Almost Cycled Puffer Tank! + A 15L Micro

[mikeyy_lol]

Hi!
I have a 110L tank that is in the last few days of cycling! On monday I'll be going to my lfs and ask them to get 3 SAP's in for me! This is all very exciting but I have a 60L tank with a few Kuhli's 2 ADF's 6 Celestial pearl danios and 1 smallish clown killi and a honey gourami. There still seems to be a fair bit of room in there and as far as I know most of the fish don't particulary add much to the bioload so I think there may be enough room for a couple of apistos or some more killies + danios. Now what I'm thinking is getting a pair of Apistos and putting them into the 110L until the SAP's come to let them settle in and then add the SAPs.

Now I realise puffers aren't really seen as community fish by any means but have heard people get away with it depending on the temperment of the fish, I'll keep a close eye on the puffers and see what happens with them and the apistos and if the puffers get too aggressive I'll move them into my 60L. Do you think I could do this?

Also I really like the look of some of the smaller nano marine tank things, is it possible to do it in a 15L? If so what do you think it would cost approx (£) and what could I put in it? I heard clownfish are too big but may be able to with some of the gobies?

One last thing! I've heard you can give puffers and other fish mussels or prawns? Which ones do you recommend and how would I feed them it?
Thanks!

 

[ZoddyZod]

the thing is, if the puffer ever gets too aggressive, the first you will know about it will likely be by seeing a big chunk missing from one of the other fish.

.....is it worth the risk?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I would be wary of putting just three SAPs in the 110l, yet alone with tankmates. I would not put a single SAP in a 60l, unless it was for quarantine purposes.

These fish are active swimmers who enjoy current (which contradicts your gourami, kuhli, clown killi) and so they need a long tank, at least 4-foot. If you want them in a community, tankmates need to be chosen with care (need to be fast and hardy fish that are at least an equal size to captive SAPs, ~50% smaller than wild so ~8cm), which further increases the tank size requirements and layout (lots of plants and furniture for tankmates to hide away plus the SAPs to explore, keeping a long side open for current surfing).

SAPs, like many puffers, are prone to beak problems. The chances are at some point, they will need their beaks trimming and that means learning about using clove oil as a sedative before clipping. Plenty of common Pond Snails will help keep their beaks in check.

Mussels and prawns contain high amounts of thiaminase, which is not good for their staple diet. There's plenty of info about this in the "oddballs" section, especially by "nmonks" (Neale Monks, who writes fishkeeping articles for magazines and alike... Got a feeling he either keeps or has kept SAPs),

 

[mikeyy_lol]

I would be wary of putting just three SAPs in the 110l, yet alone with tankmates. I would not put a single SAP in a 60l, unless it was for quarantine purposes.

These fish are active swimmers who enjoy current (which contradicts your gourami, kuhli, clown killi) and so they need a long tank, at least 4-foot. If you want them in a community, tankmates need to be chosen with care (need to be fast and hardy fish that are at least an equal size to captive SAPs, ~50% smaller than wild so ~8cm), which further increases the tank size requirements and layout (lots of plants and furniture for tankmates to hide away plus the SAPs to explore, keeping a long side open for current surfing).

SAPs, like many puffers, are prone to beak problems. The chances are at some point, they will need their beaks trimming and that means learning about using clove oil as a sedative before clipping. Plenty of common Pond Snails will help keep their beaks in check.

Mussels and prawns contain high amounts of thiaminase, which is not good for their staple diet. There's plenty of info about this in the "oddballs" section, especially by "nmonks" (Neale Monks, who writes fishkeeping articles for magazines and alike... Got a feeling he either keeps or has kept SAPs),

Just 3 SAP's? I thought that was the ideal amount? I meant put the apistos in the 60L not SAP's

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I'm saying that I think 3 SAPs need more space than a 110l tank, I would not be comfotable placing 3 in anything less than a 4-foot tank (~200-250l).

Placing three SAPs (and 5 or 6 would do better from what I've read) with your current fish is just asking for trouble. The SAPs will probably nip fins and possibly worse, while like I said, the tank setup for SAPs is different from the requirements of some of your current fish (SAPs come from quite fast flowing water, which would stress out your Honey Gourami and Clown Killifish at the very least).

 

[mikeyy_lol]

I'm saying that I think 3 SAPs need more space than a 110l tank, I would not be comfotable placing 3 in anything less than a 4-foot tank (~200-250l).

Placing three SAPs (and 5 or 6 would do better from what I've read) with your current fish is just asking for trouble. The SAPs will probably nip fins and possibly worse, while like I said, the tank setup for SAPs is different from the requirements of some of your current fish (SAPs come from quite fast flowing water, which would stress out your Honey Gourami and Clown Killifish at the very least).

Oh, the 110L is empty, I meant I could move the apistos over to my 60L if the puffers nip at them