Ceylon Puffers

[crackmonkey]

I've had ceylon puffers for about a year now and I've been building up the salt level for around the last 6 months, its currently at around 1.004. I heard that once they get older you have to have them in full marine conditions, is that true? They're around 3" to 3½" now, so what would be the ideal salt level for this point in time.

They were sold as figure 8 puffers and I was fooled since they look very similar, so I bought four of them on the basis that figure 8's grow no more than 2" - 3". But these things grow to around 6", so im getting rid of two because they are in a 40 gallon, so if anyone wants to buy them....

Or at least I think they're Ceylons, theres a photo of them below.

 

[Fella]

Yes, they're definitely Ceylons, Tetraodon fluviatilis. Great puffers. I'd quite want one but I couldn't collect and it probably wouldn't be cost efficient with postage.

Some people say they need marine conditions, but I would be perfectly content with high brackish.

 

[crackmonkey]

Do you think a 40 gallon is big enough for two of them even when they're fully grown? It's big enough for all of them at the moment, but if they do get to 5" or 6" then i'd have a problem.

I was thinking about getting rid of my Discus and just having two of them in there since its around 52 gallons.

They're not really aggressive towards eachother, there supposed to be a peaceful puffer, as far as puffers go. But they are sometimes taking pieces out of eachothers tales, so I'll get rid of two.

 

[crackmonkey]

 

[Flumpus]

I have no personal experience with them, but I would say 40g might not be big enough for two of them (someone feel free to correct me), and a 55g would definitely be better.

As far as salinity, I agree with Fella. Marine conditions has its advantages (ability to use live rock), but high end brackish would be fine as well.

 

[kimmers318]

Oh how I wish I could take one of those guys off your hands! I have been looking into puffers for some time now and have a tank I am considering moving everything out of to house one. I fell in love with the ceylons, but haven't seen any around here...but since I am in the US I don't think the flight would be very cost efficient for me to come and get one

 

[nmonks]

Just to chime in here and agree with Fella and Flumpus: these puffers inhabit brackish, not marine, waters in the wild. The reason people keep them in marine is husbandry: as Flumpus says, you can use living rock, but in addition you can use a protein skimmer. Together, these keep the ammonium/nitrite and nitrates in the tank nice and low, and these things, rather than salinity, are the stress factors for most puffers.

The Aqualog books suggest 50% seawater (1.010-1.012) as being adequate for long-term health, and I'd tend to agree with that. It's quite common to see them kept thus in public aquaria (e.g., the London Aquarium).

Cheers,

Neale