The Puffer Forum

Hello, got a new F8 a little over a week ago. It is very active and friendly and all, but it doesn't go in any hiding places.
I don't have enough hiding places so far, and will be picking up more decor on Thursday.

The thing is, he doesn't go in any nooks or crannies, he just stays in the open space.

Even when it sleeps, it sleeps on top of a leaf of a plant, near the top of the planet, or he floats in the open. He's got cozy hiding places (few) but he doesn't care about them.

This just seems odd to me. I need lots more decor and hiding places, but I feel if I add more he may not care for it? Does that make sense ?
What are your thoughts on that? Is it possible Should I just get plants then, since he likes to sleep on them. I was going to get rocks too and make caves, but he doesn't seem interested.

I don't know, I'm confused ! Heres 2 pics of the tank

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleysparks42/4853394924/ <---- couple few hiding spots, not much, but he doesnt even go over here at all.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleyspar ... otostream/ <----- full tank - rather empty, I know.

F8s are active seeker/hunters, not lurkers. No need to hide, when you are actively seeking prey all the time.

Ah, so it needs spots to hunt, not spots to hide?

My gsp likes to go into cozy spots and have naps. The F8 doesn't go near the cozier spots.

It needs objects to explore and scan for food - this is the reason we push visually complex environments for the active hunters. But mine do tend to seek "nap" and "after dark sleeping" spots out of the current, and out of line of sight to other F-8s if there are multiple in the tank.

If your fish are immature, their needs will shift a bit after maturity. Adult hunters ( and for me the lurkers as well) tend to be far more territorial.

I like giving my more active puffers things to explore, like things they can swim in and out of. I put a lava rock planter in a couple of my tanks, and my puffers really seem to enjoy swimming around it and hanging out in the plants that are planted in it.