The Puffer Forum

Does anyone here keep f8's with GSP's in the same tank? What would be the minimum size of tank if you do... I know they like slightly different sg but it would be kind of cool to have one of each if it was do-able...

Minimum tank size would be 45-50g. The thing is, they like *very* different SGs. F8s stay low, while GSPs need high brackish to marine. Plus, they usually don't get along, from what owners report.

I have a few GSP's in with my F8's in my 125 gallon tank. The tank is large enough they have there own space. My SG is 1.008 the tank will transition to a saltwater tank and the F-8's will move to my 30 gallon when that happens. I wouldnt keep them perminatly together.

The LFS near me seems to always keep them together. I don't know if they know the difference or not. The F8's always seem to be beat up. That's how I got my current F8's.

I just got a free 45 gallon tank, so I am trying to decide what i am going to do. Right now I have a 33 gallon community tank. I am switching a 25 gallon FW to brackish...but maybe I should switch the 33 gallon to brackish and keep the 45 as the community tank...do you think 2 f8's or 2 gsp's would do Ok in a 33 gallon?

Thanks
Jan

You could get away with two F8s in a 33G, but certainly not two GSPs in a 33G. And, as people have said, I wouldn't mix the two - they have wildly different SG requirements (particularly later on in life) and GSPs are typically more aggressive. They also grow ~twice the size.
GSP article in the 'pedia: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
F8 article in the 'pedia: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/

IHMO, it's best to not mix them at all. Not even for the short amount of time that they could live in the same SG. Especially not in tanks the size you have. In Drix's 125g, I could see that being okay, but it still will be very soon that it will be turning too high for F8s.

For your tanks, bodicea, I would not house them together at all. Two F8s would do great in the 33g. But, you could only have 1 GSP in there (30 is min. for them, right? can't remember off hand as never owned them). If you decide to switch the 25g instead, then I would only keep 1 F8. That's just my opinion based on the behavior of my F8s. I think that 30 really is the minimum for 2 F8s to be together.