What Puffer To Get?

[Andypalf]

Hi all. I want to change my community tank over to something a little different and have decided on a puffer, but I haven't kept one before. It's 120 litres, pH 7 and the water is quite hard. I was going to change it over to a sand substrate (currently gravel) and then rehome it's current occupants to make room for the puffer.

From what I've read it looks like one Figure 8 puffer would be right. What do you guys think?

 

[nmonks]

Figure-8 puffers are indeed good fish in many ways. Provided they are maintained in slightly brackish (SG 1.003-1.010) water they are quite hardy, and generally remain colourful and fairly peaceful throughout their lives. They can be mixed with a selection of brackish water species including things like glassfish, pupfish and orange chromides. Gobies are generally ignored by them, so you can add things like bumblebees, rhinohorn gobies and knight gobies if you wish.

If you have no intention of setting up a brackish water system, then figure-8s are NOT a good choice. No-one really understands why these fish are reported as freshwater fish in the wild but need brackish water in captivity, but they do. If you want a small puffer for a freshwater system, then consider a group of South American puffers; these are hardy, very adaptable, and basically peaceful if a bit nippy towards slow moving tankmates such as livebearers and catfish.

Cheers, Neale

 

[jennybugs]

I can only tell you what it's like to own F8 puffers in one word - brilliant!

I recon a lone F8 with a swarm of bumblebee gobies would be great in your tank. A big external filter, sand, marine salt and some silk plants from P@H and you're off

I'd be lost without my two F8s and the 'swarm'. SO rewarding and friendly...always smiling - well mine are

 

[Andypalf]

I think I should walk before I run so I'll give the brackish set up a miss. I'm now on the look out for a nice Salivator Puffer. Failing that it's going to be a gang of dwarf puffers!!

 

[nmonks]

Never heard of a "nice" Carinotetraodon salivator -- they're all pretty nasty!

Before you disregard brackish as being "difficult", understand this: marine salt mix detoxifies nitrite and nitrate (reducing the chances of puffers getting sick) and stabilises pH (thanks to the carbonate salts). A low-end brackish tank is actually an easier to maintain environment for pufferfish than a plain freshwater one. This doubtless explains why all the species first maintained by aquarists were brackish water species, since those were the ones able to put up with iffy water quality. It's also why some freshwater species in the wild need to be kept in brackish water conditions in captivity -- GSPs and figure-8s for example.

Far from complicating things, brackish water conditions actually make things easier!

Cheers, Neale

I think I should walk before I run so I'll give the brackish set up a miss. I'm now on the look out for a nice Salivator Puffer. Failing that it's going to be a gang of dwarf puffers!!

 

[Andypalf]

I didn't know that Neale. Thank you. I guess the thing I really meant was that it would be more hassle to prepare the water for the change and get the salinity right. But if it results in a much more stabile environment then perhaps it works out well.

And as for a "nice" Salivator puffer...I was meaning in terms of appearance as oppose to sociability

 

[nmonks]

I didn't know that Neale. Thank you. I guess the thing I really meant was that it would be more hassle to prepare the water for the change and get the salinity right. But if it results in a much more stabile environment then perhaps it works out well.

It's pretty easy. Add 6 grammes of marine salt mix per litre of water. Stir well. That's it! SG 1.003 water with minimum fuss. Any variations when weighing out the salt would be well within the tolerances of the fish, filter and/or plants.

And as for a "nice" Salivator puffer...I was meaning in terms of appearance as oppose to sociability

Indeed! They're handsome fish though. Personally, I'm a fan of Carinotetraodon irrubesco -- it's a relatively non-aggressive species that isn't terribly shy and works well in communities with fast-moving glassfish, barbs and tetras. The males colour up very nicely. Not all that common in the trade, but often mistakenly sold as (or alongside) Carinotetraodon lorteti so keep your eyes peeled.

Cheers, Neale