The Puffer Forum

I like the idea of breeding my own food fir my puffers. I already have a snail tank but I am thinking about getting a marble cray. I know nothing about the care of these guys so help would be much appreciated. I have an empty 10gallon tank in my garage that was once used for a hamster. All I have is a wire lid for it. Would this work if I modified the lid to fit a filter? What is the most basic type setup I can use? What is the best type filtration for these guys? This may sound stupid but I really don't know how to use a sponge filter. Do I just stick an uptake tube where the air blows out with a sponge on the end...I know...stupid ??? Right? Do these guys need substrate, lights and a heater? I live in Texas and would love to just be able to set this tank up in the garage...would that be to hot for them? And I assume the tank would need to be cycled just like any other tank. I hear that some people just breed them in buckets, that's why I wonder about the cycled tank. Sorry so many questions, I just can't find too much info on the care of these guys.

"This may sound stupid but I really don't know how to use a sponge filter."
Doesn't sound stupid at all. Honestly I once was interested in a sponge filter but, wasn't sure about how it would work, so I've always avoided them. So I got no idea what to say about that. I did learn that I know less than I thought about cycling, but what I DO know is it is generally NEVER a good idea to keep something in un-cycled water.

Yeah, I can imagine it needs to be cycled. Just after reading elsewhere about people breeding in buckets (which I would never do) I just started wondering if maybe they were hardy enough to cycle a tank with.

a sponge filter is one that is driven by an external air pump. Very simple and is great for fry tanks.

I am just starting to grow out some marbled crays, and in the last few weeks they almost double their size per week.

The ones you buy are probably going to be babies (like mine) and so yes, the tank must be cycled. If you pay the premium for an adult, then you should still have a cycled tank because if it dies, then all your plans go out the window also.

Others have full set up tanks for them. In my tank I have a standard hang on the back filter. I can always wrap the intake if any fry are present.
There isn't too much information on them as they are fairly new to the hobby. Around less than 20 years.

One of my 4 girls:

They require only a very basic set-up. A 10 gal is fine. They are primarily herbivores but they are scavengers so they will eat just about anything including fish flakes (I use cichlid flakes), spirulina, and live plants. I toss in the over-growth from my water lettuce and duckweed as a staple and supplement with flake food and the occasional snail and/or earthworm. Best to drop a cuttlefish bone in the tank to provide extra calcium for shell growth,...keep the temp at 76-78 F,...put in lots of oyster (or similar) shells for hiding spots.
As for the sponge filter,...it works by pushing air up the middle tube which draws water thru the sponge. The sponge acts as a physical filter, trapping debris against the surface...and the surface acts as a biological filter. 'Good' bacteria will grow on the entire surface area of the sponge and help transform the ammonia and nitrites into nitrates which can then be removed by water changes. Important to only clean the sponge in tank water (Not tap water) and only to squeeze out half the sponge at a time to avoid killing off the 'good' bacteria.
Marmorkrebs prefer low light tanks and will eat any plants they can get ahold of so a tank with lots of shells and/or rocks is preferable.
Other than that just feed small amounts daily and leave them alone. The mature krebs will disappear when they are 'holding' for about 21-28 days,...then you will see up to 300 babies released in the tank (very small) They do not cannabalise each other but will fight over food and territory. This can result in missing claws but they will grow back. Healthy krebs will molt their shells once a month, which is when they are most vulnerable. Don't be alarmed to find 'empty' shells on the tank bottom....the krebs will actually eat the shells to promote their own shell growth. I use sand (PFS) substrate because they like to burrow little caves for themselves under shells and rocks when holding.
I have been breeding them as a food source for my puffers and selling the excess for a couple years now...very easy to care for.
Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns

HTH
Blaine

Thanks for all the info!!! Gonna start cycling the tank this weekend. Just gotta make room in the house to keep it indoors. Don't really want another tank but "free food" sounds awesome!!!