what puffer is right for me?

[sean w]

whats going on guys,

been a member here for a long time, used to keep a tank of Dwarf puffers in a heavily planted 10 gallon tank. i just couldnt remember my login info to save my life, so i started a new account.

ANNYYWAYYYY

like i said i used to keep a 10gallon tank with 3 DPs in it, that was great and all, they lived for about 3 years, good intro to puffers... when they all died i kinda drifted away from keeping an aquarium. also, i got a job at the LFS, when you clean 50 tanks a day, the last thing you want to do is come home and clean yours, never turn your hobby into a job, it will quickly not be your hobby anymore lol.

here is what my heavily planted 10 gallon DP tank looked like:




its been about 4 years since ive had an aquarium, and i think id like to get back into it. i just bought a 30 Gallon cube, it came with a stand and light fixture and a filter for a 55 Gallon tank, i like the filter cause it has a flow control valve on it... never seen that before. at least thats what i think it is.

BUT here is the reason i am posting...

i LOVE GSPs.... but i am deathly afraid of salt water ( brackish included)... id REALLY REALLY like to stay away from it. This next tank i setup is going to be mostly rock deco, with a couple tall plastic plants for contrast.

Another thing i dont like about GSPs is that they have beaks that i have to constantly maintain by giving them shellfish. i HATE having snails in my tank.

so, i am looking for a fresh water puffer fish, that has great color, doesnt have a beak and isnt a bottom dweller/burrower...


readddyyyy.... go!

[scpion]

The only ones I can think of that does not have the beak "problem" would be DPs and the red eye red tail.. Other than that, u probably have to look for one at the toy store..

[Corvus]

I had to cut the teeth of 3 C. irrubesco over the years, although there were plenty of various snails available in their tanks.

[scpion]

So, that would mean the toy store then...

[Corvus]

If I read it right, he's got 30 gallons, so some Monotrete species come to my mind... abei, cochinchinensis maybe... They are a little (just a little) more active than arrowheads, though.

[scpion]

He didn't wan any that have beaks though.. yeah maybe some fish eaters.

[Flutter]

They're teeth I think the only ones that would have an issue would be the piscivores or DPs.

[sean w]

alright so there isnt much of an option for me with a fresh water. ill just have to eduacte my self and be able to maintain a brackish tank for a GSP.

can anyone point me in the direction of a good " How to " setup guide for a brackish tank?

[Pufferpunk]

Look at the stickys in the Brackish Tanks & BW Puffer forums.

[Corvus]

I never had problems with overgrown teeth of abei or cochinchinensis, anyone else?

I think you have some freshwater options.

Anyway, you could also have 1-2 T. biocellatus in your planned 30 gallon tank. Lower end brackish (1.003-1.005) is almost like freshwater except the little salt you add and the density you measure and potentially correct. You'll also have less options with regard to plants.