The Puffer Forum

I got a new 50g tank and will be re-arraning my fishies in a couple weeks (after it cycles). But, right now I need to move my cories. The betta is picking on them constantly. based on what you see in my signature, which tank would be best ya think? puffers or community? I dunno how well DPs & cories get along.

I'm thinking of moving the DPs into the 40g and the community into the 50g.
I've very very tempted to just get a SW puffer for the 50g though hehe. But, after all the live rock, there wouldn't be much room.
If I move everyone up one size, the 30g will be empty and I'm debating what to do with it. Maybe a single GSP. Or, maybe a F8 with BBGs er sumtin.
I'm also thinking of getting a dwarf fuzzy lionfish for the 30g. I've been told by my LFS expert (which I do trust) that a 30g is fine for this specific breed and they have one for sale $25. I would think 55g would be min, but maybe a 30g is fine for dwarves?
the 50g will be running an emperor 400. I couldn't resist the 40% off at F&S hehe. the 40g will get the penguin 350. I plan to put a penguin 150 on each of my 10g tanks and might just use the aqueon 30 for the 30g. depends on what I put in there. If puffer, I'll prolly get another emperor 400 or penguin 350. I've never had a filter keep my water so crystal clear as the penguin 350. I'm in love with penguins & emperors now.

on a side note:
my mom has a betta tank setup much like mine. 10g with 1 male betta and a BN plec. she has a mystery snail also. She keeps bugging me that she wants some more fish in the tank. But, everything I've tried hasn't worked. The betta chases everything so far. I've tried mollies, platties, black skirt tetras. It even chased the cories around all night It does however leave the plec alone. I've read that cardinal tetras are supposed to be a good tankmate. Anyone have a better suggestion? I gave her my old aqueon 30 for her 10g betta btw. it's stable and clear and fully cycled it's been running for about 3 yrs now. I let her borrow a couple of my assasin snails to clear up her MTS problem hehe. They are supposed to be safe with mystery snails. I hope so, cause she loves her little golden inca.

I have another question for the pros out there.
I have always used ceramic rings, but my LFS was out of em, so I tried sumtin new.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... atrix.html

my question is... it says it's supposed to go in my filter. but, do you think it would be ok \ work as well in my gravel?
it's a lil too chunky for my media baskets. but, the rocks are big enough I could prolly just let them lay on the bottom of my filter.
I would prefer to put them under my gravel. what do you guys think?

thanks ahead of time
sorry if I've been moody lately. I've been going through a lot of dental surgery. They are removing all my teeth a few every week. ugh!
i usually type late at night after taking a couple hydrocodine. I might not get all my facts straight, but I do try to make sure I do. I always proof read, but ... things have slipped by
anyways, I just wanted to say sorry to anyone that I've been short with. I have no excuse

I know I've asked a lot in this post. please answer what you can and give opinions for whatever you want

This is the perfect opportunity to thin out the population in your tanks. Look hard at your tanks and have a think how this reshuffle can benefit your fish. On way to work at mo when I get a chance I will have a good look at what you keep and will tell you what I would do if they were mine lol

I would not mix DPs and cories. DPs love to nip fins. Cories rarely learn from their mistakes. Together: the DP will nip the cories fins, and the cories won't remember that they should stay away from the DP.

Troender wrote:I would not mix DPs and cories. DPs love to nip fins. Cories rarely learn from their mistakes. Together: the DP will nip the cories fins, and the cories won't remember that they should stay away from the DP.

see any reason they couldn't stay in the community? dojos maybe? mollies might pick on em too
But, that seems to be my only choice

bertie 83 wrote:This is the perfect opportunity to thin out the population in your tanks. Look hard at your tanks and have a think how this reshuffle can benefit your fish. On way to work at mo when I get a chance I will have a good look at what you keep and will tell you what I would do if they were mine lol

Thanks. I'd appreciate any and all feedback you have.
The main reason I got the 50g was to let my fishies spread out a bit. See, I do listen sometimes

Are you gonna move your community into the 50 gal? Either way I would move the plec out of the 10 into whichever lol he should be joined by the 10 neons from the puffer tank and the corys. Have the mollies gone yet? You should be able to instantly cycle you new tank with media from the others. Once you have them spread out ammonia spikes should be a thing of the past. This would still leave you a little overstocked IMO but would be easier to maintain to high standards. This is just what I would do, the final choice is yours. Let me know what you decide

Another option is to move everything up a tank size, leave the black neons with the betta in the 30g. You would then have a spare 10 g for quarantine. Will have another look later after work see if any other options are available. Will be nice to see your new tank list when less crammed

CyberBob wrote:see any reason they couldn't stay in the community? dojos maybe? mollies might pick on em too
But, that seems to be my only choice

The DPs or the cories?
The DPs are not suitable for a community tank, as they are fin nappers.
The cories can be in a community tank, but it depends on the environment. They need a PH below 7 and they must have sand on the bottom. I haven't kept cories with those two you mention, but if they have the same requirements on the water, and if they don't nip fins, they should be OK.

id leave everything in the tanks theyre in... move all the tetras into the new one with the cories (if that would work) or better, move the 40g fish into the 50g(except for the tetras), add the black neons and cories to the 40g.

