New Figure 8 has arrived...

[Dan06]

And it's a large fig 8!

I'm a little concerned, as obviously my other Fig8 is much younger and much, much smaller.

The new F8 looks very healthy, I was actually surprised to see how healthy he looks. The LFS owner was shocked to see how large & healthy he was too. I spent about 2 1/2 hours acclimating him to 1.005.

I gave him a good 8 hours of darkness before turning the lights on. He's very active, very curious when I approach the tank. I've tried tossing him a couple frozen bloodworms & he does not acknowledge them at all. I've heard of people having trouble feeding their puffers food for the first few days & some never accept frozen food. I'm prepared to breed snails, but I know nothing about the breeding and how long it might take before I have any to feed...

I've heard of people feeding feeding SHRIMP (not brine) and Earthworms...both are readily available. The Earthworms would be coming from a baitshop.... I've heard of people feeding live crickets too, I could easily acquire these too...

Opinions? Ideas?

[Peregrine]

If you want to give snails a try...see if you LFS will give you some of the nusance snails that coming in with the aquatic plants...Good way to start a colony as well...(free if it is friendly store)

As for frozen food...I have never had any issues with mine eating frozen anything...if it moves in the current it gets bit and tasted.

Let him settle in for a couple of days...offer food but if he doesnt eat right away dont worry.

You can try soaking the food in garlic guard (from LFS) it seems to give food an irresistible scent...or if you want to try the shrimp thing...take a shrimp tail tie it to a thread and put it infront of your filter out put...they also seem to like moving targets.

Lastly you can use your fingers (if your brave) or a wood skewer (or something like tweezers)(a much better idea), to hold the food infront of it until it gets annoyed enough to take a bite

Crickets, worms, krill can all be fed as treats but no one thing should be the primary food...snails are best (imo) ...and should make up a fair majority of the feedings.

[Dan06]

Thanks, I appreciate your input greatly.

I love these forums!

My tank does have a decent current. I never thought of tossing the food into the current...I'll continue to drop a bloodworm or two into the tank.

My small puffer loved to tail around behind his old F8 tankmate. The big puffer doesn't seem to mind being followed everywhere he goes, but obviously they haven't established their territory yet. I hope they can get along together in the tank. It's heavily planted with plenty of nooks & crannies for each to call home..

Hey, as I'm typing this he just picked some blood worms up off the bottom of the tank.

[CoreyK]

He's pretty! How big is he?

[Dan06]

I'd say he's around 3 - 3 1/2 inches. The picture really does no justice for his size.

[Peregrine]

You got him from the LFS at 3" ...I havent seen many that big (sold in a store). He is a nice looking specimen.
Myself I generally get smaller/younger fish...they seem to transition better. The older ones seem set in their ways, and have more trouble adapting...but if he starts eating...that is most of the battle right there.

[CoreyK]

Good stuff.
I've never seen an adult figure 8... do they get bigger all around, like a GSP, or do they just get longer?
Ie., is a 3" figure 8 about the same size as a 3" GSP, or not as "full"?

[Dan06]

He's pretty thick.

The new fig8 is hungry now and eating some bloodworms. I only feed till their bellies are slightly round, but this new Fig8 has consumed quite a bit and he's yet to show it at all.

I can't seem to get a good photo. I've seen a coule tanks with Fig8's & I've never seen one this big.

[Boxermom]

Gorgeous!

[Dan06]

If I were to feed him shrimp, do I need to cook it at all? Or do I just thaw it and see if he will take it?

[Peregrine]

Shrimp as in cocktail shrimp?...dont cook it...thaw it yes..but that's it.
Either just get some prawns with the shell on...or do as I do....and get some cocktail shrimp (the kind with just the tails on) cut the shell covered tail off, tie it to a thread, put it in the current...and let him chase it...this way he has to work to get his meal...and bite through the shell to get at the meat

[Dan06]

Excellent. I figured you didn't have to prepare it at all..since there isn't any boiling occuring in the ocean. Just wanted to make sure. I appreciate your response!

[indie]

my lfs had a couple of big f8's in the shop a while ago. they look amazing when they are fully grown.
Does anyone know how long it takes for an inch and a half long puffer to get to full size?

[OraLacerta]

While I have no idea how long it takes a F8 to grow to full size, if it's any help I've had one of mine for over a year and she's now about 1" longer than she was (she's about 2 1/2" now). She has always been in a large enough tank with proper water conditions. If a figure eight were in freshwater and/or a tank smaller than a 15 gallon that would slow the growth down considerably.

I have seen several Figure Eights around 3 1/2" and they all seemed more sleek in appearance than their younger counterparts, not like bigger versions of a young plump puff (like those big-bodied mature GSPs). I believe RTR observed that with his Figure Eight specimens as well.

Nice puffer, glad he showed some curiosity with those blood worms, that's the first step! Keep tantalizing him with food, and maybe watching the other puff eat will give him the right idea.