The Puffer Forum

I have 2 small (less than 2") fresh water puffers in a new 10 gallon I just setup. It has a filtration system. How often and how much water should I be changing out ?

Thanks.

are they dwarf puffers? how was the tank cycled? you say just set up, possibly a lot and very regular as very high waste producers

How did you cycle the tank? What kind of puffers?

They are not dwarves but small/young regular ones. We did not cycle the tank at all, which I guess in retrospect might be a problem. The pet store did not advise us to do so.

We set up the tank the day before and added the Water Conditioner (Tetra brand).

The puffers are 1 Green Spotted/Leopard and 1 Figure 8

Oh boy, do you have some surprises coming your way. You actually don't have a single FW puffer and that tank is way too small for either one alone.

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

library/puffer-care/the-story-of-puffy- ... ed-puffer/
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

Good luck and don't forget that we're happy to help

Is it possible for you to take them back? First off, the 10 Gallon is way to small for just one of those fish. Secondly, they cannont live with each other for very long. Puffer's are very aggressive and the GSP get's to be twice the F8's size. The salt requirements differ greatly between the two of them as well. Are they in full freshwater? They shouldn't be.


EDIT* library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

I would take them back and the tank get a refund do your research then start again. You will have serious problems otherwise

sorry dave but you got lied to big time. Read the links already posted and maybe you can get through. But you have a long road ahead, and 2 tanks to up keep

Puffer's are very aggressive and the GSP get's to be twice the F8's size.

And 3x the mass & aggressiveness.

+1 to all the comments above, but a minor correction to PP's - an adult GSP is about 4x the mass of an adult F-8, an can be 4x as aggressive as well. But the difference in 3x and 4x is not that great. We can just say that F-8s are mild compared to GSPs, but nippy and aggressive compared to many non-puffer fish.