The Puffer Forum

I have a 30 gallon tank that I am going to set up for a Tetraodon Suvattii. I have been keeping fish for about a year now, and I am looking to getting into more aggressive fish.
I would just like to know how to set up my tank. What kind of substraight, plants, lighting, filter, ect.
Right now this is what I want to do.

-30 gallon with 2 HOB whisper 30's and a powerhead
-Sand Substraight about 4" deep. Should I use different substraight
-Live plants. I have no clue what plants would be good for this set up, so help me on this
-I am going to breed guppies to feed these fish. I do not want to chance the health of my fish with dirty feeder fish.

Any information will help. I don't care if you critisize what I want for the setup. I need to be, I have never kept a fish like this. Thanks

I woudn't feed fish at all to your puffer, except as a treat. They will cause a fatty liver/liver disease. It will also need hard-shelled foods to keep it's teeth trimmed. Tank set-up seems fine. Be sure to stir the sand thoroughly (even under plants) weekly, to prevent anerobic (toxic) pockets of bacteria from forming. How are you cycling the tank?

Ya I was going to keep the feeding fish to about 1 every two weeks just as a treat. I also was going to feed the puffer snails once or twice a month. I was going to stick to mainly frozen shrimp and ghost shrimp.

I am going to cycle the tank by putting in some rock from my established tank in a panty hose and hanging it in my tank until the bacteria get's established. I will put plants in the tank and let them get established. Then after about a month of this I was going to get the puffer.

I am going to worry about the sand causing anerobic pockets, so what would be another good substraight to add. Just some small rocks? Thanks for the quick response

why hang them in panty hose?

Small rocks wont get the anerobic pockets, just vacuum the gravel with each weekly WC very well. also your plants will have an easier time surviving in gravel. They just dont do as well in sand.

But your suvatii may not like the gravel. I believe using the panty-hose was meant to keep the rocks contained, for easy removal, for addition to the new tank.

Just adding bacteria from those rocks to your tank, won't cycle it, w/o ammonia to feed the bacteria. You might want to read the cycling article in our Library. Also, your puffer will need a more varied diet. Another great article on feeding your puffer in our Library. I try to keep my sand tanks as simple as possible (no live plants), for ease of stirring. Your suvattii will prefer sand to burrow in.

ahh i didn't think of that, good idea.

the puffer would prefer the sand , as he is a burrowing puffer, and the gravel might hurt and 4" is enough for him not to hit the bottom of the tank. Personally, I like the look of sand better too. Rater than vacuuming the gravel, why not just stir the sand, basically the same amount of work, for a much better setup.

The live plants in there will be a PITA to stir under & replant every week.

I suggest sand, for the look and the puffer. if you dont want the PITA of replanting the plants, go with silk plants, they are also less maintainance . but in the end it is your choice, joeyg2100.

He will still have to stir under the silk ones though.

Way easier to replant w/o roots though.

Very true.

yes the panty hose is to transfer bacteria into the new tank. I will probably put a couple danos into the tank to cycle it then. I will probably stick with the sand then. The reason I was trying to find another alternative for sand was when I stir the sand up, I really don't want that getting into my filter. I will just shut them off when I clean the tank out. Thanks for all the help.
I have read all the articles on this website about taking care up a puffer. Great articles. I learned a lot from them. Thanks

If you can find it, one of my local stores carries a "very fine gravel". It is a bit larger than sand, but it doesn't compact down like sand does. My little dwarf corydoras don't have any trouble burrowing around in it, and my shellies dig in it just fine (without making a cloudy mess of sand that gets in the filter). I think it would be perfect for a puffer to bury themselves in. Its very lightweight and moves easily, but doesn't get packed down.

Just an idea of something you can see if you can find.

I put a sponge on the end of my intake, so sand doesn't get into the filter. Ruined one already...