The Puffer Forum

I'm very interested in getting a Figure 8 puffer fish and come for some help. I'm reading conflicting statements about the figure 8. Can I keep a F8 in a brackish 15 gallon? I'm currently cycling the tank now and adding salt (3 tablespoons every other day). So far I had 6 tablespoons in 15 gallons of water. I'm not going to add any more since I added two times already and don't want to kill my BB. I'm in the NitrIte part of my cycle now and have been cycling for 2 weeks today. I've decided to do brackish after the first week and that is why I'm adding salt this late.

I ordered a pair of 12" forceps to feed him today and before I order anything else (like a 5 gallon breeder tank for ramshorn snails) should I stop wasting my $ since I only have a 15 gallon. Any help would be appreciated. I've included a pic of my tank and welcome any comments on if I should change decor. I do realize the plants will die sooner or later in the brackish.

Thanks!

15 gallons is bare minimum for ONE figure 8 and nothing else. You have the right idea by increasing salinity slowly; raise it up to a specific gravity of 1.005 and leave it there. I think your decor should be okay. What are you using for substrate?

Is the puffer you want to purchase in BW at the shop? How are you keeping this tank cycled?

For substrate I'm using pool filter sand from Namco. The LFS is getting F8 Puffers in this week. When I asked she said they keep them in FW and have a blast of salt added (she didn't say how often though.) I'm currently cycling using Pure Ammonia. I started with 2ppm. It took a week and a half to drop and now I'm adding 1ppm Ammonia daily. My NitrItes are 5ppm as of now and NitrAtes are 10-20ppm. I misinformed in my post earlier. I've added 1 1/2 tablespoons each night for the last two nights. My current reading is 1.004.

Leave out the salt for now & cycle as FW. This is why it's taking so long to cycle. You can raise it throughout the next few months.

Yeah you should be fine the F8 I rescued is in that same level of salinity.

Pufferpunk wrote:Leave out the salt for now & cycle as FW. This is why it's taking so long to cycle. You can raise it throughout the next few months.

Really? I thought my cycle was right on target. This is my first time doing a fishless cycle. I didn't really add salt until 2 days ago. Doesn't is usually take 2 1/2-3 weeks?

7-10 days if done thoroughly

bertie 83 wrote:7-10 days if done thoroughly

Damn. I didn't add any quick start or anything either. It was my first time so I wanted to see how long it took just doing the pure ammonia cycle. At least I know now.

You can cycle with just ammonia in 7-10 days

I have a round airstone in the middle of my aquarium now. It creates a lot of bubbles and flow. Is that ok for a puffer or should I get a smaller airstone and place of off to the side of the tank??

bertie 83 wrote:You can cycle with just ammonia in 7-10 days

How? I added 2ppm ammonia on day one and it took 10 days just for it to drop to 0.

Normally for a standard cycle, bacteria from an established tank are added, or one of the real commercial starter inoculations such as Dr. Tim's.

Personally, I never use bubblers, especially in hard water, BW or SW. But F-8s do like current.

The bubbler is going to spray salt particles everywhere, especially all over the light fixture. What did you use for a bacteria source?

Pufferpunk wrote:The bubbler is going to spray salt particles everywhere, especially all over the light fixture. What did you use for a bacteria source?

Good to know. I'll remove it once I'm cycled. I'm using shoprite pure ammonia to feed the tank and that is all. Just letting the bacteria build up on it's own. I did throw some floss media I had from a cycled tank into the filter. I have a 50 gallon aqua clear HOB filter on the 15 gallon now so it should provide enough flow for a puffer. I also have the bubbler in there because the still water had some mosquito larvae in there and I wanted it to move a bit. I'm sure the puffer will eat the few larvae that's currently in the tank.