F8 puffers in Reef tank!!!!!!!!

[untamed]

OK here is a new one....so used to LFS selling F8's as freshwater. A new all SW store just opened up here I was very surprised to see several F8 in a full saltwater tank. I said something to one of the workers and was told that they can be acclimated to full salt after adult hood. I some what trust this LFS they seem well educated, and every single fish in the store is happy and healthy! (what a nice change ) there info for my sw tank, has been correct. Well this kinda makes scene.....maybe why we have such a hard time breeding f8's they need full salt to breed??

I just started up a SW tank...in a nano cube
well now my mind is thinking about converting the puffers tank into SW...and all the possibilities there...and problems.

Has anyone tried this? Any thoughts?

[Boxermom]

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Vast experience by very long time F8 keepers has shown that they live longer and are healthier when kept in low end brackish.

[Nick]

I have also been told they are also totally FW fish in the wild - they just do better in brackish because of a number of factors, not limited to PH and buffering, so I doubt they will be stimulated to breed by full SW, though who really knows.

[untamed]

isnt the main focus of any tank to mimic the critters natural surrounding as much as possible?
Do any of you know anyone/websites who have studied f8's in the wild?


my puffers are still in low end brackish....I'm just curious. Not going to dump them into the reef tank... promise.

[Boxermom]

Nope, my goal is not to mimic natural conditions for them but to surpass their natural conditions, to provide as healthy an environment for them as possible to enable them to live as long as possible. Natural conditions tend to include parasites, lack of steady, varied diet, predators, etc. Not things I want to try to replicate in my house.

[Pandora114]

Nope, my goal is not to mimic natural conditions for them but to surpass their natural conditions, to provide as healthy an environment for them as possible to enable them to live as long as possible. Natural conditions tend to include parasites, lack of steady, varied diet, predators, etc. Not things I want to try to replicate in my house.

Not to mention pollution. I highly doubt a Sri-Lankan estuary is the paragon of clean when it comes to man made waste, industrial, farming or natural (untreated sewage anyone UGH) (I doubt ANY estuary is the paragon of clean when it comes to man made waste.)