The Puffer Forum

Hey guys,
I'm from germany, sorry for my bad english.

I do have a figure 8 puffer for about one week right now. He's about 1-1,5 inches tall living in a 20 gallon tank. Would you advise me any tankmates? Perhaps some other fish (gobies) or even a second f8 puffer? I think he is a little bit bored, pacing the glasses... The tank is well structured.
All in all he is healthy and eating very well. In one or two weeks I would like to add salt.
Is there anyone of you holding just one puffer alone?

Best,
Jessy

PS: some pictures:
http://www.aquarienzauber.de/images//pict6588.jpg
My puffer Muffin:
http://www.aquarienzauber.de/images//pict6578.jpg

They will do fine alone. If he's pacing the glass you need more decor for him to explore. He's bored. Make some caves, use some fake plants that he has to swim around to see the other side or just put a few more decorations for him to explore.
There are tankmates that you can put with him but I don't have a f8 so I will let someone else answer that question. (I think some people put mollies with their f8's)

Sorry, I should have looked at your picture first. Your tank looks great! I'll let someone else give you suggestions on tank mates.

awesome tank, I have 1 f8 ina tank alone and was going to add some bumblebee gobies to it. Another member also suggested some knight gobies

Hmm, for that size tank I would say no more F8s and no mollies. You could probably get about 5 bumblebee gobies. My F8 is in a 44 gallon tank with 8 bbgs and 5 mollies. They get along great, but they also have lots of room to get away from each other.

Your decor looks great! I'd say he's just fine without, F8s are more interactive with their owners if they are the only one in the tank. But if you want to add anything, the only fish I would add is bumblebee gobies or perhaps knight gobies (I don't know much about them, but I know some keep their F8 with them.)

Also, I'd add the marine salt as soon as possible. My F8s immediately looked better and swam around more as soon as I added marine salt (not aquarium salt which I started with.)

Hey!
Do you think the pufferfish NEED tankmates for company?
I don't want him to be bored, but ist seems like this because of his pacing....
I like the tank that empty...

Best,
Jessy

Have you read the F8 article in our Library? F8s actually live longest as singletons. You could add some BBGs but mine ate them. Wonderful-looking tank you have there! What is the specific gavity?

Hi!
Ther is no salt added since now. My puffer settles down since one week. In one or two weeks I would like to add salt, I hope the plants will survive, but thy should (java fern, java moss, vallisneria).

Thank you very much for your answers, in germany, there are very less people owning a pufferfish, so there's nobody to give an advice.
I think I will not add tankmates.

Best,
Jessy

One of the best advisors & Mentor here is Corvus, he is in Germany.

Hi!

Ich changed the set up of my tank to this:

http://www.aquarienzauber.de/images//pict6609.jpg

My F8 loves it more than before, his is almost not pacing the glasses anymore and develops everything.

I think, the most important is: Lot's of decor to explore and perhaps changing decor

Best,
Jessy

i have a fee bumblebee gobies with mine, they just stay at the bottom I dont think i'd add another f8 to mine either, shes too spoiled for a tankmate! I agree with alot of plants and hiding spaces your f8 will never get bored!!!

jessy, Beautiful tank!

Thank you!

Update:
Muffin becomes more and more tame. He comes to the front immediatly if he can see me. Yesterday he took some food out of my hand, that was great.
Furthermore he got a tankmate: a Neritina snail, and untill now he didn't touched her.

Best,
Jessy

I would totally go with some bumble bee gobies in there:D Also when you start to add marine salt you want to acheive an SG of about 1.005 and do this very slowly because if you raise it too fast you will kill off your bio in your filter. Also doing it slowly say over a month or even two you will give your plants a good chance to get used to the salt.