The Puffer Forum

I have a 20 gal (2'x1' foot print) brackish tank that I'm slowly taking up to .008 - it's at .005 now up from when I did a fishless cycle at .003. I'm taking it up slowly for the sake of the 5 bumblebee gobies and the plants. When it's up to .008 I want to add one or two F8Ps. That's my question - one puffer or two? I'm leaning towards one but I'm not sure that's enough activity.

Second question - is there any way to tell the gender of a puffer?

My lfs keeps it's puffers at .01 - how long should I take to get him used to the .008? Or, should I go ahead and take the tank up to .01 before bringing him home? I was thinking of keeping it at .008 as a compromise for the gobies and the plants. The gobies were at .003 when I got them.

Ideal situation would be a 20 gallon long as it is a great little tank for a single Figure 8 puffer. It would enjoy the longer tank for swimming space.
(longer is better than taller)

I would not do that many gobies. maybe 1 or 2 at the most.

Very few puffer species can be visually identified for gender. Only ones commonly known are DP's.

Let the tank cycle before getting the fish and wait a couple weeks and then raise the salinity .002 weekly. The best conditions for a Figure 8 are 1.003-1.005

There's an F8 article in our Library.

Gee, I am already up to .005, but the lfs keeps their F8s at .01. I guess I'll keep it at this level and acclimate the puffer to it. Better for the plants at this lower level.

These bumblebee gobies are tiny and should stay small - I got 5 to form a little colony and in case the puffer eats one or two of them. I've provided lots of decoration and hiding places. The tank sits right next to my laptop chair so the puffer will get lots of face time with me. One it is!

I'd like to add some snails that will breed in brackish conditions. I'd like to keep a few and let the puffer eat the young ones. Any recommendations for type and a place to get them?

I've been reading through the library - good resource!

F-8s do not need a specific gravity that high, nor do BB gobies. That is a waste of salt and hard on the plants. IME, 1.003-1.005 is ideal for F-8s.

Only one F-8 in a 20 or 20-long. I do agree that the 20-long is much better due to the extra swimming space. For two F-8s, you need a 30 (long, 3 feet, not tall) or better, a 33XL (4 feet).

HTH

Just drip-acclimate them in a bucket. They can handle SG swings pretty well.

Only one F8. I had mine in a 29 gallon by herself and she used every inch of tank space. A busy little F8 is plenty active enough to make the tank not look sparse.

Well the lfs only had green spots today so they said they'd try to order some F8s in next week's order

My lfs has adult sized figure 8s in full marine. I'm holding out for young ones that come in at brackish conditions so as not to have to stress them out by bringing them back to .003-004. I was under the impression that only adult green-spotted benefited from marine conditions. Does my lfs have it wrong? They seem to mix up/not distinguish gsp and f8s when talking about care.

A decade-long study was done by one of our Mentors here. He concluded that F8s are the healthiest & live longest in low-end BW, SG 1.003-5.

Since we dunno how long the Figure 8 have been in that situation to affect their longevity but I would get them and drip acclimate them to the ideal salinity conditions stated above.
Someone correct me if they are not worth saving at this point. (I cringe at saying it like that)

The effects of salinity levels are long-term, not short. Weeks at a non-ideal salinity will not seriously impact the lifespan of most BW puffers. Years at the non-ideal level will likely affect the fish.

We really don't have good data on GSPs, but full marine does seem best for them. Some folks move up for young fish, others only for adolescent or sexually mature fish. We really are not sure which is better, but the full marine does show and hold the best color. That presumes that both conditions are well-maintained.

Well I did what I could to educate my lfs - at least now they will distinguish the two species and not tell their customers that they are really only one species with marking variations. At least their customers will get more accurate info on the eventual size of their new charge.

If they don't get in young F8s this coming Wed - I'd really prefer a young animal that will grow up with me - then I'll get one of the marine-kept F8s and slowly acclimatize him/her.

I ended up getting one of the F8s that the shop was keeping in full marine. I got the smallest one and am slowly bringing him to my brackish tank conditions. He's amazingly calm as he waits in his plastic crate.

What a resilient little guy! I fed him some dried shrimp while he was still acclimating in his plastic bin and he gobbled it up. He's now in his new home tank and just ate a bunch of tubiflex worms and he's hunting for more. I've been feeding him because I want him to know that he doesn't have to eat the bumble bee gobies that share his home. So far he's exploring and hunting worms but totally ignoring the BBGs. They are busy mating and ignoring him too.