mmmm planning

Lithril

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Ok I really have to stop planning this tank quite so much before I even get the tank :p

Oh well :rolleyes:

What sort of setups do people use for puffer tanks - substrate, plants etc. I would quite like to make it a fairly heavily planted tank with a few caves etc.

Are there any tank mates that can go with puffers without becoming lunch?

Tanks going to be a 3' with eheim ecco filter. About as far as I've got so far, will buy another air pump and probably a co2 generator for it.


Edit: Okies just read pinned - slaps myself, thats a lot of questions answered, any comments still appreciated
 
:lol: :lol: I find my Dwarfs don't bother the Ottos, or the Bumblebee Gobies (I think I lucked out with a strain that does well in FW). I also still have my guppies & swordtails (my cycle fish and their kids) in with my Dwarfs, they get nipped a bit but nothing to be alarmed about IMO. I also have South American puffers with my Dwarfs and they get along fine.
I think one trick to finding good tankmates is look for peaceful non-flittering fish, Dwarfs are attracted by the movements of twitchy fish like cories, and will retaliate against aggressive fish. Just remember that no matter what you choose as a tankmate may need to be relocated on short notice if the puffers start chewing them.

edit: I prefer a sand substrata for my puffers, easier for me to see the leftovers from their feeding(messy eaters) and they can see the leftovers better as well and will pick at them through the day.
 
Hoping you would say that as I wanted to use sand, just wanted to make sure. I might make the tank species only not sure. What about ground feeders, I'm going to put snails in to feed them but I doubt they will be around long enough to clean any algae off.

Any plants better than others, or can I just pick ones I like - hopefully some fairly big/bushy ones.

Now this may seem a really silly question, considering puffers are poisonous are you still ok to put hand in to clean/move things around in the tank. I'm still going to get them just didn't if there was anything I need to think about??? :thumbs:
 
I'm going to put snails in to feed them but I doubt they will be around long enough to clean any algae off.
I used 4 large apple snails as a cleaning crew, they got picked at all the time but did a decent job of algae control. As far as plants go i use "Fakeius Plasticus" in all my tanks (no green thumb) but the Dwarfs will love bushy plants and plants with large leaves to sleep in.

Now this may seem a really silly question, considering puffers are poisonous are you still ok to put hand in to clean/move things around in the tank. I'm still going to get them just didn't if there was anything I need to think about

Not silly at all, but you needent worry. All puffers produce tetraotoxin to one degree or another, but it is in the skin, so unless you licked your puffer (ohhh bad visual) or rubbed it in an open wound, the chance of trouble is remote. For long term exposure (say you were trimming the teeth on 100 puffers :crazy: ) I would wear gloves, or if a puffer happens to get ripped up and poisons the tank (which appearently could happen), but other than that I don't see a problem, I have my hands in the puffers tank regularly with no ill effects.
 
Yay, should be getting the tank next week, so a couple of weeks to aquascape and get the tank cycling and I should have my first puffers :D :D :D :hyper:
In the mean time I may go and buy a tube of silicon sealant and make a few caves for them


Do you reckon its worth putting some small snails in first to give em time to start multiplying - plenty of food?
 

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