Hi everyone,
I'm new here and I'm interested in keeping a brackish water puffer.
Right now I have an empty 20 gallon tank that I'd love to get a figure eight puffer. I wanted to get more information on setting up a brackish tank and how to care for a figure eight puffer. I think puffers are so cute and very unique. I have 3 freshwater tanks so I'm not new to fish keeping. I will be grateful for any info.
setting up a brackish tank
-
OraLacerta
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:51 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Tetraodon biocellatus.
RIP: C. travancoricus, Chilomycterus schoepfi. Canthigaster jactator. - Location (country): USA
- Location: USA
Well, besides making sure the tank is cycled before adding the puffer, here are some tips for setting up a tank for a figure eight:
Be sure to use marine salt, not aquarium salt, when mixing the water for the tank. Also, it would be a good idea to invest in a refractometer as they are more accurate and easier to use than a hydrometer, but hyrdrometers are cheaper and are accurate if used correctly. Figure Eights do best at 1.005 SG.
Overfiltration is always good for puffers as well because they are extremely messy eaters. I use an Aquaclear 110 on my 35 gallon Figure Eight tank, but that isn't necessary. A filter rated for twice the capacity of your tank should be more than enough filtration for your tank.
Decor is to keep the puffer from getting bored because they are very intelligent and inquisitive fish, so go with what looks good to you and what you think your puff would enjoy. For substrate you can go with gravel or sand. Sand is harder to clean and isn't necessary for your puff, but large-grained crushed coral would help keep your pH up and be easier to clean (if the grain is large enough you may be able to gravel-vac it).
Also, you might want to consider setting up a snail breeding tank because it's an easy and inexpensive way to keep your puff's teeth trim. Figure eights' beaks don't grow very fast, but if not fed enough crunch you will notice overgrown teeth within a year. I feed mine (among other foods) frozen bloodworms, krill, shrimp, mysis shrimp, mussels, and snails twice weekly.
There are lots of things to consider, but I think I breifly touched everything. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask!
Be sure to use marine salt, not aquarium salt, when mixing the water for the tank. Also, it would be a good idea to invest in a refractometer as they are more accurate and easier to use than a hydrometer, but hyrdrometers are cheaper and are accurate if used correctly. Figure Eights do best at 1.005 SG.
Overfiltration is always good for puffers as well because they are extremely messy eaters. I use an Aquaclear 110 on my 35 gallon Figure Eight tank, but that isn't necessary. A filter rated for twice the capacity of your tank should be more than enough filtration for your tank.
Decor is to keep the puffer from getting bored because they are very intelligent and inquisitive fish, so go with what looks good to you and what you think your puff would enjoy. For substrate you can go with gravel or sand. Sand is harder to clean and isn't necessary for your puff, but large-grained crushed coral would help keep your pH up and be easier to clean (if the grain is large enough you may be able to gravel-vac it).
Also, you might want to consider setting up a snail breeding tank because it's an easy and inexpensive way to keep your puff's teeth trim. Figure eights' beaks don't grow very fast, but if not fed enough crunch you will notice overgrown teeth within a year. I feed mine (among other foods) frozen bloodworms, krill, shrimp, mysis shrimp, mussels, and snails twice weekly.
There are lots of things to consider, but I think I breifly touched everything. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask!
-Michelle
Prevent unnecessary deaths due to disease- quarantine ALL new additions at least 4 weeks in a separate tank before adding to your main display tank!
Puffers: Hindenburg the Figure Eight, 75gallon Brackish
Prevent unnecessary deaths due to disease- quarantine ALL new additions at least 4 weeks in a separate tank before adding to your main display tank!
Puffers: Hindenburg the Figure Eight, 75gallon Brackish
-
OraLacerta
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:51 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Tetraodon biocellatus.
RIP: C. travancoricus, Chilomycterus schoepfi. Canthigaster jactator. - Location (country): USA
- Location: USA
Rose: No problem; I'm glad to help! For snail breeding I have a planted 15 gallon, but before that I was breeding them just fine in a planted 3 gallon bucket! I would rather go with a 5 gallon and up, but some members on here use as small as 2 gallon tanks for snail breeding. I breed Ramshorns and Pondsnails; the rams are doing better than the pond snails, but my tank is infested with them- it's kind of gross actually... Many guests remark on my snail tank rather than my puffer tank. 
MinPins: I just buy a pack of live mussels at the grocery store that are about 3" long and smash them open, placing the shell bits with flesh on them in the Puffer tanks. They have to scrape the flesh off of the shell so it gives them wear as Nick said. I don't think there are any mussels small enough for figure eights to crack open themselves; that's something reserved for Clooney the Mbu.
MinPins: I just buy a pack of live mussels at the grocery store that are about 3" long and smash them open, placing the shell bits with flesh on them in the Puffer tanks. They have to scrape the flesh off of the shell so it gives them wear as Nick said. I don't think there are any mussels small enough for figure eights to crack open themselves; that's something reserved for Clooney the Mbu.
-Michelle
Prevent unnecessary deaths due to disease- quarantine ALL new additions at least 4 weeks in a separate tank before adding to your main display tank!
Puffers: Hindenburg the Figure Eight, 75gallon Brackish
Prevent unnecessary deaths due to disease- quarantine ALL new additions at least 4 weeks in a separate tank before adding to your main display tank!
Puffers: Hindenburg the Figure Eight, 75gallon Brackish