New to Puffers . Help me SAPS

[brenolg]

Aquarium: 80 cm / 40 cm / 30 cm = 80 litros
Water: Ammonia 0 / Titrite 0 / PH : 6.8
Equipment: Thermostat, 2 kg CO2 cylinder, Cannister Hehein 2217 for 500 litros
Substratum: Basalt with inert fertile substrate
Fauna : 8 x Hemigrammus rhodostomus,3 x Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, 10 x Paracheirodon axelrodi, 2 x Pangio kuhlii ,a lot of ramshroms and some Pomacea bridgesii

So where do I start : / . I read little about the SAPS and I saw that they are not so easy as described in the Brazilian sites. Before anyone speaks I have no problem with the teething problem and I am able to make changes for the better in the aquarium.

I bought 6 SAPS on Thursday unfortunately 2 died because they jumped out of the aquarium : / .

I know that the base of his food would be the snails, but someday they will accept food?

I do not see them eating and even showing interest in the livings snails or the broken ones that I offer. They leave traces that they ate like a shell or something? I observe fewer snails in the aquarium did the SAPS ate them or the snails hid themselves in? Bloodworms are good?

They showed no interest in turtle food that has mostly dried shrimps and some fish dried. Could it be because this ration has fish?

They swim mainly on the back of the aquarium occasionally coming in front of the aquarium is this normal?

Sorry for my English. It is not my first language. Please help me because here in Brazil despite the origin of Colomesus asellus nobody knows how to create them

[Pufferpunk]

I hope the 1st thing you have done is add a good cover to your tank?
I am sorry to inform you that your tank was already fully stocked before you bought the puffers. They require 15 gallons (57 liters) each without any extra tank mates.

Please read: library/puffers-in-focus/sap/
library/hospital/dentistry/

[brenolg]

The cover has already been ordered and I always leave the aquarium covered.

I'll donate the fish only keping my ramirezi and kuhlii. Its thath ok ?

Wath about my food issues ?

[RTR]

+1 to Pufferpunk's comments above. Puffers generally are quite demanding on space and generally do far better in basically species tanks with plenty of swimming room and visually complex set-ups. For six SAPs, I would likely have used a 120 US gallon well-planted tank.

[Pufferpunk]

As far as food--it will probably be difficult to get as many snails as 4 puffers will need to eat, so just figure on doing dentistry every 4 months. Try offering them live blackworms or maybe they'd eat frozen. But your real issue is the tank size. Like RTR stated, you're going to need a MUCH larger (& longer) tank for 4 of these puffers.

[brenolg]

Ok I will remove some of the fauna and SAPS.

Still on food in Brazil we do not have blackworms but we have Bloodworm which would be a mosquito larva. Can it be?

About the snails they really are eating even though I do not watch.The snails were small but if I offer adults ramshroms and Pomacea bridgesiis they are still able to eat?

[Pufferpunk]

Bloodworms are fine, too.

[bertie 83]

I would never consider anything shorter than 5foot for these guys, they use every inch even with serious flow. They are impossible to keep happy in small tanks, no matter how complex the environment.

[RTR]

Unfortunately, I have to agree w/bertie. To me, the ideal SAP tank is a US 180, 2x2x6 feet, connected to two each 75 US gallon veggie filters on opposite light cycles. That is a lot of tank for 5-6 smallish fish (plus a few Otoes).