The Puffer Forum

Hi guys Getting rid of the community set up and going to go for a puffer setup, just wanted you guys to tell me what are my best options as in fish wise tanks 3 and half foot 180 litres.

Cheers James

james9114 wrote:Hi guys Getting rid of the community set up and going to go for a puffer setup, just wanted you guys to tell me what are my best options as in fish wise tanks 3 and half foot 180 litres.

Cheers James

Hello mate welcome. I think thats about 40 gallons so a few that come to mind would be dwarf puffers, green spotted puffer, figure eight puffers or a lurker puffer (my fav). Im sure theres others to.

Are you open to setting up saltwater or brackish systems?

SW - look into Canthigaster species or green spotted or ceylon puffers
BW - figure 8
FW - lots of options here

was looking towards figure 8 if it would be possible to have more than one? Also are they active fish as this all that will be in there and i don't want the tank to seem empty

cheers James

james9114 wrote:was looking towards figure 8 if it would be possible to have more than one? Also are they active fish as this all that will be in there and i don't want the tank to seem empty

cheers James

Yeah James you could have a couple in there and there very active fish.

F8's need 15g for the first one and then 10 gallons for each additional. For a 40g like what you got a nice set up for example could be 2 f8's and maybe 2 bumble bee gobies. I saw earlier that you posted about feeling like you'll have an empty tank but, it's different for puffers because they are very very smart and will come and say Hi every time you walk by the tank, and it's always interesting to keep them because each of them is unique and has an individual personality that you will see unfold as the puffer settles in. Plus with this type of a set up you'll have a bit of extra space in the tank left to give the fish more room and it'll make the water conditions more optimum so they can be the happiest little puffers that they can.

F8's are lovely fish. I'd be inclined to try one F8 and a group of BBGs. I like puffers as singletons though I've never tried multiple F8s. It may be worth a try if the tank is very busy and heavily decorated. That being said, when kept in multiples they will not live as long and you're likely to have an overweight dominant one and an underweight subordinate.

ok thanks for all that. I've heard they need 1.005 salt levels but i have no idea what this means coudl anyone elabourate on this

Flutter wrote:F8's are lovely fish. I'd be inclined to try one F8 and a group of BBGs. I like puffers as singletons though I've never tried multiple F8s. It may be worth a try if the tank is very busy and heavily decorated. That being said, when kept in multiples they will not live as long and you're likely to have an overweight dominant one and an underweight subordinate.

seems abit mad to me to buy a 180 litre tank to have 1 2 inch puffer and a few tiny bbgs in, wouldn't you agree?

I don't I keep my fish as pets, not decorations. The visual appeal for me is in the aquascaping

Not at all. Once you see the pleasure of puffers you will understand. Throw in some grumpy bbg's and you got heaven in a tank. Trust me

so 1 figure 8 puffer and how many bbgs can i have?

I have 1 single gsp in a 55 gallon tank.


here's instructions on how to mix the brackish water
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348

use marine salt not aquarium salt, and you need a hydrometer are some of the basics.

I would add 4 bbg maybe a couple more