The Puffer Forum

Hey everyone, a few questions about a new 29 gallon tank with a juvenile figure 8 as the main attraction. I started the tank about a week ago.
First off, in addition to the puffer I have 5 mature gold barbs, 5 matured rhombo barbs & a common pleco. I also had a ropefish, but the figure 8 nipped at its fins within the first two days, so I gave him to a friend with a much larger and very passive community tank.
So my first question is whether or not the figure 8 will continue to leave the barbs alone, or if I've just been lucky during the week thus far?
My second question is about the salinity of the water, would the barbs be able to withstand even the lowest salinity content (1.008-1.01 for example)?

Thank you for your help!

I'd never force FW fish to live in BW, no matter how little sale is in there. The pleco will suffer, too.
How was that tank cycled in 1 week?

Some reading for you:
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19348
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1658

Thank you, that's why I'm here!
And I was told by one of my local pet stores that daily water changes of 10-15 percent can keep ammonia and nitrite levels down while the filter builds up necessary nitryifying bacteria.
& thank you for those links too

I would return all the fish other than the puffer.
ANY amount of ammonia/nitrite is toxic to your fish! Get Tetra's Safestart. Do a 90% water change & add it to your filter. Have an API test kit on hand.
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

Never going back to that pet store again because after reading that article they clearly don't know what they're talking about. I'll give all the others to a friend with a spare tank (well established) until the water is clear from the toxins. Thank you again for the help!