The Puffer Forum

Hello, i just have got my figure eight puffer this morning. It looks healty but has some slime from stress on it. I have it with a few shrimp and snails in my old dwarf puffer tank 20 gallon uk. It's in 100% freshwater as this is what they sell it as and it has been in. I just wanted to know which type of salt should i buy and will it explane how to add the right amounts? Will my large plant die if i add some salt? The figure 8 is just over a inch big, just abit bigger then fully growen dwarf puffers, does anyone know how old he/she is?

Thanks any tips will be great.

It is very young at that size. You need to aim for an sg of around 1.005 using marine salt raising no more than .002 per week. There are good articles in the library for mixing info.I believe around 1 cup per 5 gallon but could be wrong. Do you have a hydrometer?

There are only a couple of common aquarium plants that fare well in brackish water (which is what your F8 puffer will need to be converted to). If your plant isn't one of them, expect it to die off.

I wouldn't worry too much about the slimecoat on the fish if you literally just got him/her today. It's possibly related to the change in water from the LFS to your tank, even though both are freshwater. Your puff will adapt.

It's not possible to tell the age of a puffer based on its size, as there are many factors involved in growth rates. However, a one-inch F8 is likely to be very very young. Congratulations on your new puff!

bertie 83 wrote:It is very young at that size. You need to aim for an sg of around 1.005 using marine salt raising no more than .002 per week. There are good articles in the library for mixing info.I believe around 1 cup per 5 gallon but could be wrong. Do you have a hydrometer?

No i don't have a hydrometer i was planning on keeping it in freshwater untill a few days ago, iv'e never done anything but dwarf puffers in freshater before. I can order one now though I need the salt too.

Pufftastic wrote:There are only a couple of common aquarium plants that fare well in brackish water (which is what your F8 puffer will need to be converted to). If your plant isn't one of them, expect it to die off.

I wouldn't worry too much about the slimecoat on the fish if you literally just got him/her today. It's possibly related to the change in water from the LFS to your tank, even though both are freshwater. Your puff will adapt.

It's not possible to tell the age of a puffer based on its size, as there are many factors involved in growth rates. However, a one-inch F8 is likely to be very very young. Congratulations on your new puff!

Thanks very much for the replys it sometimes took days on the dwarf puffer forum when i started off. Yeah i talked to the guy i bought the F8 from and he said raise temp to 82-84 for a day and it should go away. I fed the puffer after 10 mins of introducing to the tank and it ate about 20 live bloodworms. It is going near my filter alot where the water is flowing up to the surface its quite fast flow where it likes going.

Most of them really enjoy swimming in current. Mine like to position themselves about 10 inches from the filter outflow and swim against it -- it's like a treadmill!

Pufftastic wrote:Most of them really enjoy swimming in current. Mine like to position themselves about 10 inches from the filter outflow and swim against it -- it's like a treadmill!

Yeah mine likes to do it by the seems of it, Even though it's nearly the same size as a fully growen dwarf puffer F8 seems to be much stronger swimmer and wider mouth at the same size. The f8 has ate lots bloodworms now is trying to attack my ghost shrimp and snails lol. Much more aggressive then the dwarf puffer. If a leaf moves to quick near this guy he will go for it, seems very active and very happy expolring the new home.

i have dps and i find they attack shrimp also. Hoping to add a fig 8 to my fish collection tomorrow. Yes buy a hydrometer and salt and start the transition. It will be worth it for a long lived aquarium buddy

bertie 83 wrote:i have dps and i find they attack shrimp also. Hoping to add a fig 8 to my fish collection tomorrow. Yes buy a hydrometer and salt and start the transition. It will be worth it for a long lived aquarium buddy

Yes i will get some salt and hydrometer this week. My dps lived with the four ghost shrimp and even my grumpy aggressive male never tryed to tackle one. I had to ggive my DPs away for the figure 8.

Here is a great link to get you started.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348

Welcome to The Puffer Forum.

that sucks.. I like a variety of fish and tanks ,,,,,Dps,fahaka,danios,tetras,betta,eels,frogs,rasporas (redtail and harlequin),GAE etc love it mts is my thing lol. You should invest and keep both lol

trekenk wrote:Here is a great link to get you started.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348

Welcome to The Puffer Forum.

Thank you.

bertie 83 wrote:that sucks.. I like a variety of fish and tanks ,,,,,Dps,fahaka,danios,tetras,betta,eels,frogs,rasporas (redtail and harlequin),GAE etc love it mts is my thing lol. You should invest and keep both lol

I like to keep just one 20 gallon tank then i can keep it really clean and in good condition. One day i probs get more puffers

mts is a curse. It means you have many tanks and keep them all spotless and love it but are knackered. Its all about the routine approx 2hrs a night 6 nights a week.


I am so sad i know

The puffer fish is still very active after nearly 4 days. It is eating well but seems to be over active. I know it takes them some time to settle down but it never stops swimming a million miles a hour. Mabie it's board but theres a nice big plant and plenty or things to search. Still a white patch on it's back, like colour has faded.