Will my F8 really be happy in a 15 gallon tank?

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snail
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Will my F8 really be happy in a 15 gallon tank?

Post by snail »

I have a F8 puffer in a 27 gallon tank on his own, his tank mate died a couple of months ago. I'm thinking about moving him to a smaller tank to make room for other fish. I have a 15 gal tank empty which would be perfect (for me) but I'm worried that it won't give him enough space to be really happy plus he has been in the same tank for a few years will the move upset him? I know that 15 gallons is said to be an OK minimum for a single F8 but does anyone have any more thoughts?
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Boxermom
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Post by Boxermom »

IME, fish weren't happy when being moved from a larger environment into a smaller one, even if the smaller one was big enough to house them. I think they appreciate having the additional room. I imagine it would be like living in a large house, then having to move into a 1 bedroom apartment. Sure, its sufficient but you wouldn't be all that happy.
Tina

Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
snail
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Post by snail »

Maybe I'm just stuck with him in the big tank. It's just that the tank seems so empty with only him and I didn't really want to get tank mates for him. I do want him to be happy. Any one else have any thoughts?
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Post by RTR »

One question would be the relation of the footprints of the two tanks, and will you be moving all the dcor over as is, or doing differnt decor?

I have no problems with a 15 as adequate housing for an F-8, but if the fish has been in much larger footprint tank for any period of time alone and actually uses the whole space, I probably would not downsize the beast. A 15 is a valid minimum, but that does not say that it is an optimum.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
snail
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Post by snail »

I would move most of the decor over to the smaller tank, at least his favorite bits, they won't all fit. One thing that makes me think that he might be okay with a smaller tank is that he favors one end of the tank he is in, spending at least 80% of the time in one half. He is unlike his tank mate who recently died in this regard she was much more active and interested in exploring. (I say he and she but really have no idea)
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