The Puffer Forum

and now I have research to do and questions to ask.

I just got back from the LFS. Not only did they hook me up on snails.... but, they offered me a deal on the MBU puffer that I've been watching and wishing I could have since I first discovered it. Here's the thing. We all know MBUs need a ton of EVERYTHING... So I'm just gonna lay it all out there.

I have access to a 130 us gallon tank. Since the MBU is about 3 inches or so.. without tail, would he be ok in there for a while? How long? I'm really just hoping to get him out of the LFS and into the care of someone who actually would care for him.

He's a bit thin, but is quite active. According to the guys at the LFS (who know I actually know a little about puffs), he wrecks and ravages snails and actively hunts any food they put in the tank. They said he's not big on feeders (fine by me), and has been treated with prazipro (or something close) and another one with an M... but he hasn't put on weight, nor did he pass any worms or anything of the like.

As far as setting up his tank -- if I would be able to take the fella -- could I over filter it to make up for the lack of space for the time being?

They said if I could find someone that would be able to take him and give him a good home, that person would be able to have the same deal they're offering me, so if this doesn't work out for me, and someone semi close by would like him, I'm sure we could work something out. I will not post how much online, since the guys at the LFS were really hush hush about it, I wouldn't want them to get in trouble.



Lay it on me, guys. Is this something that I can accomplish with what I have at hand, or should I just leave him be? Any and all ideas, comments, criticism, help is welcome..

thanks!

Hey lilgirlkat

Personally if it were me I would go for it, but you really need to be honest with yourself whether you're going to be able to provide a 1000usg tank in the future, if not that big I think Flashdan has his 18inch Bubba Mbu in a 8ftx3ftx2ft which is a very big tank but still possible to fit into most houses.

My Mbu Naboo is about 4inches including his tail fin and I have him in a 67usg tank. There's plenty of filteration so the Bioload is very stable and he has loads of room to maneuver/swim around in. If you're going to have your 3inch Mbu in a 130g tank that's already twice the size of mine and personally I'd say that's big enough for an 8 inch Mbu (again Flashdan is the person to talk to really as he already has 2 big Mbu's and so will be able to tell you what jumps in tank sizes his Mbus made as they grew)

If you've got some extra cash you could buy a cheap tank off craigeslist to use as a sump, this will give you more water to dilute the bio load as he gets bigger

I know I won't be able to give him the size tank he needs, but I'm hoping to donate him to the Shedd Aquarium in a few years. I'd really just like to have him and get him fat like my little guys now.

He seems so full of life, and really deserves more than what he has..

lilgirlkat wrote:I know I won't be able to give him the size tank he needs, but I'm hoping to donate him to the Shedd Aquarium in a few years. I'd really just like to have him and get him fat like my little guys now.

He seems so full of life, and really deserves more than what he has..

You could keep him for a while and do that but I garranty when it comes to giving him up you'll be so gutted to let him go

Maybe you could contact Shedd Aquarium now and ask them if they would purchase him for one of their big FW tanks

that's what I'm looking into right now.

I know how upset I'd be to give him up, since I've wanted him for so long, but I think the experience alone would be worth it... They're such cool fish!

lilgirlkat wrote:that's what I'm looking into right now.

I know how upset I'd be to give him up, since I've wanted him for so long, but I think the experience alone would be worth it... They're such cool fish!

If that's what you really want to do then do it, but like you've already said you're doing make sure that Shedd Aquarium will defenatley take him

dropped em an e-mail.. I'm sure I'll know soon.

Keep in mind that stunting is a possibility. If you find he's big enough that you have the need to overfiltrate for the bioload, then he's big enough that he needs to be moved.

I guess I need to know how long I'd be able to keep him in a 130 gallon. If it's a year or two, I'd be ok with that, just to get him out of his current life. He gets moved to different tanks on a weekly basis.. sometimes tanks as small as a 20 gallon. I can't bare to see him like that.. especially if I can get him healthy.

I don't know about mbu growth rates, but a fahaka grows about an inch a month, and I assume that a bigger fish would grow faster.

LilGreenPuffer wrote:I don't know about mbu growth rates, but a fahaka grows about an inch a month, and I assume that a bigger fish would grow faster.

I'm sure I've read that a Mbu also grows an inch a month for the first 12 months, saying that I'd say Naboo's grown 1 and a half inches in 3months, he's also filled out a lot though

id say go nuts. probably the best fish i have owned!

bubs is in a 8x3x2 and is about 18" now he is fine in there and is growing extremly slowly now. The pie i have had from june last year i got her at 1.5" now shes probably the 10" mark and is still in a 6x2 with 2 rays some acaras and geos oh and 14- 18 baby jag cichlids but as soon as they have a bit of size about them there moving. I will be moving cutie pie in the summer to a 8x3x2 // 8x2x2. Ive found that mbus usually grow about 1" a month for the first 14-15 months then they will grow very slowly bubba has done about 3" in a year but at one feeding he will have 2-3 shell on mussels and 2-3 king prawns once a week then every other day a few king prawns or scallops so hes not cheap. well worth having though especially if your after a sociable puffer. my two have been fine with everything ive put in. I was dubious with the rays as if the pie saw the baby rays thought she would think they are food in the sand but shes smarter than that.

oh another point the pie with cichlids and baby rays in 6x2 have a 4x18x18 sump with a sequence 10000 LPH return / overflow so they really need monset filters general rule is 4xtank vol per hour but i aim for 10x my 8x3 has 12000 lph sequences. certainly is costly i would suggest get the biggest tank you can afford now instead of later as moving large tanks (over 4x2) is a right pain the the backside!

you lost me when you started talking about sump sequences..

I don't even know what a sump looks like.. let alone setting one up and what I'd need to get started with it.


Honestly.. is setting this tank up gonna cost a TON of money? What about upkeep once it's up (not including feedings..)? And is it possible that this little guy is already stunted since he's been in such small tanks for quite some time?

stunted allready - I doubt it

sump sequences is just the turnover of water per hour. say you have a 1000L tank 4-7x water turnover through a sump / filter system is ideal...... errrrm as for setting up a large tank cost wise is pretty cheap. you can pick up a 8x2x2 for about £200 just buy a few breeze blocks to make a stand which will cost about 50p each // £20 for the lot. get a 4x18x18 ish sump and pipework another £100 and a good size pump to get the water back up top probably £100 again. then all you have to pay for is lights which are cheap for FW. I use 2x 5foot jewel I bars screwed to a lid which i got for £30 each.

If you can afford big setups the running cost is minimal my leccy bill with 5 tanks 3 of which are 6x2 - 8x3 costs about £60-80 a month so probably for one tank maybe £5-10 extra leccy to run it nothing major. Food is easy enough i have a culture of earth worms which breed, i breed crayfish and sumplient with frozen shell on mussel and king prawns from the local supermarket frozen section.

overall i think buying a 2nd hand large tank is about the same as buying a 4x2 because not many people want 8x3's even new you can pick 8x3s up for less than £600. Id always suggest getting the biggest setup possible and running before buying a mbu but you wont regret it