The Puffer Forum

Hi to all i had a red eye puffer for about 6 month. The tank it was in was a 15 gallon. The tank was fully cycled but when i put her in the ammonia and nitrate went up the roof.I have a velentini puffer that i have had for about 5 month and every thing is well. Is there a secret in keeping freshwater fish any suggestion are welcome. One more question can i keep a green spotted puffer with my Tanganyika cichlid. I hope its a yes thanks in advance

No, the green spoted puffer will not work with the cichlids. GSPs require high end brackish / marine environments as they mature. They can also be quite viscious. Theres a great article on them in the library.

Was there anything else in the 15g with the red eye?

there are no other fish in the tank well. The puffer died two weeks ago. RIP miss puffer. I tried d every thing even changing 50 to 75% of the water. Nothing worked we did not over feed it nor did we delay on the water change. we even tried no gravel so it could water cloud cycle better.

Awhile back my biological filter became non-existent and my ammonia and then nitrite levels soared. I ended up having to do three to four 75% water changes a day for several days to keep up with the levels. Most often when there is a will there is a way.
Don't, however, attempt to put a GSP with your tanganyikans.

we even tried no gravel so it could water cloud cycle better.

I'm not really sure what you mean? (Is English your 2nd language?) Gravel/substrate is necessary to help out a cycle, because the more surface area there, the more places for good bacteria to grow/adhere to. Was the tank actually cycled before you added the puffer, or was it cloudy while the puffer was in there? I think you might want to get the hang of cycling, before keeping any more puffers.

Erm umm, I have to disagree that a gravel or other sybstrate is "necessary" to cycle a tank. What is necessary is a site for the nitrification bacteria to attach, one where they will be protected from suffocation by debris, where they will have good water flow, and not be disturbed more than necessary tio keep them clean. Any decent filter can do this, as can substrate, or rocks, or just about any reasonably firm surface (a sponges is a reasonably firm surface). Substrate is not necessaty if alternate attachment sites are available. My fry tanks are perfectly well cycled, and substrate free, but have sponge filters.

I do always use substrate in "normal" tanks, but only with RFUG do I count on it for nitrification.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yeah, what he said!

What I meant was, it's best to use substrate for good bacteria to adhere to. The more surface area, the better. Also it is less stressful & more natural for your puffer to have substrate in it's tank. Either way, it's realy harmful to a puffer (or any other fish) to cycle a tank with it in there.