Giving up on F8's

[Sterling]

Hi everybody

So I've been keeping puffers for a while including GSP, DPs, F8 and Abeis. Each kind in their own tank.
But
I've decided to give up on the F8's, I currently have one about 6cm. Bought him a month ago from a friend. I have tried many times in different tanks to raise younger F8's but they all wither away within a few weeks. My other puffers are all doing well and are a nice and fat. I've tried different salinities, size tanks, diets, solitary and in a group but all the same. I've used metro and other types of anti parasitics. Now I don't know if it is something I'm doing wrong or if the stock being imported is not well?

The big F8 I have is currently in a 4ft tank, temp 25-26C and SG 1.005 with a bunch of guppies which was originally there for the eel (which I sold) and so far he is doing very well.

Is it just me or are F8's more difficult?

[Pufferpunk]

I have kept them for years. Never lost one.

[RTR]

I have kept quite a number of F-8s, and like Pufferpunk have found them quite easy and relatively long-lived.

Puffers wasting away sound to me like diet, parasite problems, conflict with tankmates, or water problems.

Have you treated any of these fish for intestinal parasites. It has been well over a decade since I have purchased any F-8s, so I'm not familiar with current imports. Some years back, these were only rarely bothered by intestinal or somatic parasites.

[Pufferpunk]

Sure sounds like IPs. You said you've used metro and other types of anti parasitics. Have you soaked their food in it or just put into the water?
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/

[Sterling]

Used it in the food. Other food include bloodworms, mussles, snails, poly something, lance fish, clams, krill. The other fish including the baby guppies are fine. I've kept them singly and in a group same results. Once had success with keeping them with my GSPs but then moved to another tank thats when things went down hill.