100Litre F8 Puffer Tank (Brackish Water)

[Livewire88]

Woohoo!

Vallis, rockwork and wood!

Also, look in the brackish section, there is a thread asking about peoples tanks with pics and there is a great one using plastic plants. Very nice indeed.

Mattlee uses the plastic terrarium/vivarium plants in his tanks due to big fish, so you will still be able to have it "planted" so to speak.

Also... Check google and youtube for further inspiration.

So, any tankmates now? Maybe some gobies of some sort? Not sure yet, I think the Puffer would eat gobies, More than likley just get a 2nd F8 but have been advised I could keep 3 but im not to sure about that!

Glad you have followed Neales advice, its the only way really, well done matey. I knew it was the best way, just had to get over the "planted tank only" thought I started out with.

looks good... so much for a plant only tank in your shed... Tell me about it, everything changed once I bought the F8

i think java moss and java fern can live in brackish.

 

[minnnt]

I would imagine Bumble Bee Gobies would probably be fine if you offered enough hiding places for them. Upto you though mate.

Have you thought of any plans for design and lay out then?

 

[Livewire88]

I would imagine Bumble Bee Gobies would probably be fine if you offered enough hiding places for them. Upto you though mate.

Have you thought of any plans for design and lay out then?

Guess I could give it a go with a couple of Bumble Bee Gobies, They are cute little things.

In regards to the design and layout, so far im thinking a rock formation in one corner (with hiding spots) a nice smallish piece of wood with java moss attached to it the other end, maybe loads of tall vallis and also some java fern. I dont want to have to pay for the wood so a trip to the woods at the weekend may be in order

How about sending me that piece of wood you have that took you so long to strip??

 

[minnnt]

Lol... Noooooo

Ensure the wood is totally dry and you should be fine.

Plans sounds good mate, why not look for some rocks from the river aswell?

 

[Livewire88]

Update;

Since adding the salt the Puffers Ich has totally gone I have managed to get hold of lots of Vallis, some bog wood and stones.
The plan is to have plants in here which will cope with a low level of salt in the water, so at the moment I have Vallis, Java Fern, Anubias and will be adding some Jave moss when I give my main tank a trim.

The water was at around 1.005 salinity, to give the plants the best chance I have dropped this to as close as 1.000 as I can without cleaning everything out, once the plants have been in for a week or so I will be gradually bringing the salinity up to 1.003 where it will be kept for the long term. As the salinity is low I decided it was a good time to get a second Figure 8 Puffer (my LFS sells them from fresh water) and both seem to be getting along well. Here are a few photos;

I still have loads of Vallis left over and could add a lot more but cant decide if I should or not. This is what I have left!! lol

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I would mate, the vallis Looks great, give the little fella a jungle to enjoy, I used to have a planted GSP tank and they loved it. Filled it with roots, anubias, swords, vallis and hygro. They loved it, looking good tho mate, do like brackish tanks.

 

[minnnt]

Nice mate, very nice. Whip the yellowing leaves off the vallis and add the rest. Glad he's got a friend at last.

 

[Livewire88]

Nice mate, very nice. Whip the yellowing leaves off the vallis and add the rest. Glad he's got a friend at last.

I think it is just the light making those leaves look more yellow than the rest, also trimmed all the dead leaves off before putting them in,

The Puffers are getting along great, swimming round together exploring the new set up. Going to see how the plants get on for a week without adding any ferts or CO2, and hopefully I wont have to use any on this tank as im not looking for any significant growth and hoping for it to be low maintenence.

 

[Livewire88]

Chucked some more of the Vallis in, and managed to get a picture of both the puffers together, taking photos has become a big challenge as they just wiz round the tank whenever I put the camera close as you can see in the second picture they are just a blur at the top of the tank

At feed time the new puffer does not take to kindly to the other puffer eating food that is close to him and proceeds to chase the other one around, no biting as yet so hopefully this wont become the common theme at feeding time

Im realy liking the new look of the tank, and for a change even the missus has given some good feedback

 

[minnnt]

Looking great mate, the Vallis has improved things no end, just hope all the plants adjust well to the salinity.

Puffers look very characterful

 

[minnnt]

How's the plant aclimatisation to salt going?

Puffers going ok?

 

[Livewire88]

Hello Minnnt

The plants have been freshwater for around a week now and today I have done a 50% water change and brought the salinity up to 1.0015
dont laugh at the 1.0015, I bought a refractometer this week so am now alble to get a nice accurate reading of the salinity level. (got a hydrometer I dont need now, do you want to do a trade with something for it when you get your Wasp fish?) Also put a Hydor Koralia Nano 900lph powerhead in last week to help the flow which the puffers seem to enjoy.

The vallis seems ok ish and has allready sent out some shoots so should be ok, Anbuis is also ok as is the Java Fern, have put 5 moss balls in which I know arnt everyons cup of tea but I dont mind them, before they sunk the Puffers where haveing a great time chasing them around in the current.

We will see how it all gets on over the next week now the salt is in the tank. Not dosing anything in this tank ATM so may have to start if the plants dont do to well, I did add some ferts to the tank when it was salted up a few weeks ago but all it seemed to do was cause a massive Algea bloom!! and Just tried to get some photos of the tank but the reflections from the conservatory are not helping at all but will get some later on and update the thread with images.


edit; quick picture of one of the puffers surfing away (bloody reflections) and thats a Cockle Shell at the bottom of the tank, which I need to fish out from the puffers dinner.

 

[Livewire88]

Picture of how the tank is at the moment, since doing the water change I can see pearling ON THE ALGEA!!

Also I forgot to mention, the newer F8 has turned out to be a little aggressive at feeding time thinking that all the food is for him. He tends to butt the other puffer out of the way and chases him round the tank for a split second.

I have checked the other puffer for signs of damage but no noticable marks are on him so I think it is more of a "im the boss" moment rather than trying to inflict harm or damage. There is no problem throughout the day as they both swim round together so its only at feeding time I have to be carefull. And because of this I tend to feed them just before lights out so hell doesent break loose.

Also have a feeling that plants are not going to work in this tank, fingers crossed they will but if not I am going to order a load of silk plants from China and just fill the tank with wood, stones and silk plants, we will see how it goes

 

[minnnt]

Nice mate. The rocks are greening up nicely!

With regards to the cockle, I'm considering getting some for mine, what do they do with them?

I like moss balls in the right tank, and I think yours will suit them.

And the wasp fish is a while away for me yet, so you would be best off selling it imo.

 

[Livewire88]

Nice mate. The rocks are greening up nicely! Is that a good thing? lol

With regards to the cockle, I'm considering getting some for mine, what do they do with them? They seem to love them, I have been putting them in the tank whole and the puffers tend to just dive in and tear pieces off, I have read that it is a good ideal to break the cockle up into small pieces so they have to "chew" the shell to get the meat off which supposedly helps keep their teeth worn down.

I like moss balls in the right tank, and I think yours will suit them. I am hoping they help keep the algea down by using up any neutrients the algea feed on, but I doubt it will make a difference.

And the wasp fish is a while away for me yet, so you would be best off selling it imo. Cool, I may just hold on to it for now anyway just for backup.

Thankyou Please