The Puffer Forum

Cool Reef wrote:What is everyones take on the pictures?
Setup? Reefs color? The live rock? Where Reef has been hiding? Is that normal for him to hide?

Do you think he misses his former owner?

Update: Reef came out and was swimming around right before we left. We had turned the light off. Is he going to tend to hide when the light is on and comeout when it is dark? That would explain why he has been hiding all morning, because the light was on all morning too!

As far as the setup goes, you really need a bigger tank. 100 gallons is the minimum, and bigger is always better.

Hiding can be very normal. I highly doubt he misses his other owner. They will know a person, yes, so it may take him some time to adjust to you guys, but he will be fine; give him time. The move has probably stressed him out is all. It's hard to judge his colors unless you have a before picture of him, as well.

There is speculation that you shouldn't wear red colors around them cause it frightens them, but that's about it.

Just give him time to adjust and he will become more personable with you guys. Try to sometimes sit NEAR the tank, but not with your faces right against it or anything. Just have chairs about 10 feet away, and don't WATCH him with all your might or anything, just be there so he can watch you at times and try to get used to you. Once he realizes you guys feed him, he will love you.

Definitely get a test kit and get your parameters in check. Also, what was his previous SG at?

Nuclear_Glitter wrote:There is speculation that you shouldn't wear red colors around them cause it frightens them, but that's about it.

This makes sense as I noticed my GSP's seem to hate me being around when I wear a red shirt.

sgtmyers88 wrote:

Nuclear_Glitter wrote:There is speculation that you shouldn't wear red colors around them cause it frightens them, but that's about it.

This makes sense as I noticed my GSP's seem to hate me being around when I wear a red shirt.

Yeah, it seems quite a few people have noticed this. Some people also have trouble with pink, because it's so close to red.

Nuclear_Glitter wrote:

sgtmyers88 wrote:

Nuclear_Glitter wrote:There is speculation that you shouldn't wear red colors around them cause it frightens them, but that's about it.

This makes sense as I noticed my GSP's seem to hate me being around when I wear a red shirt.

Yeah, it seems quite a few people have noticed this. Some people also have trouble with pink, because it's so close to red.

I was drying myself with a 'MANLY' bright pink towel once and walked by my puffer tank and the puffer totally freaked, zoomed all round the tank banging into the glass and then hid.

Arny wrote:I was drying myself with a 'MANLY' bright pink towel once and walked by my puffer tank and the puffer totally freaked, zoomed all round the tank banging into the glass and then hid.

Lol. Your MANLY bright pink towel.

You sure he didn't freak out because you only had a towel on? "OMG, really?! Go put some clothes on!!"
I mean, it'd be understandable since puffers don't have eyelids and can't close their eyes.

Arny wrote:I was drying myself with a 'MANLY' bright pink towel once and walked by my puffer tank and the puffer totally freaked, zoomed all round the tank banging into the glass and then hid.

Lol. Afraid you're going to drop that towel at anytime.

Salinity is the same as he has been living in, got water tested. Everything was in check but pH was a little low at 7.9 we will just add salt RO water to the sump rather than fresh as the evap takes place.

Got a test kit, and picked up some more live rock (totally cured out of the display case like recommended) to increase the rock ratio like you told us to.

Replaced the carbon filter, and the phosphate bag, replaced the sump filter and the sponge.

Reef ate two clams on the half shell, but he just ate the meat, there was no chewing on the shell to grind teeth. What does everyone recommend to ensure proper girding is occurring?

Finally, Reef has been scraping his teeth on the glass a lot and looks almost angry when he does it. It this normal behavior?

Thanks all!

If you are using RO water that that could be the reason for the lower ph. Most seas salts has buffers added and should do the job and aragonite sand is also a great natural buffer. And why are you using carbon in a SW tank? SW tanks dont need carbon because it has been known to remove trace elements and such.

Cool Reef wrote:Salinity is the same as he has been living in, got water tested. Everything was in check but pH was a little low at 7.9 we will just add salt RO water to the sump rather than fresh as the evap takes place.

Got a test kit, and picked up some more live rock (totally cured out of the display case like recommended) to increase the rock ratio like you told us to.

Replaced the carbon filter, and the phosphate bag, replaced the sump filter and the sponge.

Reef ate two clams on the half shell, but he just ate the meat, there was no chewing on the shell to grind teeth. What does everyone recommend to ensure proper girding is occurring?

Finally, Reef has been scraping his teeth on the glass a lot and looks almost angry when he does it. It this normal behavior?

Thanks all!

Well, 1.018 (or even 1.020) isn't quite ocean salinity. You may want to bring it up to 1.023 at the least (Do this over a couple of weeks so you don't shock anything). What sort of test kit did you get? You need to check your water yourself, the LFS (local fish store) is crap most of the time when it comes to everything. How many pounds of liverock do you have now? Also, it may not have been a good idea to just dump local fish store liverock into your tank, as it may has diseases/parasites on it. This is why I recommended the site that sold the dry rock and a bottle of Dr. Tims. What sort of filter are you using in the sump and what sort of media do you have in it? Changing all that stuff out at once may not have been the best idea.

Try to get him to eat some sort of crab or snails for more crunch. He may have always scraped his teeth on the glass, who knows. It could be a way to beg for food, or he may feel his teeth are too long. Try not to think he's angry or mad at you guys, cause I'm sure he's not.

You guys are doing a great job for beginners and I am sure this is a very stressful situation for you, so I want to say keep up the excellent work.

Read the directions of your testing kit VERY carefully, then do your own test and post us the results, that way we can all help you further.

Again, good job guys and keep up the excellent work! =]

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote:If you are using RO water that that could be the reason for the lower ph. Most seas salts has buffers added and should do the job and aragonite sand is also a great natural buffer. And why are you using carbon in a SW tank? SW tanks dont need carbon because it has been known to remove trace elements and such.

Everything you just wrote is totally wrong. RO water IS what you want to use for top-offs. Carbon does not remove trace elements & is very beneficial in SW/reef tanks.

Please do not concern yourself with pH. And adding salt is not the best way to raise it. You are also raising the salinity. Give the fish a chance to settle in--it's in basically, a "new" environment.

Pufferpunk wrote:

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote:If you are using RO water that that could be the reason for the lower ph. Most seas salts has buffers added and should do the job and aragonite sand is also a great natural buffer. And why are you using carbon in a SW tank? SW tanks dont need carbon because it has been known to remove trace elements and such.

Everything you just wrote is totally wrong. RO water IS what you want to use for top-offs. Carbon does not remove trace elements & is very beneficial in SW/reef tanks.

Please do not concern yourself with pH. And adding salt is not the best way to raise it. You are also raising the salinity. Give the fish a chance to settle in--it's in basically, a "new" environment.

Now this must be new to me. Never heard that carbon was needed in a SW tank. Articles over the years claimed that carbon removed trace elements. But I have not had a SW tank for years so this is new news to me..lol And I was told that RO water lowers ph if not treated with a buffer and this is also new to me. I wish all the so called experts make up their minds over the years..lol Sorry that I gave wrong info. Oh and btw, I think the salinity is a bit low for that dogface, imo.

RO water is the exact same product that has evaporated from the tank--nothing more. I use carbon/Purigen in all my reef tanks.

Pufferpunk wrote:RO water is the exact same product that has evaporated from the tank--nothing more. I use carbon/Purigen in all my reef tanks.

Im talking about reverse osmosis treated water (filtered water). Are we talking about the same thing? And Seachem Purigen is good for the tanks since I like Seachem products....

Yes, I use RODI water for topping off all my tanks.