figure 8 puffer

[cherrybarbbaby]

I was at the IF's yesterday and I saw a Figure 8 puffer...he was so cute.

But at the moment I only have two tank options,
15gal Cory tank
and
20 gal Barb tank (cherry, rosey, tiger, albino)
5 gal- empty- was home to my bett Elvis how is now in that great fish bowl in the ski

Is a puffer compatible w/any of my tanks, or will I have to put this fish on my
"wish list" along with Loaches"

 

[StingrayKid]

Figure 8's are freshwater as young puffers but when they get older they are brackish. You can't really get one unless you have a brackish tank.

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

Thanks for the info. Since I've had no luck w/ livebeares which also like brackish water- I'll pass on the Puffer and spare his cute little life.

Platies and mollies were my first fish and I added the aquarium salt like I was told and kept the tank clean, but 5 months later they were all dead.

I think I remember reading that there is something else that people use to create brackish water but I can't recall what it was. They went on to say that aquarium salt was not enough.
But by that point, I was so sad at lossing my mollies that I did not want to try again.

Thanks again!
Puffer are now on the "cute fish that I will never own" list.

 

[Dwarfs]

If you want a puffer you can set up a 5 gallon and keep a dwarf puffer, they are full freshwater and only get an inch or so long

 

[SirMinion]

We have eight puffers, all true freshwater species. (see signature)

None of them are as colourful as a figure8, but they are just as cute!

However, what other fish can be kept with them? well... none.

You can keep fast moving, short finned or armoured fish with dwarf puffers, but nothing should be kept with the other, larger species.

In the fahaka's case, not even other fahakas!

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

Okay, I could keep a Dwarf in my 5 gal.
So I should get snails for him? do they sell snails at IF's??

I'm so excited!!

 

[SirMinion]

do they sell snails at IF's??

Most LFSs will GIVE you snails.

My Dwarfs live on bloodworm (live and frozen), daphnia, snails and brineshrimp.

 

[Aquascaper]

My GSP's love cockles and mussels chopped up

(and my fingers )