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Sorry I don't have references, but here's my understanding: Figure 8 puffers should be in low-end brackish water. That is the type of water they have evolved in and it is the type of water their biology is best suited for. They can tolerate fresh water, but they won't be as healthy (it will cut...

You might want to go with a 90g for that many. I honestly don't know how they do with over-crowding, but they're very fast, very powerful fish so having adequate swimming room is important. I have 4 juveniles in a 55g with plans to move them to a 110g later this summer. A 110g is the same...

It's all found here. In short, they get big, too big to live in a 29g. The species page notes a minimum of 75g.

You use a hydrometer. It measures the relative-density/specific-gravity (SG) of the water which correlates to the salinity. There are typically two types of hydrometers you would use in aquaria, both relying on a floating scale. Here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ3FDMzvEO0 You...

There are tons of posts discussing this very topic. It varies depending on the type of puffer, but typically you can find suitable tank mates given the right tank size. http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/386394-20-gallon-figure-eight-puff-tank-and-any-tankmates/...

I think you're being optimistic in thinking that they'd hang out in the shells. They may be tiny fish, but they (mine, at least) don't confine themselves to small spaces. They explore the whole tank, venturing in and out of caves (terracotta pots), sitting on the leaves of the plants, on the...

Figure 8 are more of a low-end brackish fish. Green Spotted Puffers can migrate to full marine as they mature. I feed my puffers mostly live food as well, however I have had some luck feeding them these pellets...

I agree, although having just two runs the risk of the bigger/more-aggressive one picking on the other. If NMonks is around he might tout the benefits of overcrowding in a situation like this. I don't have the expertise to comment either way. I also have a de-facto diy powerhead. It's really...

You'd have to be more specific on the species of toad, but generally speaking, no, you shouldn't put freshwater amphibians in a brackish tank. Of course, it depends on the species and the salinity of the tank.

Puffers are totally great. They're super smart, have very interesting personalities, and the way they move is mesmerizing. I wasn't trying to dissuade you from getting puffers, as I think they're totally worth it. Just trying to let you know that stocking them in a community tank comes with...

Edit: sorry, double clicked the post button :rolleyes:

That's big enough for those puffers (I have 4 Figure 8s and 1 GSP in my 55G, although eventually my GSP will be going in a bigger tank with some Monos), however don't expect to keep them and your plants. My puffers have eaten and torn up every single plant I've tried to put in there with them.

Bumblebee Gobies are generally seen as compatible with Figure 8 Puffers, and having kept them together for three years I would generally agree. However, make sure both are well fed. These gobies are so tiny it's easy for them to starve. In addition', I've lost some of my gobies to the puffers on...

Are you sure this was over-night or was this a gradual thing? Has he been having trouble eating now/before this? How are his teeth looking? Aside from the suddenness of it the symptoms sound like emaciation/starvation. This is often caused by overgrown teeth that need to be trimmed.

Really for biological filtration in a setup like mine the key ingredients are water flow and surface area. The crushed coral and stocking setup provides TONS of surface area in a high flow section of the tank. I would imagine that's where most of the ammonia/nitrite processing takes place. I'm...

I'm at SG ~1.004 (although I vary between 3-5). In the sump I've had varying success with java fern, java moss, and anubias. Java fern has done the best, but none of them grow very well due to my weak lighting. I also had really good success with duckweed, but I think you'd have to find a...

I have crushed coral in bags made of pantyhose in the first section of my sump. Then a refugium that houses plants, algae, snails (mostly Malaysian trumpet but some common pond snails too), and some Amano shrimp. The refugium is pretty low current, allowing the detritus to settle out. Then I...

I should also note that there are other puffer options, such as figure 8 puffers, that are much less aggressive but have personalities almost comparable to those of the GSP. I've found both to be very hearty and entertaining.

If you haven't already, check out The GSP Page. I only have one, so I can't specifically speak to stocking numbers from experience, but I can recount what I've read. GSP will vary in their adult size (I've seen videos of 6"+, where mine and most of the others I've seen have maxed out at about...

My chromides, while I wouldn't say they're skittish, definitely tend to stay near the bottom of the tank. They dart in and out of the flower pots I have in there with them, only swimming in the open when the are being fed.

I've had good luck with Orange Chromides, although I agree with the water sensitivity comment. I started out with a dozen BBGs with my 4 F8s almost three years ago, and I'm down to 3 BBGs. I don't know if they've died of old age and they were then eaten by the F8s, or if the F8s got hungry and...

You could drill holes in your internal overflow box that can accept stoppers so you could add/remove stoppers to adjust the water level in the tank. I would still put the return at the top of the tank and use a hose or something to bring it to the bottom when you've got the water set low. If you...

I hit the glass with a razor blade every month or so. Frequent water changes to remove nutrients the algae use to grow is said to help, but I've had no luck. Instead I've let the dark green stuff take over for a "natural look." I do have snails (pond and malaysian trumpet) in my sump that keep...

No, that volume does not include my sump. All together it's around 80G (84G of aquarium volume, but the sump isn't filled all the way). Good luck!

I have a tank with F8s, BBGs, and Orange Chromides, so here's my two cents. I LOVE the look of a planted tank, but my puffers chewed up every single live plant I put in there with them. Hornwort, Java Fern, Anubias, Anacharis, Java Moss, and they particularly liked the Vallisneria. I have java...

What a great tank! I love clowns. I'm inspired to setup my own clown tank now:)

Looks great, nice setup lobster!

I've never had much luck with it, but I've only tried to grow it in brackish water. It's a beautiful plant, but I don't know much about growing it. Best of luck to you.

Looks like Anubis to me as well. Nice looking tank :good:

I'm happy with how it turned out :good:

Done and done. Finished the trim work (thanks to a great guy who let me borrow his router) and added a little stain to boot. I give myself a B-, considering I was flying by the seat of my pants for most of it :rolleyes:

Yeah, the tank's already got several hundred MTS in it. The shrimp sit on vertical sedimentary rock eating, and the MTS congregate below them eating their poo/crumbs. It's fascinating and disgusting all at the same time. So for the record, yeah, MTS live just fine in low end brackish (mine...

So far so good. I'm not sure if they miscounted at the store or if I had a casualty or if there's always somebody hiding, but I've only been able to find 8 at any given time (usually closer to 5-6). The ones I do see are doing great, though. Super active, eating like crazy. They poop more...

Mine live primarily on a diet of frozen bloodworm, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen tubifix worms (although while they eat them, they don't seem nearly as fond of them), and frozen krill. They especially love the krill eyeballs, so long as it floats in front of them. My best trick has been to feed...

Might I add that I've never had any luck with permanent live plants with my Figure8s. They've destroyed everything I've put in with them, from sea-grass to java fern to hornwort. The plants quickly get puffer-mouth sized chunks bitten out of them and die off. I've read of others pulling it off...

10 Months later and I finally got around to framing the tanks. I'll be doing a little routing work for some detailed finish and then staining probably within the next week.

Over a year later and my mystery man is still staying strong. His fins never grew back, and his jaw is still stuck open and kinda crooked. When he eats he generally misses once or twice before actually catching his inanimate food:) I love this guy!

The University of Florida has successfully bred GSP in captivity using a method called "ovarian lavage," a procedure not to be undertaken by the casual hobbyist. - http://news.ufl.edu/2009/02/17/puffer-fish/

Maybe water lice? I feel like I remember seeing these in an aquarium of mine years ago. I never did anything to treat them and they seem to have gone away on their own. If you discover anything else be sure to let us know!

Picked up 9 Amano after having no luck finding anyone with Orange Sunkist in stock. Acclimating now. Thanks again :nod: