Aquiring 5 Figure-8 Puffers (Free)

[jayuk22]

Hello good people,

i have been teaching myself some basics of tropical fish keeping via this website and i was all ready to go out and by a small setup for myself and get on with keeping a mixed tetra tank, however today the wife has informed me that a friend of hers is wanting to give her 90L Jewel brackish tank away, along with the 5 figure-8 puffer fish she currently has in it. i couldn't turn this down as they look like a stunning fish, my problem is however is that i have not got a clue about how i would look after them and making them happy!!!, i have just ordered Brackish Water Fishes from amazon but it wont be here by Saturday when i collect the tank, i also read a little of Neale Monks information on puffers. my questions to all you experts are

1- the tank will come with a fluvel filter, when would i need to change the media?? weekly/fortnightly/monthly?
2- how often do i do my water changes? do i do the change with the fish in the tank?
3- how often do i test my water and test my gravity(hydrometer ordered)
4- i was in my lfs today and i was looking at the frozen bloodworms there was about 6-8 different other types of frozen food would the fish take these?
5- how often do i feed the f8 puffers?
6- say i have a 90L tank, how much salt would i add?
7- is 5 f8 puffers ok for this size tank (reading different websites i'm beginning to think not)

here is a picture of the tank i will recieve



thank you everyone, any help would be appreciated, i will learn more when this book arrives

 

[SchottayB]

Hello good people,

i have been teaching myself some basics of tropical fish keeping via this website and i was all ready to go out and by a small setup for myself and get on with keeping a mixed tetra tank, however today the wife has informed me that a friend of hers is wanting to give her 90L Jewel brackish tank away, along with the 5 figure-8 puffer fish she currently has in it. i couldn't turn this down as they look like a stunning fish, my problem is however is that i have not got a clue about how i would look after them and making them happy!!!, i have just ordered Brackish Water Fishes from amazon but it wont be here by Saturday when i collect the tank, i also read a little of Neale Monks information on puffers. my questions to all you experts are

1- the tank will come with a fluvel filter, when would i need to change the media?? weekly/fortnightly/monthly? NEVER
2- how often do i do my water changes? do i do the change with the fish in the tank? Weekly maybe, key an eye on the water
3- how often do i test my water and test my gravity(hydrometer ordered) Daily when you first get it so you know whats what
4- i was in my lfs today and i was looking at the frozen bloodworms there was about 6-8 different other types of frozen food would the fish take these? Bloodworms and others but not 100% sure
5- how often do i feed the f8 puffers? Daily or every other day
6- say i have a 90L tank, how much salt would i add? Not sure
7- is 5 f8 puffers ok for this size tank (reading different websites i'm beginning to think not) Doubtful, someone else may help

here is a picture of the tank i will recieve
View attachment 63895


thank you everyone, any help would be appreciated, i will learn more when this book arrives

TBH it seems you need to do a little more research before just jumping in and getting a tank. Wouldn't want to waste money destroying everything because you couldn't be botherd to wait a few weeks / months while you did research on how to keep things

 

[jayuk22]

in theory i know the research if i was to go and read up on various sites i could probably get away with looking after them, i just thought i'd get an experts point of view

 

[jayuk22]

in theory i know the research if i was to go and read up on various sites i could probably get away with looking after them, i just thought i'd get an experts point of view


its posted twice . stupid phone

 

[hillbilly]

I've not kept brackish fish, but I can answer the first couple of questions as I'm sure the answers are the same as freshwater.

Firstly never routinely replace the media in your filter, just rinse it in old aquarium water. If the sponges start to disintegrate then only replace them one at a time so that you don't loose all bacteria that has colonized them.

Change approx 25% of the water weekly.

Do read up on the nitrogen cycle so you understand the importance of the filters bacterial colony.

Good Luck.

 

[jayuk22]

I've not kept brackish fish, but I can answer the first couple of questions as I'm sure the answers are the same as freshwater.

Firstly never routinely replace the media in your filter, just rinse it in old aquarium water. If the sponges start to disintegrate then only replace them one at a time so that you don't loose all bacteria that has colonized them.

Change approx 25% of the water weekly.

Do read up on the nitrogen cycle so you understand the importance of the filters bacterial colony.

Good Luck.

thanks hillbilly ive read up obsessively on the nitrogen cycle when i was getting a tropical set up but thats out of the window now , the girl in question has had the fish for a long while as far as i know, so the good bacteria should still be in the filter (hopefully), ive ordered my test kit today, i think i'll test each day and post the results on the forum.. if its too much trouble for me running a brackish setup i will ask my lfs if he wants to trade them for some fresh water tetras and start the tank again.

thanks again

 

[mattyp84]

I have 4 figure 8's in a Roma 90l, and i have never had problems with aggression or anything like that.

