Setting Up F8 Aquarium

migs · Post by **migs** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:04 pm

Hello everyone... I am new to this forum and very thankful there is a puffer forum. I bit of background, I have been keeping reef tanks and freshwater tank (cichlids) for several years... however, I want to change my freshwater setup as breeding and keeping chichlids is too easy and want something different and cooler... thus a puffer!

After doing some research, I decided I wanted to setup a F8 aquarium. I am looking for a small foot print as it is going in my home office... here are some thoughts:
- Single F8
- Bumblebee gobies
- Olive snails

I am trying to decide between get a new 14 gal Biocube or just reusing my old 30 gal cichlid tank... any suggestions? would you recommend one F8 or 2?

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:10 pm

15g is the minimum recommended for a single F8, so if you want more inhabitants than that, go with the 30g.
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

migs · Post by **migs** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:31 pm

So if i go 30 gal... is there another puffer, in your experience, that would have more personality than an F8? GSP, SAP, Fahaka (hehe)?

sevenyearnight · Post by **sevenyearnight** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:47 pm

Dude, you know a 30 g isn't appropriate for a fahaka. That's just goofy. Figure 8 puffers are wonderful, beautiful fish. You will love them.

migs · Post by **migs** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:53 pm

haha... I know... that is with I quantified it with a (hehe)... very cool and aggressive fish but not for a 30g... realistically looking at GSP, SAP, or F8...

Flutter · Post by **Flutter** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 2:32 pm

SAPs don't have much personality IME. My F8 is full of personality and that 30gal is probably too small for a GSP.

migs · Post by **migs** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 2:59 pm

Would you recommend 1 or 2 F8s in a 30? I have read that it us fine to do multiples early on but they do better alone as adults.

Flutter · Post by **Flutter** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:11 pm

Ultimately the fish will do better if kept alone however a 30gal is large enough for 2 so it is up to you. You could keep 2 healthy in there long term. I think they're more social when they're kept alone though. Hopefully someone who has kept them in a pair will share their experiences

I only have experience with a singleton.

migs · Post by **migs** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 7:39 pm

Thank you for all the information. Looks like a 30 gal planted aquarium with foam backdrop, cave, and singleton F8 it is!

sevenyearnight · Post by **sevenyearnight** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:34 pm

I know about the hehes, hence the goofy comment.

I know you said you had been researching.
I mean, everyone knows they get so lonely and would need at least a group of 5 which would be perfect in a 30 g (I kid, I kid!)

Post by **RTR** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:40 pm

As you are new to site I will warn you that I am very conservative on housing fish. Plus I think that I can say that I have as much if not more experience with F-8s than anyone else I know or have heard about.

That said, to me 15 is the bare minimum for an F-8, period. 2 square feet, nominal 15 gallons, and nothing else. A 20-long would be minimum and I would not use it myself, for the f-8, gobies and snails. If you want the little gobies and snails, a 15 is not nearly big enough. If you want 2 F-8s, a 30-long is not big enough to me - that is 3 square feet, only half again the 15's footprint. I would go with a 40-long, which should do for the two puffers (maybe) plus some BBGs and Nerites. The "maybe" is because there is no guarantee of long-term compatibility with co-housing any puffers. Post-puberty,any of them may become hyperdominant and require solitary housing.

The PufferPedia give absolute minimum housing. That is for a bare-bones operation. If I am setting a tank which should run for 15-20 or more years, I really do not need or want it to be bare bones. I would prefer that it be at least middle of the road if not luxury living.

HTH

JRC3 · Post by **JRC3** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:22 am

In the 30g I would say a single F8 and a gang of at least 5 BBGs would be perfect...And a few ghost shrimp too.

I have nerites but I have yet to try them in the F8 tank...I think I know the result.

Good luck.

Here are a few vids from a 29g to a 46g with my F8 and BBGs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu6_2n2vzRY

migs · Post by **migs** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:25 pm

I will be converting my freshwater cichlid tank over to brackish... any recommendations on:
- keeping argonite sand bed?
- using RO water vs tap water?

I used tap water for cichlids - although our water is good, it is harder with all the limestone around... perfect for cichlids, but was not sure about F8s... any experiences or suggestions?

Flutter · Post by **Flutter** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:30 pm

Use an aragonite substance and use your tap water

F8's do best in water with high TDS.

landon · Post by **landon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:34 pm

ive got 3 f8s in a 29 gallon for a couple years now and they have been together from the beginning and they all get along great and the 29g seems to be enough room. i wouldnt go any less than that but i think what i have is good enough. ill post some pics soon

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