Can I add Figure Eight Puffers...?

[somethingfishy]

I have a ten gallon tank with 3 rasboras and an algae eater. I also have two female bettas in containers that hang on the side. Lately my tank has been overrun with snails, and I know that puffers eat them (I also love them, I have had some before). I was wondering if I could add a figure eight puffer. The things that I have read about say they grow to about 3 inches and do well in community tanks. So do you think I can add one? If not, is there another kind of puffer that I could add?

Thanks,
Somethingfishy

 

[CFC]

Figure 8s are brackish fish so cannot be mixed with your current fish, also puffers are generally non community fish and should be kept in a species tank or with very hardy tankmates.

 

[SirMinion]

Yes, forget the puffer and consider the addition of three loaches from one of the smaller species like yo-yos.

Just as efficient at de-snailing the tank without the unsociable habits of puffers.

 

[Gimli]

Sir Minion and CFC are right, just forget about puffers.

 

[aqtaquaman]

Figure eights are freshwater puffers that benifit from the adding of a small amount of salt. They'd shred your betta and possibly eat the rasboras if small enough. Go for a loach.

 

[Puffer_freak]

no, figure 8s are true brackish fish that spawn in freshwater (in the wild, they do not breed successfully in captivity) therefor they should be kept in brackish. Also, it is not only the bettas they would eat...

Go for a small loach!

 

[SirMinion]

no, figure 8s are true brackish fish that spawn in freshwater (in the wild, they do not breed successfully in captivity) therefor they should be kept in brackish. Also, it is not only the bettas they would eat...

Go for a small loach!

Yep, definately brackish!

 

[Final Dynazty]

they will eat everything. where i work they eat minnows as big as them! where u got ur info is full.

 

[Talleyrand]

I kept figure 8's in a Mbuna community tank for a year

(I have a dwarf puffers housed with Angels too )

 

[SirMinion]

I kept figure 8's in a Mbuna community tank for a year

And then...?

 

[Talleyrand]

The number one reason they were moved was I got rid of a book shelf and suddenly had room for a new tank
They got the new tank because they went through a bout of fungus then ich in the last several months, and I was tired of feeding the whole tank brine shrimp and bloodworms nearly every meal just so the puffers could get some.
The 8's never nipped a fin, although none of the fish had particularly long fins.

 

[stellablu]

Just to add to the F8 talk...when you buy a F8 they are young therefore able to tolerate freshwater, but as they grow they need to be slowly acclimated to brackish...but yeah, no puffers for your tank.

I hate when people say I can't get something, but that doesn't mean you can't set up a new tank

 

[Opcn]

You realise of course that the brackish fish in fresh water is probablywhat led to the fungus and ich. Thats like saying "it wasn't standing in the road that mangled freddy, it was the 18 wheeler running him over that did it"

 

[J-Money]

Thats like saying "it wasn't standing in the road that mangled freddy, it was the 18 wheeler running him over that did it"

 

[BigLou]

The loach approach is a better one. Get at least 3 loaches. I don't recommend clowns because they get bigger eventually, but I have skunk loaches that were cheap (75 cents a piece) and take care of my snails.