The Puffer Forum

Hi, new to the forum and puffer fish as well. I have set up a 48g brackish tank at 1.005 and have 4 F8 puffers coming in. The tanks been up cycling for 2 weeks and the plants have done better than expected in the salty water.

ANYWAYS - upon researching puffers I've read that if they puff up with air it is even worse than if they puff up with water, and in some cases need to get manual help to get the air out of them. Does that mean I should avoid putting any sort of bubble disc/wall/etc in the tank? Or is it safe for the puffers to swim around with the bubbles in the tank?

Thanks for any help!

Many people report their puffers "playing" in bubbles with no adverse effects. I'm not a huge fan of bubbles in the aquarium as they are unnecessary with proper filtration, circulation and surface disruption, but I do consider them safe for puffers.

And welcome to the forum!!

Yeah, I don't find the need to have it other than to maybe give the fish something a little interesting in a small area of the tank. I have a 75 g with 2 bubble areas (1 disc and one flexible bubble tube) and some fish really seem to like swimming in them.

When I had my figure 8's in the 26 gallon they always looked bored. After I got the 38 I put a small bubble wall in and now they are always 'riding' on the bubbles. They seem to enjoy it but I don't turn it on too often because it takes out the c02 that I need for my plants.

In my reef tank I've dealt with lots of micro-bubble problems, I don't think I could add them on purpose. They do look pretty nice though..

NIMFT, especially BW to SW. They are noisy and spead salt everywhere. But I see no danger to puffers from them.

My F8 loves her bubbles, as soon as I turn the bubbles on in the morning, she is right there playing and enjoying the ride!! I don't have bubbles with my dwarf puffers but they enjoy riding the filter flow lol
Sue

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!

I do use plenty of current, just no bubbles.

my SAP loves playing in his bubble wall. i just leave mine on all the time, and whe i turnt he lights on he is trying to sleep in them. so funny

I had a small bubble wand in my GSP tank for about a week. Like RTR, I decided that the noise and salt creep was too much and took it out. To each his/her own I guess...

I had one in a freshwater tank once and man.. the slimy algae that grew on the canopy glass right under the light bulb was horribly nasty. I eventually figured it out that the bubbles rising and splashing on the glass were causing it.

I can just imagine the mess it would make with salt. Maybe I had too powerful of an air pump though?

Gemstone loves them. I have two air stones in the 46 gallon.

One in each of the corners behind the caves in the plants attached to plastic air tubes and a double air pump.

To me it looks like Gemstone tries to ride the bubbles (more like dancing)

She has been more active since I add the caves, plants and bubbles.

My F8 (chubby) loves his bubble wall, hes always playing in it. Ive never had any problems with the air bubbles and puffers.

My F8s love their airstone.I have not encountered problems either.

I had a bubble wall, and Mags loved it, but the noise was a pain, now they've got a good strong current from the filter and she loves playing in that...it's like a puffer treadmill.
I think if you don't mind the noise etc, then they're fine.
Pami.