Figure 8 Puffer Tank mates

[Matty P]

Just wondering what tank mates I could have in a 20 gallon (75 liter) with 1 Figure Eight Puffer.

[Woland]

I have tried several kinds of tank-mates successfully.
What salinity will the tank be at?

[Matty P]

Probably around 1.006

[Matty P]

I was also wondering what snails could tolerate brackish water (1.006) for keeping my F8's teeth under control?

[manutius]

as far as snails go you don't need to worry about their salt tolerance, the puffers should kill them before the salt does. Just don't put too many snails in at once and you should be fine

[Matty P]

OK, are there any snails in particular that are best suited for Figure 8 Pufferes, cos I have heard that Malysian Trumpets are to hard for F8s???

[manutius]

Thats right their shells are very hard and its been known that puffers cracked their teeth on them, any other snails, ramshorn are ideal ot pond snails. Ensure they come from pollution free environments though so the pond has to be free of chemicals and from an area where no pesticides have been used. You may be able to ask your LFS if you can pick some out of their tanks, I did this for Clooney when he was small enough to bother with snails.

[Matty P]

Cheers manutius,

Is it just adult F8s that need their teeth trimmed, or do all F8s need snails?

[manutius]

I would advise regulr feeidng of snails to keep the teeth trimmed, I know that SAP need trimming regularly as the teeth grow fast, not too sure about F8 though. Hopefully someone else will jump in on this

[Matty P]

Does anyone know roughly how often you should feed F8s with snails??

Daily, weekly, 3 times weekly????

[manutius]

I would say weekly should be a good way to start

[Matty P]

Does that apply to an F8 of any size or just smaller ones?

[Myaj]

Any size puffer will appreciate snails as often as you can feed them. That's why most of us keep a tank or two going just to breed snails.

[ash]

I have had my Fig 8 puffer now for 3 years.

I generally add snails (little round ones about the size of his eye and a little bigger) once every couple of months. I dont grow any in a special tank. I did try to but the malayasian trumpet snails took over! I get the snails whenever i visit the LFS to get other food and water treatments etc. The shop dont usually mind if i take a bag of 'pests' away from them. Even through feeding my puffer this small amount of snails i have never noticed his beak growing at all. I personally put this down to a couple of other factors (these are my theories and not facts)

1. The tank has a sand substrate, so when the puffer eats any bloodworm or other food from the bottom he generally gets a small amount of sand with it. This may help to wear down the growth to his beak.
2. I regularly feed him live river shrimp. Although they dont look very tough i can hear him crunching his way through them when i put them in. I guess this must help to wear down the beak also?

I was told when i bought the puffer that if the beak starts to grow he would have the sense to gnaw at some rock to wear it down - I dont really believe this! I know parrots do this but i seriously doubt puffers do!

Anyway, i really dont think that you need to worry too much about the wearing down of teeth. Unless if some puffers teeth grow quicker than others and my fish has slow growers! You never know!

[Nick]

Some definately are faster growing, f8's and gsp seem on the slow side, dwarfs are slowest of all, and sap seem to grow so fast and have such long beaks even on some fresh captured specimins overgrowth may be a cause of mortality in the wild.