The Puffer Forum

Hi,
I have been thinking about getting a puffer. I have kept salt water puffers before and currently have a 175g community tank. Wanted to get a Mbu puffer but I don't have a spare 1000g tank lying around. After researching, it seams like a Fahaka or Cross River (good luck!) is what I am looking for. I have a great place in my house where I could put a 30" x 30" x 30" cube tank but I wanted to know if that would be an acceptable housing for a puffer that could grow to 18". The gallonage (125g) is correct, but is the shape okay?

Nothing is set in stone, I haven't purchased a tank or a puffer yet. I want to get all the facts before diving in. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Matt

wouldn't leave a lot of room for exploration (imo), id go with a longer tank,

I agree. Filbert's tank is 72" across & he likes to stroll the length of it.

Pufferpunk wrote:I agree. Filbert's tank is 72" across & he likes to stroll the length of it.

PP--Are you sure Filbert isn't looking for an exit off that disco dance floor?

well, not the reply I was hoping for. I kept a 10" red devil in a 55g hexagon tank and that guy just loved to go up and down. Was hoping the fahaka was similar in demeanor. On to plan B!

Pufferpunk--I wish you were in so cal, I have over 100lbs of natural color gravel I would give you just so I dont have to look at "the disco dance floor"

It's not that I can't afford it... just the huge PITA it would be to replace all that.

I kept a 10" red devil in a 55g hexagon tank and that guy just loved to go up and down.

Not the normal swimming pattern for this species.

OK, I am about to come across (again) as hard nosed and unsympathetic - which is untrue. I am highly sympathetic ... to the fish. I have one carved-in-stone rule for fish-keeping (learned through 50+ years of making all the mistakes in the book and few not listed) and that is: "If I cannot do it right, I will not do it at all."

There are a lot of fish that I would love to own, but know that I never will, because I cannot or will not provide what they need to proper, not just endure.

A 16" fish in a 30" tank? NIMFT.

HTH

Pufferpunk wrote:It's not that I can't afford it... just the huge PITA it would be to replace all that.

I think you secretly like it. We've seen a few of your other tanks and they've all been very vibrantly colourful. You like it and you know it

Everybody who has been at this any length of time has their own tank 'style' - and why not? I certainly do. I set my tanks the way I like to see them. Sometimes I do burn out or tire of a particular setup and may leave it anyway until the tank needs to be reset - I don't often break down a tank just to change the "look" of it. And some setups I like so well that i re-do them multiple times in several tank sizes. It is not hard to see the sort of tanks I like when you are at my house - most are really close kin to the others and show their relationship, but some are for particular tenants only The mid-size Synodontid tanks look quite similar, and some other catfish tanks "group" together in style, as do my rock-associated Cichlid tanks. So I have ATM about 4 easily noted tank styles going. All are easily identified as RTR tanks if for no other reason, due to all the equipment associated with each tank, regardless of its individual style.

Well Flutter, you've got me there!

Two... smiley face things...

I bet that even looks a million times better in person.

That was a year ago. Looks 100x better now!

Woodbutcher wrote:

Pufferpunk wrote:I agree. Filbert's tank is 72" across & he likes to stroll the length of it.

PP--Are you sure Filbert isn't looking for an exit off that disco dance floor?

hahaha.... I'm picturing a little disco ball hanging from the top.

He keeps asking me for one.

But then you'd have to get him one of those full body, wide collar, split down to the navel, bell bottomed, sequined suits!

To the OP, no that tank would not be suitable. I own a 24x24x24 cube tank and yes, its a lot of water volume, but it is NOT a lot of swimming room. And Fahakas need to be able to move.

Now, put two or three GSP's in there, which ARE fish that like to hover around and explore, and grow to the size of small footballs, and you'd have a very nice setup. Brackish to marine though.