/bigger tank you have for your puffer, the better off these conditions are.
So I asked a friend to make these for me. Which sum up the image in my mind:
"Puffs puff cuz they're puffs cuz they puff cuz they're puffs. - Nathan age 12
Oh don't worry I do crazy water changes, like 1 a day at the moment.. sometimes 2 if I see any nitrate or ammonia or anything. I'm just worried about the territorial issues.
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept: T lineatus T miurus A modestus T biocellatus C valentini C coranata C papuan C lorteti DPs suvattii burrfish T niphobles
Used 55 gallon tanks(use the same hoods and stands as 40 longs and 33xl) are often so cheap used, there is no reason not to snoop for them for the many possibilities they offer vs the "stubby" tanks.
No matter how magnificent your successes or devastating your failures, the worlds' approximately 5 billion impoverished people could not possibly care less.
My grandad bought a tank a few weeks ago because he wanted a big piranha and now apparently isn't sure if he can be bothered with it all so I might be getting that tank.. I think it's about 30 gallons maybe a little more.
How does everyone think Bumblebee gobies would be in there? I'm not sure how big they grow I just heard of a few successful brackish tanks with gobies and a F8 puffer.
is 30 too small for gobies in there? and if it is should I get another puffer or just keep my 1?
Oh also Pufferpunk if you see this I've seen a photo you posted on forum (the one with pink/blue gravel I think) and theres a root/cave in there on the left..
is that a mangrove root ?
I was going to get bogwood sort of stuff but my dad said it can turn your water dirty looking.. I like how yours is a nice light colour, i've not seen one like that in my LFS.
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept: T lineatus T miurus A modestus T biocellatus C valentini C coranata C papuan C lorteti DPs suvattii burrfish T niphobles
