The Puffer Forum

So where I work we started selling Puffers. Figure Eights, Dwarfs, and Leopards. I was wondering, what is the best to keep? In your opinion that is, what's your favorite?

My boyfriend actually has a 10gal with a Dwarf in it. But it always hides and just isn't that interesting. I really been enjoying the F8s at work.

Now, I am new to Brakish fish. I have some questions. We have had a 20gal setup for awhile and are thinking about F8s.

When you add salt for F8 is this Marine salt or Aquarium salt? Somone please explain this to me. At work, we add AS and it seems to be fine.

Also, how many can we have?

I know tank-mates are a big nono. But what kind of algae eatter do we use then?

The tank is heavly planted(live), is this bad also?

In a 20 you are better off with just one. You may be able to co-house ghost shrimp as scavengers, but they may well be eaten. Algae cleaning you will have to do yourself.

The plants will not do well or likely not even survive at F-8 specific gravity levels. They will be fine with DPs in FW though. DPs prefer densely planted tanks.

The salt must be marine mix. Aquarium salt makes salted FW, marine mix makes brackish water.

For all the details, see:

http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/ ... uffer.html

So maybe F8s are not a good idea?

What if we just get some more Dwarfs and put in the 20gal. Plants okay then? And how many would be able to live in this? Also, no need for Marine salt?

Aquarium salt makes salted FW, marine mix makes brackish water.

Well stated. I think I will copy that to my clipboard for future use.

I was just asking for help.

Not joke.

No joke, just a fact. There's a wonderful article on salt in our Library, along w/tons of other pufferinfo you could use.

Tink - you could safely put 5 Dwarfs in your 20 and plant like mad.

As for BW, it's not hard at all (marine mix and a hydrometer will get you going - Figure 8s are light BW fish who prefer an SG of 1.005). I love my figure 8. Plants don't do well in BW, but I've had duckweed (growing well), java moss (also growing well), and java fern (getting nipped like crazy by my figure 8, doing OK) in my brackish tank that has been set up since June.

Eric

I agree. DPs are a great first puffer, or extra puffers for experienced hobbyists, and are pure FW fish. F-8s in light BW are not hard with a crunchy diet, and are very long-lived smallish fish (they live as long as dogs, or longer).

I would go with a planted DP tank. You have so many more options as a beginer with them.