20G For F8 Puff?

[Ceramicbull]

Well, it looks like I might have found a fantastic deal on a 20g tank w/ stand, light, and hood for $35 all told. My first thought is to put a Figure 8 puffer in there, with mabye a couple Bumblebee gobies for the heck of it. Most of the articles I've found say Bumblebees are ignored by puffers, though I'd like to see it for myself.

First problem: The tank was previously used "for a live animal". Are there any chemicals I should avoid cleaning with or will anything (409) work with appropriate rinsing?

Second problem: Can I use the BBGs to cycle the tank? Or will I have to conscript a couple of mollies from my existing setup to get the job done?

Third problem: Big enough for a figure 8? Will an overhang filter be fine or will I need to get a canister? By how much should I overfilter?

My plan for decor is a bunch of Vallisneria, some shells for the BBGs, and whatever else strikes my fancy.

All of this hinges on stuff being available, but hopefully this isn't hypothetical.

C-Bull

 

[TheHolding]

Big enough for one Figure 8 only.

You can cycle a tank without using fish. Buy some household ammonia from boots (will
cost £1) and buy a test kit, keep ammonia levels at 4.0 each day, you will notice nitrite will start to appear after week 1, once both ammonia and nitrite levels drop to zero in 24 hours of adding ammonia to 4.0 your rank is cycled.

Do a 50% water change to remove nitrate and then gradually add fish 1 or 2 at a time! The above should take between 3 to 6 weeks but if you
monitor it daily it will be very quick!

I can not stress how cruel it is to use fish to cycle a tank but this is my opinion of course!

Finally do not ad your puffer until you are 100% sure it's cycled!! Add the gobies prior as puffers are so sensitive to nitrite and ammonia I lost my South American puffer last week as I had an unfortunate nitrite spike - it peaked to 0.1 this was enough to kill it! He was in a 6 month cycled tank!!!

 

[stevereade]

Are F8's dramatically larger than GSP's cos I kept 3 GSP's with BBG's successfully in a 32 litre tank only got rid of them as didnt have the time for them and my discus but they were well happy???

 

[TheHolding]

A Green Spotted Puffer grows up to 6 inches keeping 3 in a 32 litre is very bad for the fish.

A GSP needs 30 gallons each so 2 will need 55-60 gallons.

Figure 8 puffers grow to a maximum of 4 inches and I beleive 20 gallons is sufficient for one.

As for keeping them with bumblebees it is entirely dependant on the personality of the puffer, some will live peacefully with them others will be very aggressive - it would be a risk.

 

[stevereade]

I only kept them for a year so they stayed about 2inches long and were very happy together, but then its my wonder tank and no matter what goes in it, it seems to love it and survive very happily so 30gallons for fully grown maybe but when they're 2inches long I'll stick by my own experience.

 

[Ceramicbull]

Thanks for the input, but I probably will stick with the fish-in cycle. Anyone know if the BBGs can handle the job or if I should stick with Mollies? Also, anyone know if a small (~1.5" atm) hogchoker will get along with BBGs? Neale seems to think they do a fine job at cycling aquariums, but I need to know if they'll mix with BBG's, at least at that size. He and any mollies will be back in the 29G before any puffer gets introduced.

 

[Ceramicbull]

Alright, new plan involves a 30G tank, but it comes with a Marineland Penguin 200 Filter. I am actually glad for the size increase as my chromides have stepped up aggression recently, so one may have to be rehomed. Will the Penguin be sufficient for:

1x Figure 8 puff
4x Orange Chromide
Handful of Bumblebee Gobies

-or-
2x Figure 8 puff
1x Orange Chromide
Perhaps 2 Bumblebee Gobies