The Puffer Forum

After the unfortunate deaths of two F8s and all the support you gave me, I have spent the last three months redesigning my tank stand and have installed an external canister filter and recycled. Three weeks ago I finally bought another F8 and I am now the proud owner of a very healthy F8 called "Bod". I would like to say a big thank you to all that responded to my previous posts for your kind words of support, there were times when I felt like giving up but the rewards now are huge. F8s are truly amazing puffers being extremely active, characterful and intelligent......but extremely greedy!!

Bod is about 1" in total length in a 60L tank (Biorb) and I am keeping him currently in FW conditions until I get used to weekly water changes (this is my first aquarium). Once I have built up the confidence I will be adding marine salt. I have furnished the tank with a pebble substrate, slate rock work and Java Fern. Water parameters are all good with Ammonia, Nitrite at 0ppm, pH at 8.0 and Nitrate at 20ppm. Temperature 78 deg F although during the recent heatwave this increased to 84 deg F.

I am feeding him once a day until his belly is slightly rounded and he will readily except frozen Muscles, Bloodworms, King prawn and freeze dried Krill and River Shrimp. He has a preference to frozen food and absolutely goes nutty over bloodworms. He appears to always be hungry hunting around and biting anything that looks like food and has transformed the leaves of my Java Fern into "Swiss cheese" with the number of holes in them!!

I have a few questions and would be grateful for any further advise:-

1. I would like to reduce my Nitrate levels, but the tap water I use for weekly water changes measures 10ppm therefore their effectiveness is limited. Is there any way that I can reduce the Nitrate levels in either the tank or tap water safely?

2. What is the maximum temperature a F8 can tolerate and what should you do if measurements are getting close?

3. How often should water parameters be measured? (I check temperature daily and all other readings every other day)

4. Is feeding once a day for a small/juvenile F8 enough?

5. Is there a preferred time to feed puffers? (I provide food in the evening)

6. My tap water naturally has a high pH of 8.0. I prefer the look of pebble substrate but am aware of the benefits of using crushed coral or Aragonite to buffer pH. Would if be worthwhile putting some crushed coral or Aragonite in a spare basket in my canister filter?

7. I am using a Fluval 105 filter which contains foam, carbon, Biomax and a water polishing pad. Does this sound about right or should I be using anything else like a Polyfilter?

8. I have noticed a brown algae that appears on the slate and plants which can be scrubbed/rubbed off during water changes. What methods can be used to control this algae growth? Has anyone used a product called "Algone" and does it work?

Thank you once again for all your support

Andy

1. Prime detoxifies Nitrate and Nitrites, as well as ammonia, chlorine and chloramine. Add it to ANY water your about to inrtoduce to your tank. Also, you can add some to the tank in order to save your fish from being poisoned.

2. I dunno the max, but high is probably mid 80's. I keep mine anywhere between 79 - 80 F. (I have 3 F8's)

3. Rule of thumb is once a week. I try to do it before every weekly WC.

4. Yea, once a day til they get potbellies, but not overly full, like their pregnant. That can be somewhat harmful to the fish. Here'sthe article in the Library about overfeeding. I'd read it right quick if I were you so you know more about it. However, once a week, you might wanna skip a feeding so they can "clear" their system.

5. I don't think there is a preffered time... I feed mine usually around the same time every day though. But I don't think this is crutial.

6. Nope, 8.0 for F8's is the desired level. As long as it stays at 8.0, your str8. And if it ever get outta control, WCs seem to fix it ok. (Your even safe anywhere between 7.6 and 8.4)

7. That sound fine to me, however, I'm a HUGE fan of BIOmax and use it wherever I have spare room... In filters of course. But what you have now is fantastic.

8. I don't get that, but I personally don't like to add anything to water I don't have too... Only Prime, nothing else. Although, its been said here often, "for F8's, YOU are the cleanup crew..." So if I were you, I wouldn't add anyhting unless its a huge problem... But with my F8's, I've never gotten that... Maybe it'll pass soon? In marine tanks, they go through cycles of algea, and it just one day, goes away.

Hope this helped.

1.Your tapwater will always have nitrates but it varies depending on season, keep with the regular water changes of at least 50% and you should be fine.

2. Dont know I suppose it will depend on the strength of the individual fish.

3. Once a week.

4. Your feeding once a day is fine.

5. Dont think there is a preferred time for these puffers. When they're hungry they're hungry.

6. Ph of 8.0 is fine for your F8.

7.Your Fluval 105 setup sounds fine.

8. I would steer clear of adding any additional chemicals to prevent algae just in case your fish has a bad reaction to it.


Edit: Glad to hear your new F8 is doing well.

1. I've lived several places with 10ppm of nitrate in the tap water and had no issues. I do have live plants though, and do 50% weekly water changes, so that helps a ton. Make sure you don't overstock or overfeed the tank, if the nitrates start getting higher and higher even with your water changes you may have to upgrade to a larger tank or start using RO water for your water changes (reverse osmosis, you can buy it at the store as drinking water). Keep an eye on your tap water too, sometimes in the spring thaw nitrates can really jump up higher than you are used to.

2. I'm not positive on the temps...

3. If the tank is still new, I check levels more often, several times a week. Once its running, I really only check nitrates to keep an eye on them, just in case they start to climb. That's just me though..

4. Once a day is fine, when he's larger you can feed less. Fasting once a week is a good idea too.

5. I think F8's are always hungry!

6. Your tap water is pretty high already, pH wise, and once you start adding marine salt it will adjust accordingly to right around 8.2 or so.. You probably don't need to do anything special to buffer your water, so if you really wanted to use gravel I'm sure you could. Having the buffering substrate is nice, but your water is already right about where its supposed to be.

7. I tend to use a coars pad, a polyfilter pad and a big media bag full of biomax, but that's just me.

8. Brown algae that easily wipes off is diatoms, and they are very common in a newer tank setup. If everything is normal, one day they'll just disappear, its just sort of a stage the tank goes through. I do have one tank that they never went away, but I think that has to do with the driftwood I have in there. Its very rare for them to stick around after the tank has matured for a few months. Don't add any chemicals, just wait it out and clean your glass in the mean time, it will go away.

lmao, 3 replies, all about the same. Many exact same, lol. Think you got your answers, lol.

Thanks for the information and replies this really is an excellent forum. Sounds as though I am doing everything that I ought to. I will be asking for further help once I start adding marine salt. Thanks again.

Andy

Sure thing! You'll love the F8's if you don't already!