Dwarf Puffer Tank

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Jonty

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After Christmas I'm going to be assembling a tank for 3 Dwarf Puffers. I've been considering them for ages, but once they arrived in my lfs, and the PFK article came out I made my decision. So far in my fishkeeping life I've generally used all-in-one tanks, or cheap equipment off this forum or ebay. However for this tank I'd like to assemble it with all the right things to make it look great.

BTW as I'm just under 16 years old, money can be an issue. Realistically for the equipment I'm aiming £150 or less.

Basically, I've found the tank I want: Here Nice and cheap, holds 42l.

The problem I'm having is finding a suitable external filter. As the dps are messy critters I really want 10-12x turnover. So far I've found the fluval 105, but not much else suitable.

I'd also like to have in inline heater, to minimise the clutter in the tank. Are there any that would fit a fluval 105?

Finally, we have the lighting. I'm really drawn towards a luminaire, but they are very expensive, and I can't find one 18" long. So, it's basically between clip on lighting, like the arcadia arc pod (but I'd get one cheaper) or a light starter and bulb, but then I'd need to make a lid.

HELP!
 
After Christmas I'm going to be assembling a tank for 3 Dwarf Puffers. I've been considering them for ages, but once they arrived in my lfs, and the PFK article came out I made my decision. So far in my fishkeeping life I've generally used all-in-one tanks, or cheap equipment off this forum or ebay. However for this tank I'd like to assemble it with all the right things to make it look great.

BTW as I'm just under 16 years old, money can be an issue. Realistically for the equipment I'm aiming £150 or less.

Basically, I've found the tank I want: Here Nice and cheap, holds 42l.

The problem I'm having is finding a suitable external filter. As the dps are messy critters I really want 10-12x turnover. So far I've found the fluval 105, but not much else suitable.

I'd also like to have in inline heater, to minimise the clutter in the tank. Are there any that would fit a fluval 105?

Finally, we have the lighting. I'm really drawn towards a luminaire, but they are very expensive, and I can't find one 18" long. So, it's basically between clip on lighting, like the arcadia arc pod (but I'd get one cheaper) or a light starter and bulb, but then I'd need to make a lid.

HELP!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260680080244&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_4905wt_1041
i have found this external filter that hangs from the rim of the tank outside, it looks quite good and i'm gonna get it for my new tank.
i have emailed the shop ant the filter is about 25cm long, and the flow is adjustable.
some people will tell you that china imported products may not be a good buy but its the closest i have found to a small external without all the fuss with pipes and all that.
 
Eheim 2213? Or one of that sort of sized Eheims. You can buy them relatively cheaply (or second hand), and they're pretty much bullet proof so consider it an investment. Or a HOB, Aqua Vital do ones up to 650lph, Eheim Liberty goes up to 760lph. Obviously that's not taking into account whether they'll fit on the tank, you'd either have to put it on the side or take off one of the shelfy bits.

I think external heaters are a minimum of 200W, but there's loads of really small internal heaters of varying degrees of obviousness.
 
you could also run a couple of these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RESUN-Cyclone-Mini-External-Filter-3W-200L-H-60L-CY-20-/180359416670?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item29fe424b5e

very cheap and very good filters by all accounts, they come with a spraybar. I have just ordered one for my nano.
 
you could also run a couple of these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RESUN-Cyclone-Mini-External-Filter-3W-200L-H-60L-CY-20-/180359416670?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item29fe424b5e

very cheap and very good filters by all accounts, they come with a spraybar. I have just ordered one for my nano.

Cheers, they do look good.
 
Jonty, im not criticizing you at all or anything like that, but you do know the typical 5 gallons per DP is a really nice rule to go by? I happen to have a 10 gallon heavily planted tank with one DP, and three ottos (might be getting one more dp) but the safe amount of puffers would be 2 (for a 10 gallon). Im sure if you had plenty of foilage they would be fine, but also take into recomendation that they are hard to sex and that if you got two males by accident, or chance, they would most likely fight and or one one be picked on/ forced around and bullied?
 
