Moving Up To A 55g Brackish Tank

[mantisman856]

Hello All, after a 6 month internet hiatus, I'm back. BTW this "new" site looks great. After having my F8 for one year, he's now right at 2 3/4". He acts like a puppy when I get home and does the "feed me, feed me" routine. I currently have him in a 10g(I know larger is better), but he went from 1 1/2" to 2 3/4", so he did ok. Now, wanting what is best for BA(Bad Attitude), I am moving up to a 55g brackish setup.
My wife and I were looking at some fish from a dealer and we were wondering the following:
1. Would it be safe to introduce a F* of equal size at the same time we move BA into his new digs?
2. We wanted to put an orange chromide in as well for a "show fish". Is this safe?
3. Should we go with a standard gravel substrate or would a DSB work?(I prefer a DSB)
4. The 55g setup has a Fluval 404 canister, which is for a much larger tank. Is it too much current for the little hovercraft?
I figure you folks kept BA alive this long with your advice(synthetic sea salt not aquarium salt), so I would appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks, John
p.s. I forgot my old username/password

[Myaj]

Keep in mind he's going to need full marine pretty soon, so thinking about it that way, it would be a bad idea to get tankmates that probably won't fit in with the way the tank will end up. Either way, tankmates will always be a risk.. you never know if the puffer will chomp them one day.

I run the Fluval 404 on my 60 gallon tank, and I think its just fine. If anything, I'd like a little more flow on that tank, but its a goldfish tank. I definately don't think it will be too much for your puffer.

As far as the DSB, I have no clue.

[Raphael]

Myaj, Figure 8s stay brackish. I don't think that tankmates is a good idea either.

[Peregrine]

F8 full marine? Think that was an oops
Adding other F8's-IMO it is more a matter of personality--smaller aggressive ones could intimidate a larger docile one (but similar size introduced at the same time would be the safest, relatively speaking)

Other tank mates-also depends on personality
mine tend to be nippy..practically definned a pair of Colombian cat sharks 3x their size when I first got them, but lived with a blue crayfish with out incident (both less than Ideal arrangements, both since rectified)

DSB on a brackish tank? Would it be as effective as on a marine tank..or are puffers too messy requiring vacuuming and the possible release of H2S (that I would be interested to find out)

[Raphael]

BTW, when I said tankmates, I meant that you shouldn't put anything other that more F8s if anything. It is not guranteed that your F8 will get along with other F8s but it could be worth a try if you want.

[RTR]

For me, encouraging folks to house puffers w/other fish is poor advice, as the setup fails more often than it works. Feeding issues are standard, nipping issues almost as common, deaths not rare. Suggesting that such practice is "worth a try" IMHO & IME cruel and bad practice.

Repeat after me: "Puffers are not community fish. They are best kept on species tanks." Pretending that are potentially community does not make it so, and is at best kidding yourself. You can kid yourself all you want, but do not mislead others who are asking for advice with no background with these fish at all.

[lisalisa]

I believe he meant keeping more than one F8 together was 'worth a try'.

[Raphael]

I believe he meant keeping more than one F8 together was 'worth a try'.

Exactly what I meant.

[mantisman856]

I had him with a couple of Jack Dempsey's when I first got him(he was in fw at the LFS), while his tank was cycling. Since I have the 10g as a backup, I might try another F8. He was 1/8 the size of the Dempsey's and had them cowering in the corner when I finally moved him out. So, I guess he'll be in a species tank then. As always, the advice was spot on.



Thanks,