New to puffers but have fallen in love!

[Daisy]

Hi folks, I've been reading posts and this seems like a great forum. I don't have a puffer yet, but that will soon be remedied! I have been keeping fish tanks for years and currently have a freshwater planted and a marine reef tank. I have always wanted to try my hand at brackish, and I think I've fallen in love with puffers after seeing a tank full of them at the fish store in the last few weeks.

I first thought of a GSP but I have decided a figure 8 will probably be a better choice for me. I have 15 gal cycled tank (currently housing 3 guppies) that I'm thinking of putting my first puffer in. I've already got aragonite sand in the tank (we have extremely soft water so I wanted to buffer it for the guppies). The fish store has their F8's in fresh water so I'm thinking I'll start with FW and gradually increase the salinity. The guppies will be moved elsewhere so they aren't the puffer's first meal here!

Anyway, I wanted to say hi and I'm going to be doing a lot of reading up on puffers!

[I.Puff.Too]

Figure 8 puffers are low-end brackish fish, who do best with an SG of 1.003-1.006. The lower end of that range is when using aragonite sand, which you already use. If the tank is already cycled no point in dropping it back down to FW, just drip acclimate the fish, and he'll be fine.

Others will chime in with more info I'm sure. Good Luck!

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Figure 8 puffers are low-end brackish fish, who do best with an SG of 1.003-1.006. The lower end of that range is when using aragonite sand, which you already use. If the tank is already cycled no point in dropping it back down to FW, just drip acclimate the fish, and he'll be fine.

Others will chime in with more info I'm sure. Good Luck!

I don't think her tank is brackish yet. I think she's just saying that she will keep it FW for adding the fish.

When you increase the salinity do it by no more than .02 per week. You may be able to get away going all the way up to .03 without shocking your system, but I think that'd depend on how long it's been properly cycled.

Welcome to the forum and the world of puffer keeping. They're like chips though, you can't have just one lol. They're truly addictive things. Congrats on researching before buying, too. It will really help you in the long run. =]

[Pufferpunk]

library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19348

[bertie 83]

Welcome

[Pufftastic]

F8s are my very favorite puffers. Colorful, active, friendly, and just plain fun to keep. One would be very happy in your 15 gallon. Welcome to the world of puffers!

[Flutter]

Welcome! F8's are my favourite puffer as well

[I.Puff.Too]

Figure 8 puffers are low-end brackish fish, who do best with an SG of 1.003-1.006. The lower end of that range is when using aragonite sand, which you already use. If the tank is already cycled no point in dropping it back down to FW, just drip acclimate the fish, and he'll be fine.

Others will chime in with more info I'm sure. Good Luck!

I don't think her tank is brackish yet. I think she's just saying that she will keep it FW for adding the fish.

When you increase the salinity do it by no more than .02 per week. You may be able to get away going all the way up to .03 without shocking your system, but I think that'd depend on how long it's been properly cycled.

Welcome to the forum and the world of puffer keeping. They're like chips though, you can't have just one lol. They're truly addictive things. Congrats on researching before buying, too. It will really help you in the long run. =]

Lol. At second glance, I misread it. Meh.

[sgtmyers88]

Welcome Aboard. Please read my signature below. lol

[RTR]

F-8s are my favorite puffer also. I think that is common to many of us.

[Daisy]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

My 15 gallon is indeed still FW but has aragonite sand. I confirmed with my fish store that their F8's are currently in FW. I can't wait to add a puffer of my very own! I have no doubt they will be addictive since I already have "multiple tank syndrome". Maybe once I get my feet wet (ha ha) with puffers I can think about another, bigger full marine tank for a GSP......or some of those really cute tiny dwarf puffers.......

So my plan this week is to move the guppies out of the 15 gallon and get ready for "Puff".

Thanks again for saying hi and I can't wait to keeping reading up on puffers!

[Master of Puffers]

F-8s were the starting point for me too. They have bags of personality for such smallish puffers.

[Daisy]

Hi everyone! I haven't been back in a few weeks but I am getting close to getting my puffer! I had a change in plans about my 15 gallon since I got a stand that fits my 20H. So I have set that up with aragonite sand and it is hopefully done cycling (fingers crossed, going to check parameters tonight!). I have fake wood and real java fern and anubias for now....we'll see how they do down the road as the tank becomes brackish. I am concerned about the filter though. I have an AC 50 on the tank now and it's not exactly creating a lot of water flow. At least as far I as I can tell. I would really like a canister filter 'but it's not in the budget yet. I'm wondering if an AC70 would be better for the time being. I use one on my reef tank for mechanical and chemical filtration, but of course I have live rock and powerheads in there as well so that's probably different.

Does anyone have any advice on filter/water flow? I will be searching for some threads as well. I can't wait to have a puffer, but I want to make everything perfect first.

PS I am doing a fishless cycle, so nobody is in the tank yet!

[Pufferpunk]

I was thinkng the AC 70 would be better. Heck, I have a 110 on my 20L, with a single Congo in there.

[JRC3]

Good job taking your time. And also going for the 20g high tank. If you already have the AC50 I don't see why that would not work as that would be a good 10x filter, though the AC70 would be better as PP said.

Good luck.