The Puffer Forum

hello everyone i am a new member to this fourm and the fish keeping hobby as well i have a figure 8 puffer in a 55 gallon with 3 monos and 2 gymthorax tile morays.I have artificial coral decorations for show and also for caves so the eels have places to hide there are also plants for the puffer but he only swims in the back right corner of the tank is this normal for them?

Well ignoring the fact your tank seems over stocked, how long have you had the F8. What SG is your F8 at?

Welcome to the Forum!
Unfortunately my reply is a little negative: Monos are very boistrous fish and with 2 large eels; that tank would scare the living daylights out of me never mind the little Figure 8...
The inhabitants are unfortunately incompatible in terms of size, aggression and salinity.

well i researched before i bought all the fish and they seem to all be doing fine except the puffer just swims in the corner and the sg is @ 1.005 right now which is good for the puffer and the eel the monos im not so sure everywhere i looked online said light brackish water for them so i assumed they would be fine i had the eels and the puffer in a 29g and recently moved them to the 55 and ever since the move he just swims up and down the corner the water conditions are all good and i have a filter for a 75 gallon seeing i have the 2 eels and the puffer in there

Eel:
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/FAQ/4f.html

Monos:
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/FAQ/3a.html

Info. on the Figure 8 puffer can be found in the Pufferpedia but they only grow to about 7cm and require low salinity SG1.003-Sg1.005 but some will keep these at SG1.008 which is still too low for the other 2 species.

The Monos and eel might work depending on the Eels' personality but in my opinion the puffer will eventually be seen as food by the eels if it doesn't succumb to the stress brought on by the rampaging Monos.

I'm not sure where you did your research but you have been given incorrect information. The monos & eels require high-end brackish conditions & eventually, marine water. Monos are skittish, grow the size of your outstretched hand & are schooling fish. A school of fish that size will require a marine tank of at least 300 gallons.

the water conditions are all good

What are the exact parameters: Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH?

on the Figure 8 puffer can be found in the Pufferpedia

Unfortunately, the Pufferpedia is down but we will be posting articles on the more popular puffer species (including the F8) in a new, separate forum here.

nitrate and amonia is at 0 ph is 7.8 have no idea about the nitrate LFS said it wasn't needed so i didn't buy the tester for it but yea i guess i was fooled into buying the wrong animals i searched on google for the eels and they said they needed water with a salinity of 1.005-1.010 so i assumed they could live in the same tank as the puffer seeing how some people have had freshwater morays and puffers together before without a problem as for the monos i just bought them and the lady repeatedly told me they would be fine in my tank so i bought them one pretty big and 2 small

but before the move everyone seemed to be doing great its just since the move hes been acting funny

No such thing as a "freshwater" moray. Your LFS is incorrect, you need to test for nitrate.

i know theres no such thing but thats what they have them labeled as in the store lol it is a gymthorax tile for sure but they havent been giving me any prolems so far so i dont see y they would cause a problem now ill try and go get a nitrate test kit but should i take the figure 8 back to a fish store? i want to keep him because ive become so attached to the little guy but i dont want it to suffer either :'(

I can't blame you for getting attached to that face! My suggestion would be to set up a separate 20g tank for him.

but do they swim in the corners alot or is this some sort of scared or uncomfortable behavior for them?

He is scared & uncomfortable, IMO.

ok well thanks for all your help i hope i can figure something out with these guys :/