Jonty, im not criticizing you at all or anything like that, but you do know the typical 5 gallons per DP is a really nice rule to go by? I happen to have a 10 gallon heavily planted tank with one DP, and three ottos (might be getting one more dp) but the safe amount of puffers would be 2 (for a 10 gallon). Im sure if you had plenty of foilage they would be fine, but also take into recomendation that they are hard to sex and that if you got two males by accident, or chance, they would most likely fight and or one one be picked on/ forced around and bullied?

Don't worry, this forums here to give advice :good: I don't know if you read Practical Fishkeeping, but this month's Christmas edition had a feature on Dwarf Puffers, in which they said a good rule of thumb is 5 gal for the first one, than 2-3 gallons for each subsequant DP. They also commented on how contradictory a lot of the imformation on dwarf puffers is, so I guess there are a lot of recomendations. Do you think it's possible that the 5 gal per DP is partly due to the fact that they are a very messy fish, and so require a lot of filteration?

Taking on board your experience and suggestion, I think I'll try 3 in the tank, but I do have 3 empty 25-30l tanks lying around, so 1 can be removed if bullying/being bullied. I'll do a lot of research in the meantime.
 
Jonty, im not criticizing you at all or anything like that, but you do know the typical 5 gallons per DP is a really nice rule to go by? I happen to have a 10 gallon heavily planted tank with one DP, and three ottos (might be getting one more dp) but the safe amount of puffers would be 2 (for a 10 gallon). Im sure if you had plenty of foilage they would be fine, but also take into recomendation that they are hard to sex and that if you got two males by accident, or chance, they would most likely fight and or one one be picked on/ forced around and bullied?

Don't worry, this forums here to give advice :good: I don't know if you read Practical Fishkeeping, but this month's Christmas edition had a feature on Dwarf Puffers, in which they said a good rule of thumb is 5 gal for the first one, than 2-3 gallons for each subsequant DP. They also commented on how contradictory a lot of the imformation on dwarf puffers is, so I guess there are a lot of recomendations. Do you think it's possible that the 5 gal per DP is partly due to the fact that they are a very messy fish, and so require a lot of filteration?

Taking on board your experience and suggestion, I think I'll try 3 in the tank, but I do have 3 empty 25-30l tanks lying around, so 1 can be removed if bullying/being bullied. I'll do a lot of research in the meantime.
The more i think about it the more I might actually try it. As you said there is alot of contradictory information on them (sadly i have not read that article or articles, ill have to check it out), but for the most part i always thought it was due to the fact that most DP's are claimed to be extremely territorial, as ive found this out. Im sure being messy eaters also has a big part as well, as my DP rips apart shrimp and thus legs and other shrimp parts are bound to be strewn accross the tank no matter what. As long as your prepared to seperate them if theres any aggression im sure they would do fine, especially in a heavily planted tank where their line of sight can easily be broken by all the plants, thus adding a little more comfort when it comes to spotting other dp's in their territory. Overall id say try it, as thats what i may also try once i get my shrimp and snail breeder tank up and going to provide a steady diet.
 
Just thought I'd chip in regarding tank prices... Pets At Home are actually very competitive for new Clearseal tanks!
They do the 18x10x10 with a hood for £20... http://www.petsathome.com/shop/aquarium-18x10x10-inches-with-plastic-hood-by-clearseal-standard-(available-in-store-only)-36855
Or "barebones" larger tanks starting at 24x15x12 for £29... http://www.petsathome.com/shop/aquarium-by-clearseal-(available-in-store-only)-36345 (the 30x15x12 for £33 is good, which jumps to £52 for the 36" version)

As regards in-line heaters, I can recommend the Rena "Smart" range, which can be connected to many popular external filter piping via the official "connection kit."
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A3133&rt=nc&_nkw=rena+smart&_dmpt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1
For the small price difference its worth getting a 300W for ~£22, I've had equally good service from "fish-4-u" and "last-trading-post."
 

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