The Puffer Forum

That's because nobody sane actually cares about puffers. They are "off-limits" fish that are impossible to keep alive, and are aggressive and dangerous.

Nobody sane, Except for us, of course

I remember years ago when I was just getting into the hobby I never even knew freshwater puffers existed until my roommate came home with one. I don't even remember what kind it was. Maybe we should all get together and make a book and get it published for the people.

... I'm not sane.
... and neither am I.

Discus breeders do a minimum of 100% WC daily on their tanks, with an automatic WC system. I do weekly 90% WC on my discus tank & 75% on all my other tanks (other than SW). My tank water is about as close to fresh, clean, tap water as it gets!

fresh and clean don't belong in the same sentence as tap water. atleast not at my house. I drink it, but I treat everything before it goes in my tanks.

Yeah if you have discus you have to be prepared to change the water ALL THE TIME.
And I don't even drink the water here much less put it in any tanks.

We actually have pretty good water here in Chicago. I do treat with Prime.

I have that r/o unit so I don't have to worry about city water thank goodness.

Do you reconstitute it with a buffer/Osmo-Prep?

No. Why?

The Conversation
My Head

Get it?


And PufferPunk, you are truly blessed with the good water! My tap water would MURDERIZE all of my fish! (Except for those annoying Zebra Danios... Those things are impossible to kill)

RO water is stripped of all minerals that fish need to live & the pH is way off.

For the record I never used RO water, too expensive for me I don't think it is that necessary unless you tapwater is very poor indeed.

And yes I was doing up to 50% water changes every other day in the weeks before Clooney Died and the Nitrates were always above 160ppm, the test kit was not at fault as it recorded 5ppm on my planted tank at work.

I hope that my article which I ust got published in Practical fishkeeping magazinethis month will help to educate people about these fish. I was duped by my LFS into getting Clooney for my 5ft tank, they said it was plenty big enough. I always research my fish but when it comes to Mbu there is little reliable documented evidence out there. I think this is something that we need to collect over time to form a "general opinion" I would only respect any information that showed of a Mbu reaching at least 10 yeasr old in a home aquarium. Anything less and I would suggest that they have been stunted and suffered. I do not know of anyone getting an Mbu to that age but would love to hear from them if they have. Till then I will always defend my opinion that at least 500G is a minimum though ideally I would like to see them in a 1000G.

Fantastic, congrats! I'm glad you picked a UK mag, it seems there are a lot more of them sold around there.

thank you PP. I may plan to go "global" too though