Setting Up a New Figure 8 Puffer Tank

The forum for puffers that either live or start in brackish biotopes: GSPs, F8s, Ceylons & more.
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Carla89
Puffer Fry
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:59 pm
Location (country): United States

Setting Up a New Figure 8 Puffer Tank

Post by Carla89 »

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum!! I recently came into possession of a Fluval Flex Aquarium 15 Gallon Tank (will upgrade when needed) and I would like to create a brackish tank for a Figure 8 Puffer. I have some questions regarding setting up the tank::

1) Do I need to get a second filter or can the one the comes in the tank be enough? (it is a 3 stage filter with mechanical (foam), chemical (carbon), and biological (BioMax) media). If I need a second filter what do you guys recommend?

2) Would sand be a good substrate or should I use gravel?

3) Can I use silk/plastic plants or do I have to use live plants?

4) How would I cycle a tank to become brackish?

5) How do I go about breeding snails to feed the puffer?

Thank you so much for helping me with my questions. I want to give the puffer the best possible tank I can.
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
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T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
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Re: Setting Up a New Figure 8 Puffer Tank

Post by Pufferpunk »

You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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thatmarinescienceguy
Puffer Fry
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:07 pm
My Puffers: Puff Puff McGuff... an F8 who lived in 15-18 ppt, 75g, solo, I had for 6 years who left me with the sweetest memories.. who was apparently a boy with, according to the Vet a big set of gonads.
Location (country): Florida, USA

Re: Setting Up a New Figure 8 Puffer Tank

Post by thatmarinescienceguy »

I had a male figure 8.. he lived in a 75g brackish alone (I'm unsure what the SG was, but it was always around 15-19 ppt, well with Buddy the hermit crab (which he decided not to eat after a few months of meeting him). I may have overfed him over the years.. but I also have a 75g planted freshwater aquarium with angelfish - I keep that one stocked with snails from local pet shops eager to get rid of them. My puff ate just about all the snails that 75 could ever hold. I had to pull snails just from the left side, so the lucky ones on the right could reproduce. Maybe the snails figured out my antics? I don't know. He eventually ate all the snails from the left side, so I had to start pulling from the right.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Setting Up a New Figure 8 Puffer Tank

Post by Pufferpunk »

How'd you know it was a male?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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