Troender wrote:

CyberBob wrote:see any reason they couldn't stay in the community? dojos maybe? mollies might pick on em too
But, that seems to be my only choice

The DPs or the cories?
The DPs are not suitable for a community tank, as they are fin nappers.
The cories can be in a community tank, but it depends on the environment. They need a PH below 7 and they must have sand on the bottom. I haven't kept cories with those two you mention, but if they have the same requirements on the water, and if they don't nip fins, they should be OK.

sorry, should have been more clear. I meant the cories. I need to move them asap. So, I'll put them in the community right now
DPs will be by themselves. I might keep them with the black neons though, they seem to get along great.
they even school together sometimes. havne't seen a single nip yet. and in the 40g, the bioload should be fine.

bertie 83 wrote:Another option is to move everything up a tank size, leave the black neons with the betta in the 30g. You would then have a spare 10 g for quarantine. Will have another look later after work see if any other options are available. Will be nice to see your new tank list when less crammed

That's the plan actually everyone moves up a size
the snail tank was my hospital tank, but the snails had other plans.
except, i think i'll leave the black neons with the DPs, they seem to like each other a lot. You just never know I guess
With the extra 10g, I don't think they are overcrowded at all anymore

which pleco are you referring to? the clown in the snail tank or the BN with the betta?
the clown has been rehoused with the puffers for now actually.
the BN in my community doesn't seem to like other plecs. He's a big bull at about 4", he even headbutts the females

I was going to take 1 filter & 1 biowheel from my penguin 350 and put them in my emperor 400 that's on the way. that way both should remain cycled
actually, it's backordered and won't be in until the 21st, so i'm expecting to see it about the end of the month I can start off with an aqueon 30. not much filtration, but enough to cycle at least. the best part of this plan .... i have TONS of snails in my 40g. I am going to use a new filter and new sand in the 50g, so no snails there. but, the puffers will have a huge feast just waiting for them hehe. only downside is that the dojos won't have snails anymore. the main reason i got them was to keep the cummunity snails in check. i like them alot though and I think i'll keep em.

Mollies are still around, but I do plan to drop them off this weekend. I'm thinking about just keeping 1 molly though. I have a silver sailfin molly with black fins ... looks so kewl. Kinda looks like he's sportin a mohawk hehe. I have a black sailfin with a silver belly also. still debating. definetly getting rid of all but one or 2 though.

hadla wrote:id leave everything in the tanks theyre in... move all the tetras into the new one with the cories (if that would work) or better, move the 40g fish into the 50g(except for the tetras), add the black neons and cories to the 40g.

have 20 neons and 4 mollies in a 50g?
nvm 40f fish into 50g is the plan. but, i was gonna move the puffs into the 40g.
why does everyone think I should move the black neons away from the puffs? nips or bioload?
no nips as of yet and they don't seem to make much of a load. so, i'm confused why

FYI, today i saw all 6 DPs swimming together. they swam right through the neon school, then came back and joined the school. they all slowly swam around the tank together, looking for food I assume. it was cute and the one bully DP seems to have mellowed out.

no the neons and cories in the 40, everything from 40 to 50...

Biomedia in gravel is basically just more gravel. It requires the flow of a filtter to function as designed.along with the protection of particle filtration upstream of it to protect it from silting up.

RTR wrote:Biomedia in gravel is basically just more gravel. It requires the flow of a filtter to function as designed.along with the protection of particle filtration upstream of it to protect it from silting up.

So basically, biomedia isn't effective in the gravel because it will just get gunked up from uneaten food, sediment, poop, etc. But placed inside the filter, behind the filter pads/sponge prefilters will collect the debri and prevent it from smothering the biomedia, and it also provides a constant flow of water.
Do I understand this correctly?

RTR wrote:Biomedia in gravel is basically just more gravel. It requires the flow of a filtter to function as designed.along with the protection of particle filtration upstream of it to protect it from silting up.

That makes complete sense.
If placed inside a media bag behind the filter pad, would it still get enough oxygen to breed bacteria effeciently?
Would it be better if placed in the media basket though?
If so, I can just be sure not to put big chunks in the basket and save those for the small filters without baskets, where they would be placed in a media bag behind the pad.

Thanks for such a clear and precise answer