The Puffer Forum

Pufferpunk wrote:Why for a few weeks?

Isn't quarantine supposed to be for a few weeks?

If not, I don't have a problem adding him/her to the tank sooner. Just was my understanding that was time it would take for any diseases and such to show. Also, I wanted the puffer to be the last added to the tank and was really wanting to try a clownfish(or pair) as well so I wouldn't want to add him/her immediately, give bacteria chance to build up as well.

According to the site he/she would be anywhere between 1.5-3inches.

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/Whitebelly ... _1766.html

Oh, and in about two weeks I'll have my skimmer, which I'm sure would help in the main tank as well.

And one more thing. Any experience with this puffer? I'm not finding a whole lot of information on this specific species.

LOL, ok I wasn't considering QT. I never QT anything but that's just me.

Pufferpunk wrote:LOL, ok I wasn't considering QT. I never QT anything but that's just me.

I didn't quarantine the starry blenny but he was the only one in the tank and still is for over a month now I think. No issues with him at all and he proved to be hardier than I expected after surviving a power outage.

I don't exactly want to quarantine, I mean I'd rather have the fish in the main tank for the space and everything, but I'm kinda afraid not to and introduce something undesired. I'm more worried about this with a puffer though over other fish, like the clowns, since they seem more prone to diseases.

Would a 10 gallon be too small for a puffer of that size for lets say, 4 weeks max, and hopefully earlier?

Not just quarantine being the issue but more so wanting the puffer added last and wanting to add clownfish first. Hopefully help with any potential aggression issues.

10g should hold him but if you are to do a serious QT, it should be for a month. Lots of SW available for daily WC, too.

Pufferpunk wrote:10g should hold him but if you are to do a serious QT, it should be for a month. Lots of SW available for daily WC, too.

Thanks.

I can do a month and that would actually help out in terms of him being the last in the tank. I was just worried about that small of a space. I certainly didn't plan on getting the puffer just yet but I hate to pass him up while he's available. I already know my LFS can't get me one.

Water changes because of the size of the tank, potential cycling, both? In terms of setting up a tank, regarding the bacteria and such, could I take some sand/rock out of my main tank to help in that manner? I need to look more into setting up a quarantine tank, haven't really yet.

Most don't use any LS/LR in a QT, because if you have to go hypo or add meds, it'll crash the bacteria.

Pufferpunk wrote:Most don't use any LS/LR in a QT, because if you have to go hypo or add meds, it'll crash the bacteria.

Yea I knew if meds would need to be used that could cause some problems there. Just thought it might be worth the risk to help with some sort of a cycle.

I'm just worried about basically cycling with a fish in the tank during it. I'm assuming Prime would be about all I could do here?

I was thinking maybe a HOB filter for bacteria but I know that could build up nitrates and would have to be cleaned so often it would pretty much be useless right?

As I mentioned, large daily WC are the mode of keeping a healthy QT, so the ammonia/nitrite doesn't build up in there.
I believe this article is written for FW but you can search for countless ones on SW QT.
library/hospital/qtine/

Pufferpunk wrote:As I mentioned, large daily WC are the mode of keeping a healthy QT, so the ammonia/nitrite doesn't build up in there.
I believe this article is written for FW but you can search for countless ones on SW QT.
library/hospital/qtine/

Thank you. I actually read that article last night after my last reply and just now finished reading what topics came up when I searched for quarantine.

I did finally get a reply from saltwaterfish.com in response to my email. I was told that they are a puffer they get in stock on a regular basis so I shouldn't have an issue getting one whenever I'm ready. It just seemed they were a little hard to come by as I hadn't seen them in stock elsewhere and they just now got them in stock yesterday on their site.

One more thing. I'd like opinions on the stocking. I understand minimums given for each fish but am unsure of how exactly to go about it when adding tankmates.

So this is what I am looking to have in the tank (60 gallon, 75lbs rock, Octopus skimmer rated for 100 gallons)

Max sizes listed are from Live Aquaria

(1) Bennett's Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster bennetti) Max size: 4inches
(2) Ocellaris Clownfish, Tank Bred (Amphiprion ocellaris) Max size: 3inches
(1) Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus) (have) Max size: 5 1/2inches


Am I stocked with this list? I definitely do not want to overstock and these are the fish I really want in the tank. If there was 'room' I am interested in adding a small goby or small wrasse (like max 3inches) but I definitely don't want to add more than the tank can handle and affect the water quality. Thought the wrasse would be a nice fish that would be out in the open and eat leftovers from the puffers meal and would help in that sort, the gobies I just like. Just want to make sure I go about this the right way as I'm still learning.

Oh, and I do have 10 more pounds of live rock coming. I also think I am going to pick up a couple pieces from my LFS as they look real nice with coraline algae growth.

You are good with the ones you picked out. Your tank will not be stable until all fish are max size. I know many hobbyist who would not risk it by adding more fish when corals are growing all and tank is stable. These people are really into corals.

You just have to take the risk and see what happens. I think I would add the wrasse if fish is my top priority. If your water quality is not good enough for sps or lps, then it would still be good for many softies (generaly)

Terrance wrote:You are good with the ones you picked out. Your tank will not be stable until all fish are max size. I know many hobbyist who would not risk it by adding more fish when corals are growing all and tank is stable. These people are really into corals.

You just have to take the risk and see what happens. I think I would add the wrasse if fish is my top priority. If your water quality is not good enough for sps or lps, then it would still be good for many softies (generaly)

I guess I would consider the fish my top priority, a lot of the reason I don't want to overstock obviously, as that is why I set up the tank. I know I have since then decided that I want to have a couple corals, let them grow out, but just a few softies for the most part. I know I won't be getting any SPS but I would like a frogspawn as far as LPS is concerned.

I'm a little confused with your statement 'your tank will not be stable until all fish are maz size.' If the only fish I want in the tank are added when they are small and with time in between wouldn't it remain relatively stable as the bacteria would adjust as the fish grow? I mean that it wouldn't become unstable just because they are full grown so long as I keep up with water changes and monitoring parameters to adjust if needed as they grow. And the issue here being the nitrates correct?

I know I'll have to keep up with checking water parameters for a bit to see what works best for the tank in terms up keeping the nitrates really low, frequency of water changes that work best with my tank, and that the nitrates need to be low for the corals, even more than fish.

I have not heard good things about that supplier--sick/dying fish shipped out, incorrect ID, etc. I much prefer: www.bluezooaquatics.com.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have trouble explaining this.. So here goes.

Its kind of like putting a GSP in a 20g of water. We would say its not enough water to handle the bioload over the course of the GSP's life. For 20g, it can handle the very young GSP temporarily, but it will not sustain as the GSP grows bigger. I think all the adult version of your puffer, 2 clowns, and blenny is pretty safe and comfortable. Another fish added makes me feel a little nervous, so I wouldn't say I'm entirely certain that the tank will be comfortably sustained. Well maybe not after seeing that the fish in question is max size 3 inches like you said. Its all the uncertainties that make this hobby difficult by creating problems down the road. This is why many reef hobbyist tend not to push their luck by adding more fish to their reef tank, but the temptation of adding another beautiful fish will always be there. Also you might want to wait until you see something you drool over before you add too many

I think all hobbyist will have differing opinions about your tank be comfortably stocked or may be pushing your limits too much.

Pufferpunk wrote:I have not heard good things about that supplier--sick/dying fish shipped out, incorrect ID, etc. I much prefer: http://www.bluezooaquatics.com.

Are you referring to saltwaterfish.com?