I have sand substrate, a home made 3f background and a few hardy plants, i feed them on ocean nutrients frozen bloodworm and the occasional MTS from my other little tank.

and on that note im off to clean them out, uve just reminded me

also i bought mine as freshwater, and have never added salt to there tank.............

 

[divegirl]

I have 4 figure 8's in a Roma 90l, and i have never had problems with aggression or anything like that.

I have sand substrate, a home made 3f background and a few hardy plants, i feed them on ocean nutrients frozen bloodworm and the occasional MTS from my other little tank.

and on that note im off to clean them out, uve just reminded me

also i bought mine as freshwater, and have never added salt to there tank.............

I'm sorry but comments like the last line of you post really annoy me! F8's may start their lives off in freshwater but they are a brackish fish, by not giving them the water that the need will shorten their life span considerably!

Why buy a fish that needs a brackish environment and then fail to give it what it needs. There are many fish that you can keep in freshwater so if you can't be bothered to add a little salt to the water....try keeping them instead!

Rant over!

Lisa

 

[divegirl]

Oh and to the OP ..... try this link for some excellent advice from our resident Brackish expert Neale.....

http/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/brackishfaq.html

Lisa x

 

[jayuk22]

thanks for the replies mattyp and divegirl, I've read that article already divegirl and I have to say after reading up obssessively over the past few days on brackish fish and water I now wish I'd set up one before now.. i did read on a few sites that having f8 puffers in brackish waters will give them an extra 8-10 years on their lives than in fresh mattyp84, which is a massive difference, are they only young?, i should be picking my little f8's up tomorrow and i cant wait !!! just 1 more question. i live about 100yds from there present house so what would be the best way of transporting them over? would the 5 of them go into a bucket with a heater while i get setup or would this freak them out?

thanks

thanks for the replies mattyp and divegirl, I've read that article already divegirl and I have to say after reading up obssessively over the past few days on brackish fish and water I now wish I'd set up one before now.. i did read on a few sites that having f8 puffers in brackish waters will give them an extra 8-10 years on their lives than in fresh mattyp84, which is a massive difference, are they only young?, i should be picking my little f8's up tomorrow and i cant wait !!! just 1 more question. i live about 100yds from there present house so what would be the best way of transporting them over? would the 5 of them go into a bucket with a heater while i get setup or would this freak them out?

thanks

 

[mattyp84]

I have 4 figure 8's in a Roma 90l, and i have never had problems with aggression or anything like that.

I have sand substrate, a home made 3f background and a few hardy plants, i feed them on ocean nutrients frozen bloodworm and the occasional MTS from my other little tank.

and on that note im off to clean them out, uve just reminded me

also i bought mine as freshwater, and have never added salt to there tank.............

I'm sorry but comments like the last line of you post really annoy me! F8's may start their lives off in freshwater but they are a brackish fish, by not giving them the water that the need will shorten their life span considerably!

Why buy a fish that needs a brackish environment and then fail to give it what it needs. There are many fish that you can keep in freshwater so if you can't be bothered to add a little salt to the water....try keeping them instead!

Rant over!

Lisa

Ok Lisa/divegirl, either you cannot or choose not to read, at no point did i say i wouldn't be adding salt to my tank at some point, i believe from what i have been told and also read that these fish start off in freshwater.

So instead of ranting why not chill out and maybe try and post something intelligent/helpfull or rational next time, instead of some rant ???

oh and btw comments like yours really annoy me too!, mainly because they are unhelpfull, arrogant and tbh a bit retarded imo. I think constructive help would be better and also help the OP.

 

[divegirl]

Wow...try sitting down in that pram of yours!

How rude are you! I read your post and at no point did you say that you would be adding salt! I suggest you re-read it to see how I formed my opinion!

I am sorry if I keep my fish to the best of my ability while you do not but to call my post '' unhelpfull, arrogant and tbh a bit retarded imo.'' hardly shows that you have a grip on reality! [do you not have spell check?]

As I have pointed out to the OP, these are Brackish fish and do better in a low sg, if you choose to shorten the life span of your fish that is up to you but hopefully the OP will be doing the right thing! Yes they spawn in more or less freshwater but by the time they have been transported they are old enough to go Brackish.

I will ignore your posts from now on as I am 41 year old woman and suspect you are about 12.

OP, pm me if you have any other questions as I will not be returning to this thread. Ask leviethan for my abilities when it comes to Brackish fish.

Lisa

 

[jayuk22]

thanks everyone, i decided against taking the f8 puffers, i couldnt live with myself if i'd of got it wrong and killed them, ive got neale's book here and im going to setup in stages then at least i will have a broader choice in the stock i can keep and have the tank how i like it ... Thanks again