THinking of getting a Figure Eight puffer

[MaelStrom]

Ok well as the title says, Im thinking of getting a Figure eight puffer as my first puffer and brackish fish. What would be the minimum tank size for a single F8 ? This is my first brackish tank, so would the only changes (compared to a FW tank) be the fact that I cant use live plants and that i would need to use a spcial substrate(I have read to use calcium carbonate) to attain a raised pH(and of course brackish water )? I have also read that they can live in freshwater, is this true? Is there any good articles on them that i should read?
EDIT: I know this varies between idividuals, but are they usually pretty active and personable?

[Boxermom]

Figure 8s are almost all active, and all puffers are personable. There are great articles in our library, that's the first place you should start.

[MaelStrom]

Oh in one of the articles, it says the Figure Eight puffers can be kept in groups, requring around 10-15 gallons per fish. Could I house two F8 in a single 20 gallon long?30X12X12

[Boxermom]

No, you would need a minimum of 25g for two, larger is better to have a better chance of lessening any aggression/territoriality issues. Our recommendation is 15g for one, 10g for each additional F8.

[Nick]

They do just as well or better as single fish, but are one of the most group tolerent of puffers, its south american puffers than thrive best in groups. They may be captured from fresh water, but you should not keep them in it. They live much longer, healthier lives in low brackish, perhaps because they are so easily poisoned by nitrates, which are less toxic in brackish, or perhaps because the hardness and buffering simulate something other than salt from their natural enviroment. Nobody is quite sure, but what is for sure is that for some reason in aquaria you just can't keep fresh water nontoxic enough for their long term health. If I were you, I'd put one F8 and 3 bumble bee gobies in that 20, thats just the right size for that stock of fish, and the gobies are actually pretty fun in and of themselves.

[MaelStrom]

Thanks for the help! What do you recommend for substrate to keep the pH up? Also since they require snails, what kind would you recommend? I know ramshorn are the most common, but where I work we have Mystery Snails(I think thats what they are, not a hundred % sure though). Would they work? Bumblebee gobies sound good too.

[MaelStrom]

Oh also when i go to pick a puffer, what should I check for? Should i just make sure hes fins are nice, active, alert, ect.?

Edit: Oh also( I know, a lot of questions ) what happened to all of the snail breeding articles? I have found links to ones by Rocker and RTR here but the links seem to be dead. There is one other article but it isnt very in depth...

[Myaj]

All articles are in the Library, look at the top of the page, under the "Learn" tab.

Rocker's article:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... -breeding/